The orchestrated frenzy that engulfed Lucinda and Javier Loya's spanking new home in Stablewood was generated by a photo shoot for Shamaine Klein's latest jewelry collection.
Klein was having fabulous eyelashes applied by a make-up artist when I walked into the master bedroom of the grand, contemporary house. In the dressing room, Ceron had his hands wrapped up in the thick mane of Lisa Pliner (as in Mrs. Donald J Pliner of hipster footwear fame). Stylist Todd Ramos hovered over the scene pacing back and forth like an expectant father. A videographer, two photographers, two stylist assistants, Ceron's assistant and a publicist bustled back and forth.
The photos and video would be used for an ad campaign promoting Klein's "Modern Opulence" collection.
The jewelry designer formally introduced her new line at the Donald J Pliner store in Highland Village earlier this week. Branching out from a strictly silver motif, Klein includes 14-karat, 18-karat and rose gold in her collection and has added colorful stones including topazes and amethysts. The footwear company carries Klein's exclusive Peace for the Children collection in its stores around the country.
The Peace for the Children Foundation was created by the Pliners to provide funding for projects helping children in need and the couple tapped their long-time friend, Klein, to design a special line benefiting the non-profit. The first generation of Peace for the Children pieces focused on a skull, a riff on a Pliner shoe design featuring skulls. Today, Klein has added a dragonfly motif to the line, a take-off on one of Pliner's summer shoe creations.
The photo shoot action began at 8 in the morning at the Loya home. Klein is a good friend and was a next door neighbor before the Loyas moved just last week into their new casa grande. The bright open spaces and waves of natural light made it the perfect place to capture the sophisticated glamour of Klein's designs.
Pliner and Klein grew up together in Houston, having been fast friends since junior high school. The stylish shoe retailer flew in from home base in Miami to model Klein's daring designs for the shoot.
Klein's pieces are sold at Laura U on Westheimer and through her website.
Flying high for new director
Versatil Group president Alex Martinez and partner David Arpin, who chaired Mayor Annise Parker's campaign finance council, threw a bash in their Montrose home to welcome the city's new director of the Houston Airport System Mario Diaz and his fiancé, Eunique Tamora Jarmon.
Plenty of VIPs in this crowd — Metro board vice chair Allen Watson and wife Patty, Metro board member Carrin Patman and Jim Derrick, Cindi and Dr. Franklin Rose, Seafarers International Union president Dean Corgey and wife Teresa, Saks Fifth Avenue GM Terry Zmsylo and William Dobbs, Café Adobe owner Bob Borochoff, M.D. Anderson's Dr. Jordan Gutterman and wife Susan and LA film producer Peter Herro.
Power lunching on West Gray
It looked like a role call of political and business notables at La Griglia the other day. The lunch hour saw the casual place crawling with politicos including State Senators John Whitmire, Mario Gallegos and Joan Huffman, State Rep. Carol Alvarado, City Controller Ron Green and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's regional director Jason Fuller.
Among the movers and shakers at various tables were Ed Wulfe lunching with Peter Brown, plus Jim Flores, Kitch Taub, Cindy Clifford, John Connally III, John Beeson, Nick Espinosa and more.
Sight 'ems
Steve Trent, managing director of Hyatt Regency Houston, at Tony's where he celebrated his 40-year career with Hyatt Hotels. Making it a celebration for three were Trents' wife, Pat Trent, and Marc Ellin, in from Chicago where he is Hyatt Hotels Corp. divisional vice president.
Cerón, left, and Todd Ramos prepare Lisa Pliner for her photo shoot for Shamaine Klein Design.
