Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/865761
letter editor STEVEN VISNEAU, SISTERBROTHER MGMT. 26 F all has been on our brains for many months now. We began conceptualizing our September issue this spring, when art and creative director Michelle Aviña asked photographer Maxine Helfman to fly in from Florida to shoot our hauntingly beautiful fashion fea- ture, beginning on page 54. I stopped by the studio later this summer during the production to catch up with Helfman, who has been busy on assignment for New York Magazine and The Cut since leaving Dallas a few years ago. Helfman never ceases to amaze with her passion and unwavering commitment to her artistic vision. Her work is far more than pretty models posing in the season's latest clothing: It is art in its purest form. That same dedication and talent holds true for all the creatives we are fortunate to work with each month. It is their innate ability to translate dreams and wild ideas into reality that makes PaperCity more than just a magazine, but a vessel we hope allows you to escape reality, find inspiration, and gain knowledge. These rare-air visionaries often come in the form of people whose homes, projects, and parties we spotlight. Becca Cason Thrash deserves a most glamorous vacation after masterfully executing her two-part fundraising extravaganza in Europe this summer. The event to top all events started with her Liaisons au Louvre gala in Paris and culminated with a La Dolce Vita masked ball in Venice, together raising $3.4 million to be split between the American and International Friends of the Louvre and Venetian Heritage. For an inside look at her glittering spectacle, flip to page 36. Also poised to inspire — and perhaps prompt you to ring your decorator — are husbands Brian Bolke and Faisal Halum, whose home we feature on page 122. Bolke, co-founder of Forty Five Ten, and Halum, a top agent with Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty, collaborated on their well-designed abode with best friend and interior designer Gonzalo Bueno. The Richard Avedon photograph of Jacqueline de Ribes that hangs in their entry is enough to inspire house envy. On the fashion front, we are thrilled to present our first collabora- tion with Net-A-Porter — the online retailer of choice for the world's most discerning shoppers. The special advertising section is very much a magazine within a magazine, much of it produced by PaperCity con- tributing editor and well known style-setter Bradley Agather Means, who worked closely with Net-A-Porter to spotlight the season's must- buy ready-to-wear, accessories, and beauty products. Your shopping cart will soon runneth over. There is also much ado with brick-and-mortar retail this month: Cartier unveils its new boutique at Highland Park Village, a larger space fit to house its collections of gorgeous jewelry and timepieces, plus a few select pieces from its unparalleled high jewelry collection, which are said to make rotating appearances in store. Rock-star menswear designer John Varvatos opens up shop, too, with his first Dallas store opening at NorthPark Center late last month. As Neiman Marcus turns 110 this month, we dig into the store's inimitable photo archive and catch up with its top execs. Finally, we wish many happy returns to Jackie Bolin and Liz Thompson, whose V.O.D. boutique turns 10 years old this month. Their store reshaped Dallas' fashion scene, and we can't wait for their report back from Paris, where designer Vanessa Bruno is throwing a Champagne-fueled anniversary party in their honor later this month. Bring on the bubbly. Christina Geyer Dallas Editor in Chief christina@papercitymag.com