Not that there was anything unsavory about the tasty hors d'oeuvres served at the late-afternoon gathering of style mavens. It was just that the Donna Karan designs modeled by willowy mannequins and the pieces hanging on the myriad clothes racks required a lithe and lean silhouette. No thinking of discretionary calories, please.

Integral to the collection was an abundance of ruching — a stylish ploy that is not for the faint of heart nor for those of considerable girth. Think thin.

Hostess Sheridan Williams, one of a handful of Donna Karan Ambassadors selected from across the United States for their stylish philanthropy, opened the doors of her River Oaks home for the fashion-focused afternoon that doubled as a fundraiser for M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, her choice for proceeds from the Saks Fifth Avenue/Donna Karan event. Sheridan serves on the prestigious M.D. Anderson Board of Visitors making that non-profit a logical choice.

With SFA's Terry Zmyslo and Sylvia Forsythe assisting and Donna Karan client service manager Curtis Farnham from New York commentating the brief fashion show, the ladies went wild for the clothes. The credit cards were fairly sizzling as the flock enthusiastically embraced the Donna Karan esthetic.

Janet Gurwitch, Dancie Ware, Lucinda Loya and Sandy Barrett were among those admiring the trés stylish fashions for spring and summer. Listening with rapt attention as Curtis extolled the virtues of the Donna Karan line were Diane Lokey Farb, Liz Decker, Katie Decker, Margaret Lanier, Franelle Rogers and so many more.

While they might have passed on the tempting hors d'oeuvres from Catering by Culinaire, the ladies did indulge in the offerings of champagne, wine and bubbly water.