Fashion and Formation
For masculine sartorial and service recognition, the year 1971 in New Orleans was significant. That was the year that the Men of Fashion organization was formed as a homage to fashion presence and community service. The tributes befell Judge R. Ainsworth Jr., Bob Carr, Bart Darby, James E. Fitzmorris Jr., Pete Fountain, Joe Glover, Mayor Moon Landrieu, John Mecom and Don Murray. Eleven years later, in 1982, 10 women got the nod. Since then the Men of Fashion and the Women of Fashion have held the Prix d’Elegance Luncheon to honor new sets, still 10 men and 10 women (with few exceptions). In 1985, the mixed (one man, one women) Hall of Fame began, and in 2019, a President’s Choice from past award recipients was created.
On a recent Thursday, the 2025 Awards Luncheon commanded the Grand Ballroom of the New Orleans Hilton Hotel. Mastheaders included the respective board chairs of the Men of Fashion and the Women of Fashion, Leon L. “Lee” Giorgio Jr. and Tiffa Boutté. Rhonda Pausina Eckholdt is the latter board’s president.
Altruism goes hand and glove with the event. The New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA) and the Ballet Resource and Volunteer Organization (BRAVO) receive the luncheon’s proceeds. The funds help make possible more than 5,000 tuition-free activities on a yearly basis and fund scholarships for talented youths to study with prestigious summer programs.
The top sponsors for 2025, the Haute Couture category, included Nancy D’Amico (Mrs. Frank D’Amico Sr.), Alden J. McDonald Jr., Palazzo Law Firm, Pan American Life Insurance Group, Carl Panebiango, and Gerri and Murray Valene. The program’s principals were master of ceremonies Mark Romig, Tiffa Boutté and Rhonda Pausina Eckholdt for the welcome, luncheon chairs Sandra Chaisson and Gerri Valene, Lee Giorgio, BRAVO President Marian Gibbs, and Jenny Hamilton, NOBA executive director. A performance of “Waltz of the Flowers” from “The Nutcracker” featured NOBA Center for Dance Students. It was dedicated to the memory of Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson.
Always a highlight of the event, the fashion show by Jeff’s Haberdashery and Chatta Box Boutique riveted the eyes of all. Lunch followed with a wedge salad, a petit filet mignon, and caramel crunch cheesecake. There was still a lot more to come! Subsequent excitement was generated by the door prize drawing, the raffle, and the live auction. Thanks for their support tapped Desi Vega’s Steakhouse, Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry & Distinctive Gifts, Rubensteins 100 Years, and the Windsor Court. Thanked too were Avenue, Dunn and Sonnier, and Omega Production Resources, along with Prix d’Elegance committee chairmen Deborah Alciatore, Stephen Sonnier, Marian Gibbs, sisters Marilyn V. Dittman and Carol V. Hall, Laurie Guimont, Melanie Cannatella, Jamie Moreau, Kathy Singleton, Jacquee Carvin and Jenny Hamilton. Further gratitude went to the 31 committee members, along with board members of Men and Women of Fashion, the slew of sponsors, and the dozens of auction donors.
Now for the “best dressed,” whose honors harked back to 2024. The nine women were Annette Dowdle, Elizabeth Ellison-Frost, Rena Jolly, Sunni LeBeouf, Chanttell M. Patin, Sylvia Vellino, Voris R. Vigee, Mandy Wienhusen and Michele Wink. Mark Beebe, Barrett Conrad, Chad Graci, Edward M. Kass III, Kristopher Khalil, Lenny Kopowski, Mickey P. Landry, Conner LeBlanc, Pedram Taheri and Newton C. Thomas were the 10 lauded men. The Hall of Fame duo were Tiffa Boutté and Joey DiFatta (succeeding Gail Barnes McKenna and Kenny Rubenstein), and the President’s Choice Award recipient was Alden J. McDonald Jr. (succeeding Murray Valene). An escort, a former Man or Woman of Fashion, accompanied each one onto the runway as emcee Mark Romig announced the honorees’ achievements and community work, and the audience applauded while snapping photos with gusto.
Celluloid Hero
Years ago, Jacquelyn “Jackie” Brechtel Clarkson coursed the runway as a 1991 Woman of Fashion. She was remembered at the recent luncheon as a visionary leader, devoted public servant, and a passionate proponent for the arts. Her questioning about the existence of ballet classes in the New Orleans Recreation Department led to a groundbreaking 1992 partnership between NORD and the New Orleans Ballet Association, “ensuring tuition-free dance training for thousands of children citywide.”
