At Its New Dallas Flagship, Gucci Hosts an Intimate Dinner in Support of Art and Philanthropy
On Thursday, October 5, Gucci—along with co-hosts Cindy Rachofsky and Lisa Runyon—welcomed Dallas’s most stylish arts patrons and philanthropists for a private dinner to celebrate the opening of its new flagship at the NorthPark Center and in support of the forthcoming TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art gala later this month.
Arriving to the boutique on the “perfect fall evening” as one attendee described it, many of the 50 guests came clad in favorite Gucci pieces from past and current seasons, like Partlow founder Kasey Lemkin who pulled out a white leather coat from Pre-Fall 2018 with “GUCCY” embroidered on the back, and Nancy Nasher (owner of the NorthPark shopping mecca) who was a breath of spring in a more recent kaleidoscopic floral print dress. For the first hour, champagne flowed, cocktails were shaken, and hors d’oeuvres passed while the cherry-picked group leisurely circulated with the sounds of the Bishop String Quartet as an accompaniment to their conversations.
Afterward, in what could have easily been mistaken for a fashion show, the Gucci-glam crowd was led out to the NorthPark’s 1.4-acre interior courtyard and into a stunning “tented” contemporary dining room complete with two long candle-lit tables adorned with white linens and bouquets of deep crimson dahlias. Runyon and Selena Kalvaria, Gucci’s senior vice president of brand engagement, made welcoming remarks about the brand’s support of TWO x TWO and the boutique opening as dinner was served, noting that a donation would be made to the annual event hosted at the Rachofsky House that benefits both the Dallas Museum of Art and the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).
At 12,000 square-feet, the word “boutique” seems to be an inaccurate descriptor given the vastness of the space and the sheer amount of eye candy on display: a bewildering collection of ready-to-wear, shelves stacked almost to the ceiling with men’s and women’s shoes (including a stunning array of Horsebit loafers in colorful crocodile, buttery suede, sumptuous leather, and velvety corduroy for the 70th anniversary of the iconic design), bamboo-handled classic and exotic handbags, luggage, jewelry, and other tasty accessories. Moll and Charlie Anderson (whose daughter welcomed her own little girl just two days earlier) made a beeline for the Gucci Kids Collection boutique—an 800-square-foot shop within a shop—to pick out the baby’s first ensembles.
Elsewhere, eagle-eyed philanthropist Nancy Rogers spied a floor-length red chiffon evening gown moving lithely on a model through the room and instantaneously remarked, “I think I need that, what’s the size?” As it turned out, the show-stopping look was part of a greater Gucci “made-to-order” collection in store for a private client event and bound for its next presentation in Japan. In fact, the room displaying the one-of-a-kind garments was a magnet for nearly everyone and seemed to indicate a bespoke evolution. Not only is the century-old Italian luxury brand’s footprint expanding in Dallas and elsewhere (like the by-appointment Gucci Salon on Melrose Place in West Hollywood), but with the exit of its creative director Alessandro Michele this past winter, the installation of his successor, Sabato De Sarno, in August, and last month’s planned departure of CEO Marco Bizzarri, Gucci is tailoring a captivating renaissance.
Other guests—all of whom were gifted a cashmere GG-patterned fringed throw blanket—included Howard Rachofsky, John Runyon, David Haemisegger, Bela Cooley, Brian Bolke, Faisal Halum, Christen and Derek Wilson, Abi and Fred Perpall, Meredith Hays, Suzanne Droese, Michelle and Larry Rutt, JoJo Fleiss, Deborah Scott, Jessica Nowitzki, Nancy Carlson, Todd Fiscus, and celebrity hairstylist Cerón.
Fred Perpall and Abi Perpall
John Runyon, Lisa Runyon, Cindy Rachofsky, and Howard Rachofsky
Kasey Lemkin
Cerón
Meredith Hays, Nancy Nasher, and Isabelle Haemisegger
Rajan Patel and Jessica Nowitzki
Nancy Rogers
Ivonne Inocencio and Larissa Hubeler
Christen Wilson and Derek Wilson
Moll Anderson, Charles Anderson, Suzanne Droese, David Nash, and Selena Kalvaria
Atmosphere
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