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One Enchanted Afternoon THE POOLSIDE FÊTE L auren Santo Domingo, co- founder of Moda Operandi, and Austin philanthropist Andra Liemandt, CEO of The Kindness Campaign, hosted a glamorous poolside lunch and intimate shopping event to celebrate New York designer Brandon Maxwell at The Commodore Perry Estate, an Auberge Resort, in Austin. That city holds a special place in the Longview, Texas native's heart; it's where he designed two of his best-selling collections while staying at friend Erin Driscoll Thornton's guest house during the pandemic. Commodore Perry creative director Ken Fulk envisions a movie for each of his magical projects, and the afternoon that unfolded among the gardens cascading below the restored 1928 Italian Renaissance Revival mansion certainly seemed cinematic. The guest list drew stylish women from across Texas, hailing from Austin (Nicole Trunfio, Eloise DeJoria, Paola Mathé, Riley Reed, and Katie Kime), Houston (Greggory Burk, Mary Steen, Ann Ayre, and Marla Hurley), and Dallas (Bradley Agather, Joyce Goss, Tiffany Moon, and Maxine Trowbridge). How clever of Santo Domingo and Dallas- based Moda Operandi CEO Jim Gold, who attended with daughter Caroline, to host a Texas-inclusive event. "I'm so happy to be in Austin with the pride of Texas himself, Brandon Maxwell," Santo Domingo said. "Since the launch of his first collection on Moda in 2016, he has garnered a loyal fan base who shop season after season. He has a unique understanding of what makes women feel their best, what sparks joy, and the power of clothing to truly transform how we feel." MODA OPERANDI'S LAUREN SANTO DOMINGO AND DESIGNER BRANDON MAXWELL CONVENE AT THE COMMODORE PERRY ESTATE IN AUSTIN. By Anne Lee Phillips Photography Kristen Kilpatrick Models in the vibrant Pre-Spring 2023 collection — which naturally launched for pre-order on Moda Operandi that day — played lawn games under a spreading oak tree and later swanned around the oval pool as guests lunched and strategized with local Moda private-client advisor Brian McCulloch. Maxwell designed the joyful collection, which includes airbrushed palm trees and painterly prints in party minis, full gowns, and ruffle-hemmed pencil skirts, while spending time in Montecito. His return to color after seasons of tailored black and white was prompted during his time away from New York. His mother, Pam Woolley, who lives in Longview, said Maxwell's favorite movie as a child was The Wizard of Oz, pointing out the parallel of a movie that begins in black and white only to thrill the viewer when it switches to full color. Table linens were made for the afternoon to match the collection's prints by Spoonflower, complemented by Gypsy Floral's exuberant arrangements. Guests not under the yellow- and-white umbrellas were equipped with matching parasols, and each place setting included a personal Supergoop! sunscreen and paper hand fan alongside menus by illustrator Jo Turner. (Continued) Brandon Maxwell Collection Lauren Santo Domingo Marla Hurley, Tara Martin, Tiffany Moon Ann Ayre, Brian McCulloch, Greggory Burk Katie Jaffe, Andra Liemandt Loreal Sarkisian Brandon Maxwell Erin Driscoll Thornton Brandon Maxwell Collection 182