One of her daughters, Patricia Clarkson, who has had a stellar career as an actor, paid tribute to her late mother after the special red carpet and screening of “Lilly, starring Clarkson, at the Prytania Theatre Uptown. It was hosted by the New Orleans Film Society, which has Carroll Morton as the executive director. The Rachel Feldman-directed movie recounts the valiance and tenacity of the real-life Lilly Ledbetter as she battles the court case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. A 2024 film, “Lilly” is scheduled to be released on May 9 by Blue Harbor Entertainment.
The following night, “An Evening with Patricia Clarkson,” another Film Society event, drew dozens to The Gallery of The Windsor Court Hotel to honor the actor as the 2025 Celluloid Hero. Among the attendees was Bryan Batt, a close friend of Patricia and the Celluloid Hero of 2024. All joined in for kudos to Clarkson.
Heart Ball
Dickie Brennan and Steve Pettus teamed to co-chair the 2025 American Heart Association’s New Orleans Heart Ball at the Audubon Tea Room. The popular event space was embellished with flowers by Herbivore Floral Designs and a white feather wall for photo ops by Luxe Magnolia. Rabalais Photography snapped party pictures.
A patron party with entertainment by the Simon Burke Jazz trio and bites by Dickie Brennan and Co. — who also did the buffet-style dinner of steak, crawfish gnocchi, Gulf fish and bananas Foster beignets – preceded the main event that showcased Gayle Benson as a speaker, a live auction by Chuck Mutz of Black Tie Productions, Brendt Madden as the Open Your Heart speaker, and No Idea as the celebration band. Insight NOLA added audio visuals. In addition to the six live auction items, 33 “silent” ones and packages rallied the crowd. The top-selling ones were those concerning the Audubon Zoo and the Audubon Aquarium. The latter’s “Dining under the Sea” sold for $4,750.
Among the many at the sold-out event were Bill Goldring, Yvette Pettus with co-chair Steve, Brenda and Greg Hamer, Victoria and Connor LeBlanc, Caleb Didriksen, Aly Samai, Dr. and Mrs. Keith Ferdinand, John Baxter, Dr. Michael Connerly, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Abad, Drs. Anand and Maya Irimpen, Melissa and Jerry Steiner, Annette Dowdle, and Ryan Rodrigue. “Heart” made it a happening.
Getting smART!
The Cannery was the site for the night when hundreds assembled for the 22nd annual Cocktails for KID smART to benefit arts education and the expansion of programming in KID smART’s Creative Schools. Ochsner Health co-presented “The ABCs of ART” along with “Cocktails.” A patron party with music by the Preservation Hall Brass Band and the International School of Louisiana’s Circus Arts kicked off the levity that continued with the main event, the cocktail party, and entertainment by Magic Michael Dardant. Both rounds of socializing celebrated “26 years of joyful learning.”
Decorations included, as centerpieces, stylized letters of the alphabet created and designed by the event committee, along with art work by the KID smART students. A glitter bar by Elektra Cosmetics gave everyone a touch of sparkle. $parkle of another kind came in the live auction of a one-of-a-kind art piece by Teresa Cole (bought by Jane Besthoff Steiner) and a weeklong stay at a villa in the south of France purchased by Michael Mimeles. Yet another jaunt was the Argentinian Asado experience hosted by renowned chef Gabriel Nazar from Buenos Aires that had Susan Zemanick as the buyer.
The Cannery catered with bourbon bruschetta, chicken satay, fried crab balls, and seared ahi tuna among the culinary attractions.
Teamed to chair the benefit bash were Erin Hymel, Ragan Gankendorff and Nancy Rebold. They joined the crowd of 320 attendees that included KID smART founder and executive director, respectively Allison Stewart and Elise Gallinot Goldman, and board members Krystal Hardy Allen (president), Jeanette “J.R.” Weiland, Dr. Gwenesta Melton, Bill and Mary Hines, and Stephanie Coln. Tifferney White, CEO of Louisiana Children’s Museum, and another CEO, Dana Bledsoe of Ochsner Children’s, made rounds as did Maria Pote, Camille Patti, Timothy Gold, Luke Crochet and scores more.
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