Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/720642
47 HIGH JEWELS INDEED Van Cleef & Arpels VIPs traveled from near and far, including CEO Nicolas Bos, in from Paris; CEO North America Alain Bernard, based in Manhattan; and Houston boutique director Shamika Johnson • Air France's Pierre de Saint-Albin flew in from Paris • River Oaks District developer Dene Oliver also hopped a jet from San Diego • Host and chair Miz Thrash went through two wardrobe changes, Naeem Khan to Alexander McQueen • City Kitchen devised the menu for the seated dinner with luxe fare including a swordfish entrée • Intimate crowd of about 170 big-pocketed guests • Samantha Boles was high bidder on the ultimate trip to Paris: two Air France biz-class tickets, a trio of nights at the Ritz Paris, and a private tour of the Louvre • A bit of history: Louis Arpel's passion for the ballet inspired the house's iconic Ballerina gemstone clips, which first pirouetted in NYC during the early 1940s. SOCIAL PIROUETTES Houston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch and executive director Jim Nelson; Ballet board chair Phoebe Tudor and board prez Allison Thacker and husband Troy; Gina and Devinder Bhatia, chairs of this spring's beautiful ball; Tenenbaum Classic Jewelers' Tony Bradfield and Kevin Black; Yvonne Cormier and daughter Claire Cormier Thielke; Diane Lokey Farb; Jo and Jim Furr; Duyen Huynh Nguyen, she a new Ballet board member and striking daughters Lauren and Misha; Patti Murphy with pal doc Rolando Maldonado; gallerist Barbara Davis; Jerry Ann and Victor Costa; Merrill and Joe Hafner; royals Princess Anna Maria and Prince Piotr Galitzine; Tony Gibson and JD Adamson; Barbara and Michael Gamson; Leslie and Russ Robinson; Gary Petersen; Fadila Kibsgaard; Suzanne Saperstein, back from L.A., with daughter Alexis Saperstein and daughter-in-law Emily Saperstein; Lora and John Clemmons; a flock of femmes including Nancy Marcus Golden, Hallie Vanderhider, Melissa Mithoff, Stephanie Cockrell, Marita Fairbanks, Tama Klosek, and Fay Zakhem; Joyce Echols and Steve Wyatt; Monsour Taghdisi; Kevin Stolle; and Charles Clark. Alain Bernard, Becca Cason Thrash, Nicolas Bos Alexandre Bader Gary Petersen Mark Scioneaux Orchestrating cocktails Models in Van Cleef & Arpels jewels Rosemarie Johnson Stacey Soriero Stephanie Cockrell Raquel Segal Haydeh Davoudi Monsour Taghdisi Rana Davoody Gracie Cavnar Raquel Vasquez Kevin Stolle Bob Cavnar Stanton Welch Nicole Lassiter Joyce Echols Steve Wyatt Fady Armanious Lora Clemmons Kevin Black Tony Bradfield John Clemmons Lauren Werner Pierre de Saint- Albin