FIRST TWO

FIRST TWO

by | Oct 12, 2022 | Blog

First Look Art Preview Kicks Off Two X Two for AIDS and Art

By Rob Giardinelli     Photography by Bruno and Snap The Picture

Cindy and Howard Rachofsky

THE SETTING: The residence of Cindy and Howard Rachofsky in Dallas was the setting for a kick-off of one of the Lone Star State’s most well-known and most successful philanthropic fundraisers, Two X Two for AIDS and Art. Over 450 top philanthropists, art patrons and sociables were on hand for First Look. The event, presented by Neiman Marcus, allowed art-lovers the opportunity to preview the works of art available for auction in advance of Two X Two gala on Saturday October 22nd.

Christian and Jordan Jones Munoz

THE STYLE: The elevated cocktail attire crowd got into the giving…and holiday spirit. As guests approached the red bow-wrapped Rachofsky home for the evening’s festivities, they were greeted by artificial snow falling and holiday-clad ice skaters in a specially constructed rink that created a festive mood. One inside the winter wonderland-themed night continued where partygoers encountered beautifully lit trees, candy cane striped accents and the opportunity to pose for photos with Santa.

Jessica Nowitzki and Robyn Sills

Revelers mingled about the Rachofsky residence where the fun flowed as freely as the cocktails. The evening offered two signature cocktails, a Belvedere Claus-mopolitan and Cindy’s Margarita and Anejo Tequila featuring Tequila Casa Dragones, which was named in honor of the event hostess. As guests sipped on their favorite spirits, they had the opportunity to preview a selection of the 131 expertly curated art pieces and luxury packages to be featured at Two X Two, most of which are curated by event host Howard Rachofsky himself.

Fenil Ghodadra and Kira Nasrat

After finishing the preview of the spectacular packages, the fun continued with a host of magical experiences that left the audience wanting more. Thrill seekers were able to play various games for prizes around the Rachofsky grounds including tossing ping pong balls into wreaths in the pool, guessing the number of peppermints in a jar and knocking down a tower of Neiman Marcus gift-wrapped boxes with a baseball. To top it all off, partygoers were able to dance the night away around a snowglobe to the tunes DJ RomiQ that kept the party going well into the night.

Lisa and John Runyon

Todd Fiscus and Ceron

THE PURPOSE: First Look and the upcoming, sold-out Two X Two black-tie gala, hosted by Cindy and Howard Rachofsky and John and Lisa Runyon, raises funds for amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art. During the much heralded 22-year history of the event, it has raised over $100 million dollars for the two organizations.

Abigail and Fred Perpall

ARTFULLY AVANT-GARDE

ARTFULLY AVANT-GARDE

by | Feb 28, 2022 | R.S.V.P. DALLAS, 2022 March April, Parties

Two X Two Raises Over $11M For amfAR And Dallas Museum of Art, Eclipses $100M Mark In All-Time Event Fundraising

 

By Rob Giardinelli      Photography by Bruno and Kevin Tachman

THE SETTING: The estate of Cindy and Howard Rachofsky was the recent setting for a historic evening that will forever live on in the annals of Texas fundraising lore. Almost 500 of the world’s most notable sociables and philanthropists gathered for the 22nd annual Two X Two for AIDS and Art event, with pandemic protocol in place and, in the process, raised eight figures in one night, eclipsing the $100 million fundraising mark over the history of this storied event.

 

THE STYLE: The black-tie crowd began the evening with cocktails on the grounds of the Rachofsky residence, courtesy of Tequila Casa Dragones, Moët Hennessy USA, and Belvedere Vodka, the latter of which featured a signature cocktail Cindy’s Filthy Martini, in a nod to the event’s hostess. During the cocktail hour, and throughout the evening, patrons viewed and bid on over 130 pieces of silent and live auction art, as well as experiential packages that were personally curated by the event host Howard Rachofsky and event Co-Chair John Runyon.  

 

Partygoers then proceeded to the 48-foot high, 7,000 square foot geodesic dome for the main program. The dome, designed by Todd Fiscus of Todd Events, was inspired by the works of acclaimed artist Yoshimoto Nara. A prominent leaf motif was featured throughout that perfectly complimented the organic shapes and evening’s color palette of chartreuse, burgundy, orange, and ivory featured both inside and outside the tent.

