Jan Strimple Productions and Highland Park Village created a fashion tour de force on Tuesday with a runway show at Brookhollow Golf Club to benefit Equest, Dallas' nationally recognized therapeutic riding center. The runway looks made even tough fashion critics like us swoon. And we got to peek backstage as Strimple and her team made final preparations for the show. (Check out photos of the runway show by clicking here, or find our backstage look at this link.)
"I truly love the lace coat from Anne Fontaine that opens her scene, and there's a great pantsuit from Herrera that's so of-the-moment," Stripmle said of the pieces she was excited to see hit the runway. But even closer to Strimple's heart are the gorgeous Jimmy Choo boots she bought while in the store styling their scene for the show.
"They're about the same color as my hair; well, my hair at the end of my color cycle that is! That's a trick I learned from walking for Bill Blass - every woman has her own neutral. He never picked a shoe or accessory for a model without considering her hair and skin tone, and I've never forgotten that, " Strimple said of how she fell for the footwear in question. Hey, we've heard worse rationalizations for buying cool shoes.
Other Strimple picks from the runway? She couldn't say enough about the beautiful color theme from Tory Burch, the classics from Leggiadro, and the event chair, Nancy Carter. "The most warm person, and beyond genuine," said Strimple of the woman behind this year's Equest Women's Auxiliary Luncheon.
As for our opinion, we adored the leather pieces from Anne Fontaine - very sexy, the off-the-shoulder gold and black cocktail dress from Herrera, and the too-cute male models in traditional Grand Prix gear who greeted us as we walked in.
To shop any of the looks from the runway show, head to Highland Park Village immediately. Want to know more about Equest? Check their website for details on their amazing mission.
