Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1529937
The Cinematic Kips Bay President's Dinner Dallas Design (Continued) Doniphan Moore Cornelia Guest By Billy Fong. Photography Tamytha Cameron. Paradise S ometimes I'm invited to an event that feels downright cinematic — as if Wong Kar-wai or Baz Luhrmann (who, BTW, once produced the Met Gala) conspired with the party planner to create an evening meant to be viewed on a massive screen. The recent Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas President's Dinner, produced by Todd Fiscus and Todd Events, was all that and more, staged in a glamorous tented scene on the grounds of the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. As I dressed for the evening, I queued up Sade's "Paradise" on my closet playlist. (Hopefully you all have soundtracks in your wardrobe arsenal to put you in the #mood.) I had recently been on a group text with a crew I knew were pulling out heavy-hitter slinky numbers for the night — Kara Goss, Piper Wyatt, Zoe Bonnette, and Janet Gridley. Pre-launch cocktails were planned for designer Doniphan Moore's studio, co-hosted by Tanner Moussa. As we sipped, in breezed designer Michelle Nussbaumer, wearing a flowing frock that seemed inspired by Sade's mellifluous tune. In case you need a primer, the original Kips Bay Decorator Show House was launched in NYC's Upper East Side in 1973 by dedicated supporters of Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. Over the decades, the annual fundraiser has become a must-see for designers and design enthusiasts. Given that Dallas has plenty of both, the charity launched a show house in Dallas for the first time in 2020, with a portion of proceeds earmarked for local charities: Dwell with Dignity and The Crystal Charity Ball. The President's Dinner originated in New York City to celebrate that city's show house and was introduced to Dallas in 2022. Given that this year's show house was located across the street from the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, the evening began with cocktails and a preview of the dazzling show house rooms. Afterwards, the group was shuttled via golf carts to the tented lawn. The space was buzzing when we arrived. The first swan I encountered was a ravishing blonde in Oscar de la Renta — Cornelia Guest. After a rapid-fire catch-up on a wide range of topics that included Hollywood, animal rescues, and, of course, the show house, I went in search of a cocktail at the bar perfectly positioned with DJ RomiQ in the center, spinning tunes. Other notable looks included Laura Lee Clark Falconer in a short white dress fringed with white plumage. Lloyd Princeton was channeling his best Palm Royale self in a white dinner jacket and Lance Scott was in evening shorts as was I. Shaun Thompson Claire Emanuelson, Chad Dorsey Jan Showers, Shelby Wagner Curtis Gribble, Joseph Rogers Mark D. Sikes Vipin & Andrea Nambiar 32