First in the brand's new River Oaks District boutique and then celebrating in a sumptuous Memorial area mansion, Dolce & Gabbana spared no expense Tuesday night in showing Houstonians how to party haute Italian style.
"Domenico and Stefano do it better than any brand in fashion," exclaimed Becca Cason Thrash, who with husband John Thrash, allowed Dolce & Gabbana run of their 26,000-square-foot abode for the fete launching the Italian design team's new store.
The sophisticated partying began in the boutique where guests were greeted by drop-dead-gorgeous waiters in white-tie-and-tails, each carrying silver trays of champagne. As part of Dolce & Gabbana's attention to finite detail, the waiters had to pass visual muster, which meant that male models were hired for most of the serving tasks.
Likewise, the Dolce & Gabbana special events team flew in from Milan to design every aspect of the Cason Thrash party scene that Richard Flowers and The Events Co. would execute.
The eye-popping decor, drenched in roses in various shades of pink, had guests swooning. In particular, the dreamy dessert spread covering the complete length of the 30-foot dining table had more than a few guests pulling out their smart phones. Kelli Cohen Fein, Caroline Starry LeBlanc and Liz Decker were among them.
The glam dessert display featured a dozen calorific offerings including extraordinary Italian wedding cakes and elaborate marzipan displays that Dolce & Gabbana had flown in from Italy for the event.
For Dolce & Gabbana muse Coco Brandolini, who jetted in from Italy for the party, the decor was mere icing on the cake of the art-filled Cason Thrash home. She emailed Becca on Wednesday, "I am leaving Houston even more enthusiastic than when I arrived and really want to come back soon . . .Big big kiss and be well in your wonderful house."
Decor in that amazing dwelling was filled with bouquets of roses accenting the buffet in the outsized kitchen where Landry's Brandon Busch oversaw the amazing selection of Italian specialties. (The mushroom lasagne had even the most calorie-conscious of guests — Diane Lokey Farb, for one — going back for seconds.) Delicious offerings came from the kitchens of La Griglia and Grotto.
The display of roses continued throughout with the arches that frame the Andy Warhol Marilyn's in the vast pool room garlanded with fresh greenery and more roses.
Uber hostess Becca made a dramatic costume change between her presence at the store party and her role welcoming guests, changing from a rather prime white-collared black and white Dolce & Gabbana number into a to-die-for Dolce & Gabbana black lace peek-a-boo cocktail suit.
Close to 200 poured in for the post-store party including Dolce & Gabbana president Tina Bhojwani, Barbara and Michael Gamson, Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan, Ann and Mathew Wolf, Dr. Mary Riley, Ceron, Lora Clemmons, Beth Muecke, Dr. Toby Hamilton, Ursaline Hamilton, Natalie LeFevre, Elizabeth Petersen, Gracie and Bob Cavnar, Ericka Bagwell, Clifford Pugh and John Dascoulias.
Dr. Toby Hamilton and Ursaline Hamilton.