 

As guests dined on their decadent, multi-course meals, they were treated to words by event host Howard Rachofsky, as well as a presentation by amfAR Board Co-chairs T. Ryan Greenwalt and Kevin McClatchy, who presented special guest Yoshimoto Nara with the 2021 Award of Excellence for Artistic Contributions in the Fight Against AIDS. Next, Michael Macaulay of Sotheby’s hosted a dazzling live auction that included works from such acclaimed artists including María Berrío, Bosco Sodi, Asuka Anastacia Ogawa, Peter Bradley, Joel Mesler, Jiro Takamatsu, and Yoshitomo Nara. The evening was capped off by a showstopping concert by Rita Ora, who brought the crowd to their feet as she sang several of her iconic hits, including Let You Love Me, Ritual, Lonely Together, and Anywhere.

 

THE PURPOSE: The event, chaired by Cindy and Howard Rachofsky and John and Lisa Runyon, with Nancy C. Rogers serving as the presenting sponsor, raised over $11 million for amfAR AIDS research initiatives and the Contemporary Art Acquisitions Fund at the Dallas Museum of Art. Over the past 22 years, Two X Two has raised over $104 million for these two organizations.

[et_pb_flex_gallery gallery_ids=”44672,44673,44674,44675,44676,44677,44671,44678,44679,44680,44681,44682,44683,44684,44685,44686,44687,44688,44689,44690,44691,44692,44693,44694,44695,44696,44697,44698,44699,44700,44701,44702,44703,44704,44705,44706,44707,44708,44709″ show_title_and_caption=”off” _builder_version=”4.14.8″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_flex_gallery]
DIVINE DIOR

DIVINE DIOR

by | Apr 30, 2019 | 2019 May June, Style, Exhibit

Before it even opens, it’s a colossal hit. When Dior: From Paris to the World, debuts this month, the feast for the eyes begins, according to our ardent fashion follower Lance Avery Morgan.

 

It might be the biggest thing to hit Texas since the actual New Look debuted in 1947. Dior: From Paris to the World, an exhibition which surveys more than 70 years of the House of Dior’s legacy and global influence will be on view in Dallas May 19 through September 1, 2019 at the Dallas Museum of Art. In fact,  Texas will be the only US venue beyond the recent showing in Denver for this extensive and highly anticipated retrospective of the celebrated Haute Couture house. We’re counting the minutes because as seen on recent red carpets, his design spirit is alive and kicking in celebrity gown fashion choices.

Just what can we expect to see? The exhibition will feature a selection of more than a hundred haute couture dresses, as well as accessories, photographs, original sketches, runway videos and other archival material, and trace the history of the iconic haute couture fashion house. His New Look revolutionized the fashion world. Dior’s sophisticated designs, featuring soft shoulders, accentuated busts, nipped waists, and dancing corolla shaped skirts, were inspired by his passion for flowers. The result was elegant feminine contours that brought a breath of fresh air to the fashion world through luxurious swaths of fabrics, revolutionary design and lavish embroidery. This marked the beginning of an epic movement in fashion history that would eventually lead to Dior successfully becoming the first worldwide couture house.

The exhibit will profile its founder, Christian Dior, and subsequent artistic directors, including Yves Saint Laurent (1958–1960), Marc Bohan (1961–1989), Gianfranco Ferré (1989–1996), John Galliano (1997–2011), Raf Simons (2012–2015) and Maria Grazia Chiuri (2016–present), who have carried Dior’s vision into the 21st century. Organized by DAM and curated by Florence Müller, the DAM’s Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion, it spans more than seven decades, this retrospective will offer a new perspective on the fashion house’s legacy following the Paris exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.

“Dallas has long recognized the artistic significance of Dior, most notably when in 1947, early in his career, Christian Dior traveled here to receive the Neiman Marcus Award for fashion. We are excited to welcome this innovative creative voice back to our city and to offer DMA audiences the opportunity to be inspired by the remarkable legacy of a global icon,” shared Dr. Agustín Arteaga, the DMA’s Eugene McDermott Director.

Visitors will be able to capture the unique technique of the Dior ateliers in a dramatic visual display presenting a glimpse into this secret world, including sketches, toiles, and the intricate process of embroidery. The atelier represents the heart of the house where seamstresses work with Dior’s creative directors to collaboratively bring couture to life. And this exhibit, in turn, breathes more life into couture.