Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/389440
BY JANE ROZELLE. PHOTOGRAPHY DANA DRIENSKY. TURNING HEADS left and right were the illustrious ladies honored at this year's Crystal Charity Ten Best Dressed Fashion Show and Luncheon at Neiman Marcus, which also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the famed fête. The Best Dressed sparkled like crystals in the Nina Ricci outfits they donned for the momentous occasion — causing quite the buzz for the new fall collection designed by Peter Copping. As always, several pre-parties led up to the main event: the Platinum Circle dinner at Dallas Country Club; the fashion show patron party at the elegant home of Elisa and Stephen Summers; and an early- morning gathering hosted by Todd Fiscus and Ceron with PaperCity that treated VIPs to a little fluff-and-puff beauty session at The Joule hotel. As the clock struck half past 10, guests including Laura Bush, Gene Jones, Nancy Dedman, Charlotte Jones Anderson, and Annette Simmons gathered on the first floor of Neiman Marcus Downtown, waiting in suspense before being ushered into a tented utopia adjacent to the store, decorated in Ricci's fall colors: pale pink, blue, lilac and burgundy. As patrons found their seats at extravagantly set tables, NM store manager Jeff Byron, emcee for the day, took to the stage to introduce NM Group CEO and president Karen Katz, who broke the ice with: "We all remember when you cheated on Neiman Marcus that one time … 39 years ago with Lou Lattimore, who hosted year one of Best Dressed." Next up were ball chairman Robyn Conlon and luncheon chairman Pat McEvoy, then the show began. The 10 lauded ladies walked the runway, followed by the Nina Ricci Fall 2014 fashion presentation — and although the lights were dimmed, shouts of praise could be heard all around the room. Doing the walk of fame: Nancy Carlson, Heather Esping, Mary Clare Finney, Margaret Hancock, Ashley Hunt, DeeDee Lee, Patty Leyendecker, Lynn McBee, Francie Moody-Dahlberg, Christi Urschel, and 2014 Hall of Fame Honoree Lee Ann White. Maine lobster salad, roasted butternut squash and goat cheese tarts were topped off with double chocolate buttermilk cake and salted caramel gelato, confected by The Zodiac restaurant — a divine ending to another successful luncheon. Dressed to the nines: In from Nina Ricci, Ralph Toledano, president of Puig Fashion, and Thomas Girty; and guests Myrna Schlegel, Nasiba Adilova, Jean Marie Clossey, Muffin Lemak, Karla McKinley, Cindy Rachofsky, Candice Romo, Heather Furniss, Brian Bolke, Skye Brewer, Elaine Agather, Ulrich and Mimi Sterling, Marianne Lynn, and Robin McMonigle. BEST IN SHOW The Crystal Charity Ball raises a glass to 40 years of Ten Best Dressed. FAVORITE MOMENT? KIMBERLY SCHLEGEL WHITMAN: "CHEERING ON MY FRIEND ASHLEY HUNT AS SHE STRUTTED DOWN THE AISLE." CERON: "AT THE JOULE, ENJOYING A FABULOUS GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE WHILE STYLING EVERYBODY TO BE BEAUTIFUL." PAT MCEVOY: "I MUST SAY THAT NEIMAN MARCUS SIMPLY TOOK THIS EVENT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL." OCTOBER | PAGE 10 | 2014 Pete Kline Jim Lee Shelle Sills Michael Sills Tiffany Divis Laura Bush Charlotte Jones Anderson Melody Rogers Francie Moody- Dahlberg Kevin Dahlberg Caren Kline Christi Urschel Hal Urschel Thomas Girty Ralph Toledano Ceron Neva Hall Stephen Summers Todd Fiscus Kate Rose Marquez Gillian Breidenbach Nancy Carlson Sunie Solomon Katy Bock Maggie Kipp Wanda Gierhart Lynn McBee Jack Pratt Piper Wyatt Don Conlon Jeremy Lock Aileen Pratt Jeff Byron Bill Esping Alan White Lee Ann White Heather Esping Russ Davis Erin Mathews Shelby Wagner Niven Morgan Ashley Hunt Ward Hunt Charles McEvoy Patty Leyendecker Mark Leyendecker Chairman Pat McEvoy Heather Furniss Margaret Hancock Mary Clare Finney Chairman Robyn Conlon D'Andra Simmons- Lock Nancy Rogers Karen Katz DeeDee Lee