Local publication LCA Houston International Society News Magazine and Fabergé Houston recently combined forces for an intimate, enchanting gathering honoring Diwali. The beloved Hindu Festival of Lights is all about bright colors and the spiritual victory of light over darkness.
LCAHouston’s founder and editor-in-chief, Ruchi Mukherjee, and Fabergé powerhouse Houston store director, Yoon Smith, included their most festive clients and friends for an evening of delicious Southeast Asian cuisine, sparkling lychee cocktails, and novel pieces from London-based jeweler James Ganh.
“Yoon is the mastermind behind tonight,” Mukherjee tells CultureMap. “Diwali is the biggest Indian festival and Fabergé was the perfect partner for this event.” Bold, lavish, and aristocratic pieces have adorned the world’s elite since the brand’s inception in nineteenth century Russia. Today, Houston is lucky enough to call itself home to the only Fabergé boutique in the United States.
“Houston is the perfect city for Fabergé to call home,” shares Smith. “It’s multicultural, it’s international, and the Houston community adores Fabergé.”
The cultural significance of the soirée is noteworthy in its own right: this marks the first time that a global luxury brand hosted an Indian festival. Fabergé’s iconic multicolored gold designs are synonymous with Diwali; Indian culture considers gold an auspicious color and metal, symbolizing worthiness and royalty.
Special guest Ricky Flores, M.D., informed eager partygoers that a portion of the evening’s proceeds benefit the Correa Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting ill and impoverished children. Flores, who works as a pediatric oncologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, co-founded the Correa Family Foundation with Houston Astros player Carlos Correa. “Gold is the color we chose to represent our children fighting cancer, so we decided to collaborate with Fabergé and create a gold egg locket.” The Foundation will continue to receive 10 percent of the Houston boutique’s proceeds through the end of the year.
Spotted in the crowd were: Terri Ho, Brisehyda and Daniel Phil Cheung, Mona and Wasay Khan, Toni and Howard Tate, Namrata and Ankur Goel, Yuan Zhang, Samantha Holsomback, and Milka Waterland.
Yoon Smith and Ruchi Mukherjee.
