It was a family affair Tuesday night at NorthPark’s Bottega Veneta. The cocktail reception benefiting the North Texas Food Bank was being hosted by mother/daughter team Myrna Schlegel and Kimberly Schlegel Whitman.
“It’s one of my favorite nonprofits,” said Kim, who is co-chairing the NTFB’s 4 Kids Program again this year.
She added that she loved the fact that BV wants to give back to the community and to be a part of the community.
Bottega’s U.S. President Giuseppe Giovannetti admitted that when selecting a charity, “We are very picky. We always want to do the best.” Regarding the Dallas location that opened in October 2006, he was pleased to report that it’s definitely been one of the company’s important U.S. stores.
And it should be, with the likes of Kim and husband Justin. She recalled how her grandmother always carried Bottega and Kim would “borrow” her bags. As for Justin, he simply loves “the quality of the leather.”
Kim and Justin were just back from “spring break” in California, where they visited Justin’s dad actor/investor Stuart Whitman. According to the twosome, Stuart, who just turned 84, is pretty amazing. Not only can he still do 90 pushups, he smokes three cigars a day and plays tennis, but not at the same time.
Across the store, Kim’s dad Bob discovered a pair of turquoise calf suede sneakers and tried them on. He must have had turquoise on his mind, because they matched wife Myrna‘s turquoise dress perfectly.
But the Schlegels weren’t the only family in the crowd of beauts. Neiman’s Shelle Sills was on hand. Not to shop the competition but to support stepdaughter Robyn Sills, who is communications manager for BV. Having been with BV for the past two years, Robyn pointed out that the Dallas store was a bit unique in the BV collection of 25 U.S. stores. It has both men’s and women’s fashions.
Ironically, Robyn, who is based in New York City, had hoped to see her father, Dr. Michael Sills. Alas, as it turned out Michael was in NYC.
However, Robyn’s stepbrothers were on hand. Shelle’s sons (you’ll be tested later on how all these relationships connect) Drew Bagot and Benton Bagot had just returned to Dallas, much to the delight of their mother.
But the evening was meant to be a fundraiser in addition to raising fun. With 15% of sales through March 26 going to the NTFB, JB Hayes bought a black bag that had been hidden away. As they brought the bag out for her purchase, JB smiled, “Dallas girls like black.”
Hostess Kim evidently is a Dallas girl because she bought a pair of high-heeled sandals that she called her “black and fire” shoes. That’s the way her three-year-old son, JR, refers to the color, his favorite: black and fire.
Just as Elaine Agather was leaving with a purchase in hand, Doris Jacobs in leopard print dress with matching shoes was arriving from her first stop at the Mad Hatter’s party at Brook Brothers in West Village.
In the reality-tv-fame-is-fleeting category, a name taker approached a tall chap who had just had his photo taken. The exchange went this way.
Name taker: “Could I get your name?”
Photographed gent: “Matt Nordgren.”
Name taker: “How do you spell that?”