Neiman Marcus and Brunello Cucinelli Host Dinner at Roadrunner Ranch in Texas
As the sun went down over the hills of Ferris, Texas, on Thursday evening, a collection of guests gathered about with glasses of Bollinger in hand, dressed in their Brunello Cucinelli finest. The occasion was at the orchestration of Neiman Marcus, which threw a dinner party at Roadrunner Ranch in honor of Muse of the West, a capsule women’s collection designed by Cucinelli exclusively for the luxury retailer.
Brand copresident and co-creative director Carolina Cucinelli said she felt right at home on the horse and cattle ranch.
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“Being in Dallas is quite special for me and my husband,” she said. “We like to come to the U.S., and we are constantly inspired by the culture, the warmth and the beauty of the people we meet. Thank you for that. I feel like we are truly in the heart of the U.S. tonight.…It is a very special experience, and we will hold it in our hearts for a long time.”
“This friendship is really deep and authentic and emotional and passionate, and it’s been holding us together for several decades since the early ’90s,” said Neiman’s president and chief merchandising officer Lana Todorovich, addressing the 110 guests seated for dinner at two long tables under an open-air tent.
The 31-piece collection is a polished riff on classics, featuring cashmere cardigans, long shirtdresses in silk plaid or chocolate lambskin, quilted outerwear, denim, and leather accessories and boots.
Muse of the West has exceeded expectations since it dropped Sept. 14 at all 36 stores and online, said Jodi Kahn, the retailer’s vice president of luxury fashion.
“It has blown us out of the water from a business perspective,” Kahn said. “People are really responding to the aesthetic.”
Cucinelli described creating the collection with her sister Camilla as a labor of love.
“My sister and I are very passionate about western culture since the beginning,” she told the group, explaining that as children they watched western films and listened to country music, especially Johnny Cash. “We grew up with the dream to be here one day.”
Todorovich thanked her and the Cucinelli team and presented Carolina, who was wearing heels, with a tall pair of red Lucchese cowboy boots. The Neiman’s executive then promised Cucinelli U.S. president Massimo Caronna that a pair of Luccheses were on their way to him as well.
Most of the guests were brand fans from the North Texas area.
Maricela Heckelman said she’s been wearing Cucinelli consistently since she discovered it about five years ago.
“We own restaurants, so I want to look good but not overdressed,” she said. “The textures and fabrics are so easy to wear.”
“I love wearing Cucinelli,” said Dallas hospitality guru Kim Whitman, who topped her Cucinelli ensemble with an ecru felt cowboy hat and a squash blossom necklace. “You can take any Cucinelli outfit and pair it with boots and a hat and it works.”
