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L ike many great arbiters of taste, Tracy Achor Hayes moves in a stylish, rarified orb. As the fashion editor at the Dallas Morning News and editor in chief of its now-shuttered style mag- azine FD Luxe for more than 30 years, Hayes traveled to fashion weeks in New York, Paris, and Milan three or four times a year, where she covered the shows with editors of Vogue, Women's Wear Daily, Elle, and other international publications. There were lunches and interviews with the likes of Karl Lagerfeld in Paris. And during Tom Ford's early days at Gucci, before he skyrocketed into superstardom, Hayes was invited over for dinner at his Milan house, where he cooked pasta for her in his bare feet. Hayes has fostered generations of great talent in Dallas, launching major careers of everyone from her former interns to the subjects of stories. "Being in that role [of editor] was incredible because of the connections I made," she says. "My whole job was to meet cool people doing cool things, and let other people know about them." Now, as the director of editorial content for The Book at Neiman Marcus (a role she's held since 2012), her sphere of influence is even broader — and just as satisfying, says Hayes. Her job is to spotlight the fabled Texas retailer's many luxury vendors across the globe. "There's never a shortage of great stories to tell," she says. O n a recent morning, Hayes greets me at the door of her town- house in Old East Dallas, garbed in a red-and-black paisley Etro dress, topped with a cashmere cardigan trimmed in a wild ruff of black Mongolian lamb's fur. Her black lace-up Zara ankle boots inject a little rock 'n' roll, and the whole look feels effortless and chic. "Fashion is my first love," she says. "With clothes, I know instantly how to pull a look together." On the other hand, she admits that concocting a beautiful room doesn't come as naturally. "My taste is eclectic, and that's hard to do at home. You don't just throw it all together and have it work." 53 In the dining room, Japanese scroll from the house where Achor Hayes grew up. Chopping block was a 1980s flea-market find. Carved wooden santos collection includes pieces from her parents and a gold-crowned virgin, a gift from Todd Oldham and Tony Longoria. On the upstairs landing, a mosaic mirror by Austin artist Barry Jelinski. (continued on page 54)