What: Opening of Forty Five Ten.
Where: River Oaks District.
The scoop: The chic Dallas store that is a favorite of the fashion world celebrated the opening of a new 3,300-square-foot Houston boutique with a big party that drew much of the city's stylish trendsetters. Forty Five Ten's president and co-founder Brian Bolke, along with women's fashion director Tomasi Hill and men's fashion director Nick Wooster, welcomed the Houston crowd, while artist Donald Robertson, who has been labeled "Instagram's Andy Warhol," sketched his cheeky illustrations on candles from The Starling Project, available exclusively at the store. Proceeds go to UNICEF to provide sustainable solar energy to communities in need around the world.
A large red balloon sculpture in the shape of a pair of lips hovered above the central part of the store, which seems as tall as it is wide. The ultra-modern boutique, designed by Dallas architect David Droese, who attended the opening with his wife, Dallas publicist Suzanne Droese, has a clean look, with cubicles and cubbyholes featuring luxe womenswear and accessories, menswear, a gift and home department, an Assouline book department, and a room featuring Forty Five Ten’s exclusive Rare Beauty concept.
Upon entering the store, guests were offered flutes of Casa Dragones Joven, a limited-edition sipping tequila, while waiters passed hors d'oeuvres by Lombardi Family Concepts. Owner Alberto Lombardi was in from Dallas to oversee the operation, as his Taverna restaurant is directly across the street from Forty Five Ten in the luxe Houston shopping center, and Toulouse is close by.
Dallas DJ Lucy Wrubel, looking like a pink lady in Grease, kept the energy level high with an array of tunes.
Who: The crowd was a mix of seasoned Houston fashion vets and up-and comers. Among those spotted were Sarah Jawda and Saba Jawda, Vivian Wise, Beth Muecke, Chiara Casiraghi-Brody, Courtney Hopson, Becca Cason Thrash, Diane Lokey Farb, Judy Nyquist, Sverre and Carrie Brandberg Dahl, Fady Armanious, Lilly Cullen, Erica Dixon, Caroline Starry LeBlanc, Ceron, and Susie Criner and Annie Criner.
A large balloon "red lips' sculpture hovered over the new Forty Five Ten boutique as artist Donald Robertson, center, did his trademark custom sketching on candles.
