Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1513368
Partygoers: 1. Meghan Guffey Rachel Stocker Amy Havins 2. Meghan Looney Zoe Bonnette 3. Christy Flannigan Laura Price 4. Brian Bolke Rochelle Gores Sharon Lee Clark 5. Okoro Simon Elsbeth Weempe 6. Selwyn Rayzor Ralph & Nicole De La Torre 7. Michael Phelps Daisha Board Loewe Last at L oewe has finally made its Texas debut. The Spanish luxury house's first boutique in our state is in Dallas, with a Houston opening just around the corner. I had secretly hoped for a sighting of Maggie Smith or Jamie Dornan (both were recent models for the label, which has become synonymous with cool) at the slew of opening events. Alas, I didn't have that moment, but Dallas' most coolly coiffed and fashionable clique did make their way to Highland Park Village for the boutique's premiere and private dinner. The evening began with private shopping in the sleek new space. Highland Park Village's parking lot was jam-packed, so I asked my Alto driver to leave me at one of the entrances then ran (not a smart idea, since I was wearing Cuban heeled boots) to the reception. Air-kisses ensued with the veritable who's who of our little town's couture cognoscenti, including Daisha Board, Nancy Carlson, Cary and Mark Deuber, and Ramiro Garcia. After purchases were made, a select group of us hopped aboard a small fleet of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans to head to the dinner at the Swexan. Our little crew was abuzz on the ride there. Who doesn't love a party that requires a few staff to greet you … show you down a hall … to a bank of elevators … to the top floor … and down another long hallway to the destination: a beautifully set room with a long table ready for supper. What did we dine on? Too much to share here, but a highlight was chocolate olive oil cake with dark chocolate ice cream and brioche crumble. Some of the standouts that evening wore Loewe, including Rochelle Gores in a gray dress and black cocoon coat ("You'll let me borrow that, right?" I asked her) and Bela Cooley, in a printed dress looking like the chicest expectant mother/ girl on the go. Zoe Bonnette rocked a vintage number she'd scored on a Park House trip to Palm Beach. Meanwhile, Christen Wilson and Kit Sawers looked straight out of an old-school MGM Christmas flick, wearing short white faux- fur coats. Others sporting their holiday finest: Loewe's Highland Park Village store director Pablo Arellano, Ann Hobson, Meghan Looney, Amy Havins, Annika Cail, Brian Bolke, Marissa Howard, Sharon Lee Clark (whose actress sister, Greta Lee, is a brand ambassador for Loewe), Elisa and Stephen Summers, Reed Robertson, Selwyn Rayzor, Joyce Glover, and Holly Hutchinson Harris. The evening was beyond gorgeous. I'm moved to paraphrase lyrics from Etta James' "At Last": "[Loewe] smiled, you smiled. Oh, and then the spell was cast. And here we are in heaven." Retail heaven, at least. By Billy Fong. Photography Rebecca Patton, John Daniel Powers. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 34