Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1506595
Before EIC … I was an intern at Southern Living magazine in Birmingham, Alabama, and the moment I saw PaperCity hit the racks in Dallas, I was relentless about PaperCity hiring me as their very first Dallas editorial assistant. Challenge that you find amusing now. The parties were shot with actual film — working with photographers Stephen Karlisch, Kristina Bowman, and more — and I would pore over teeny-tiny black-and-white negatives on a lightbox, circle my choices with a wax pencil, take the negatives to BWC to be printed into photographs, then send the photographs to Houston to be scanned for party coverage. The process took weeks! Party moment. Hands and fur down: The Adirondack Chic party. Neiman Marcus' Ken Downing and Mike Thompson, an amazing stylist, cooked up a Welcome Back to Fall party on the third floor of Neiman Marcus NorthPark, with models wearing raccoon-fur hats, fur stoles, sleeveless flannel lumberjack shirts, and wool socks, making s'mores by their camp tents over faux fires. BROOKE HOLLIS HORTENSTINE, SQUAD CAPTAIN (2004 to 2012) NM Cafe at the NorthPark Center store. We talked about people and art and architecture — anything but fashion. We went way over our allotted time. At the end, she said, "Should we say something about clothes?" We thought for a nanosecond, and each said, "Nah!" and broke into laughter. What you're up to now. I'm telling stories as the director of editorial and communication for the Sotheby's real estate affiliate in Dallas, Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty. It's a lot of fun — creating ad campaigns, press releases, social media — and now the agents are my colorful socialites, and all the magnificent homes I write about happen to be for sale! Office away from the office. We basically lived at the office; I kept emergency ball gowns hanging on the back of my door to slip on to cover a party, and Rob kept tuxedo jackets and blazers on the back of his. Fact: We had a Chanel tweed jacket once owned by Nancy Dedman to keep us warm when the office temps would get too chilly. Favorite story. Our April Fool's party write-ups, which were a Holly Moore brainchild and a total hit. For our April issues, we would concoct rapturous reports of parties that never happened — one about the opening of a new underground Harrods beneath The Crescent, accessed by a red London-style phone booth. We published party pics with the April Fool's piece featuring Gisele, Madonna, and other one-namers, all Photoshopped mugging our local socials. People constantly called me, saying, "We are at The Crescent, but we can't find the telephone booth!" Fangirl moment. Dallas was a must-stop for fashion designers in our years, as it was before the social-media era, so they had to visit their best customers. I interviewed everyone from Mary-Kate Olsen to Julia Reed at Forty Five Ten; Christian Louboutin to Manolo Blahnik at Neiman Marcus; I had dinner with Prince Edward at the Lacerte home; Carolina Herrera as my guest when I co-chaired a Cattle Baron's Ball spring luncheon; talked to Kim Kardashian in a dressing room at Macy's; laughed over lunch with Giorgio Armani; and enjoyed every incredible fashion and interior designer in between. What you're up to now. I'm co-owner of a branding agency, Ashlar Projects, with Missy Wyszynski. We met when Missy was working at Hillwood, building Victory Park, and would pitch stories to me at PaperCity — the irony of it all! AMY ADAMS, THE GURU (2012 to 2013) Before EIC … After almost 20 years at Neiman Marcus, I moved to Mozambique in 2010 with my then-husband. I spent most of my time freelance writing, volunteering at the local animal shelter, and learning to play bridge. I was hoping to return to Dallas when I learned about the opening at PaperCity. There was a seven-hour time difference, and Maputo internet wasn't exactly reliable, so to say that the interview process was rather unconventional is an understatement. "I KEPT EMERGENCY BALL GOWNS HANGING ON THE BACK OF MY DOOR." — BROOKE HOLLIS HORTENSTINE Opposite page, from top: December 2008, May 2010, April 2008. This page: August 2004. 151