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MADONNA STRIKES A POSE FOR THE SILVER ANNIVERSARY. BY JANE ROZELLE. PHOTOGRAPHY SHANA ANDERSON, THOMAS GARZA, RACHAEL WISE. Dare to DIFFA TOP RUNWAY MOMENTS "When the Robert Palmer song featured identically red-dressed dancing women with pale faces, dark eye makeup and bright red lipstick, resembling the women in the art of Patrick Nagel. It was crazy sexy cool. That was powerful. That was iconic. That was victorious!" — Sami Abboud "The Traffic LA scene showcasing some of the most avant-garde designers and looks." — Brittanie Buchanan Oleniczak "I love the Madonna segment — made me snap my fingers and float away to yesteryear." — Jo Marie Lilly E n vogue since 1984, the Dallas chapter of Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) knows how to throw a party that stands the test of time: Its annual black-tie gala has become one of the most gilded fashion fêtes of the season. This year's theme, House of DIFFA No. 25, celebrated 25 years of raising funds — $7 million to date — for organizations that provide education, treatment and direct-care services for people living with or impacted by HIV/AIDS. DIFFA/ Dallas' chairman of the board Clint Bradley, House of DIFFA event chair Chuck Steelman, honorary chairs Anne and Steve Stodghill, and DIFFA executive director Johanna Osburn ensured the silver celebration shone. The evening began with cocktails, while guests perused the Ebby Halliday silent-auction goodies and the infamous jacket collection, which filled the third floor of the Omni Hotel with leopard, zebra, fringe and feathers. Designers including Altuzarra, Badgley Mischka, Diane von Furstenberg, Isabel Marant and Marc Jacobs tailored and embellished some of the 78 jackets, while designers with Texas roots added their own verve. A few highlights: Lyndsey Butler of luxe label Veda teamed with Elements Boutique for a jacket collaboration, Abi Ferrin offered up her own design, and 11 students from El Centro College submitted jackets in competition to win a $1,000 scholarship from Fashion Group International of Dallas. Inside the ballroom, which was striped with blue, purple and red light beams, a symphonic treat kicked off the main event, compliments of the Turtle Creek Chorale, before Bradley and Steelman welcomed the crowd of 2,000-plus. "There are so many people involved in making House of DIFFA No. 25 a success," Steelman said. "All of these people, as well as every guest that supports the event, make a difference." Then, the DIFFA/Dallas diplomats walked the runway, including this year's Style Council Ambassadors Jenn Clark, Ralph Randall, Debra Nelson, Norma Johnson, Patrick Ware, Scott Kehn, Shayne Robinson, Jody Stein, and Jenna Alexander, as well as Legends of Style Simona Beal, Don Gaiser, Rebecca Hallam, Gillian Breidenbach, Joe Pacetti, David Kiger, and Matrice Kirk. The applause grew thunderous as Phoenix, the renowned drag queen from the hit TV show RuPaul's Drag Race, made her way down the catwalk to Madonna's "Vogue," followed by the runway event orchestrated by Rhonda Sargent Chambers of RSC Productions, Brian Brothers of Planet Productions and Jeffrey Horn of Triad Event Solutions. Fashion from Traffic LA, Hannah Pederson, Emmanuel Tobias, Mario Gallegos and Vintage Martini took to the runway, choreographed to musical performances by a faux celeb roster of Beyoncé, Robert Palmer, Milli Vanilli, Lady Gaga, Kris Kross and, of course, the Spice Girls, who caused an uproar with their cover of "Spice Up Your Life." Dancing the night away: Dr. Kevin Terrell, Jeny Bania, Jason Oleniczak, Densil Adams, John Clutts, Monica Pedersen, of HGTV's Designed to Sell, designer Anthony Franco, Glee actor Ryan Grainger, Darin Kunz, Mark Stafford, Barbara Buzzell, Jim DiMarino, Matt Wilkerson, Dr. Gary Tigges, Duanne Jeffers, John Ahrens, and David Nelson. "IT WAS EVERYTHING I COULD DREAM OF. WE HAD A HOUSE FULL OF WONDERFULLY GENEROUS PATRONS AND AN AMAZING SHOW … MY HAT IS OFF TO ALL THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE NIGHT'S SUCCESS." — CLINT BRADLEY MAY | PAGE 10 | 2015 Brittanie Buchanan Oleniczak Clarice Tinsley Rick Eberst Ron Corning Shane Allen Chad Rogers Ekaterina Kouznetsova Michael Dylan Kate Rose Marquez Stuart Boslow Lisa Pineiro John Robert Clark Pamela Martin Duarte Caitlyn Mullanix Patrick Tichacek Gibbs Henderson Patrick Ware Jake Harm Marjon Henderson Neil Patel Jenna Alexander Nabil Shayy Shayne Robinson Ralph Randall Chelsea Brogdon Neale Jones Rhonda Sargent Chambers Brittanie Buchanan Oleniczak Todd Fiscus Jan Strimple Mark Hopper Julian Burt Tre Wilcox Norma Johnson Greg Haynes Johnson Summer Nilsson Monica Pedersen Randall Goss Kara Goss Al James Stephen Giles Scott Kehn Carol Quist Chairman Chuck Steelman