A Gala Opening
Grand Opening of Nordstrom Aventura Mall
Department stores have been all the rage over the past month. Miami has seen a glamorous baby shower at Neiman Marcus, the hottest shoe designer on earth at Saks, and now a gala opening at Nordstrom Aventura Mall.
The party was very good – great people, great energy, great food, three great causes and one hell of a well-produced fashion show. The powers-that-be erected a hangar-size tent that rivaled the Jackson Gala (at least in size) for a fashion spectacle that featured Burberry Prorsum, Dolce & Gabbana, Jean Paul Gaultier, Michael Kors, Missoni, Moschino, Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney, St. John Collection and Versace.
Prior to the show, lots of Miami’s grandest figures ate food by Joy Wallace and enjoyed entertainment by Miguel Cruz & Tropical Dreams. Many of them also did some significant shopping. In fact, several high-powered ladies were witnessed dropping a sizable amount of cash in ladies shoes… but that’s neither here nor there.
Lady Monica Heftler was as glamorous as ever and sat front row center at the fashion show. Miami Beach native Shannon Fredel, wife of Pilar restaurant owner & chef Scott Fredel, was strolling the isles; she just had her second child. Jackson Foundation president Rolando Rodriguez and wife Patricia also came out. Patricia just opened her own business, Entree Vous (www.entreevous.com).
The price of admission, a mere $125, benefits three Miami charities: The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis/The Miami Project at the University of Miami, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Junior League of Miami. More than $200,000 in ticket sales were raised and will be split evenly amongst the organizations. Co-chairs for the event were Pennie and Gary Abramson, Marc Buoniconti, Nick Buoniconti, Barth A. Green, M.D., and Erin Knight.
SocialMiami’s ace photographer, Hellmund, documented the evening as only he can, and we have the photographs to prove it. Click here to see SocialMiami’s photo gallery of the people and fashions that turned an ordinary Wednesday evening into A Gala Opening.
