“I see so many faces that have been here since the very beginning, and that was over 20 years ago,” said Cindy Rachofsky, standing on stage at the 24th TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Gala Fundraiser presented by Saks . “It’s truly extraordinary, and what I wish is that this crazy world we live in now understands love, compassion and support like the group in this tent does.”
Rachofsky, wearing a white Carolina Herrera column dress with artsy drapes, held court on stage at the fundraising gala dinner and showed off that signature Southern hospitality, but on a grander scale: Everything is bigger in Texas, yes, but in Dallas is great. format. Every year, she and her husband Howard welcome guests to their gleaming, Richard Meier-designed home for an art-filled fundraising celebration that benefits two organizations: amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and the Dallas Museum of Art. The clever double cause was devised in an attempt to attract as many visitors as possible.
As for the format of the event, there is a silent auction taking place at Rachofsky’s home. The multi-storey property, which maintains minimalist philosophies with its sparsely filled, all-white walls, already resembles a museum, so it’s the perfect setting to display the 122 works of art donated to the event.
Outside on the lawn, a more than 8-foot-tall urn by Mexican artist Eduardo Sarabia towered — its Chinoiserie-like blue-and-white pattern featured unexpected hemp leaves. Was the work a permanent structure of the property or was it there for a night? “Everything is for sale!” Howard clarified, “We’re raising money; everything everything is for sale!”
Other renowned artists who have donated works include Grace Carney, Tom Anholt, Anish Kapoor, Tavares Strachan, Calida Rawles, Maja Ruznic, Alicia Adamerovich, Madeline Peckenpaugh and María Berrío. The latter was the honor of the evening, who was present and dressed in a gold Simone Rocha look.
At 6.30pm the dazzling guest list arrived at the party – this is an event where the jewels are real and the dresses are definitely not borrowed samples. Present was a range of designers and their fashionable clients. Prabal Gurung, who had just arrived from New York, dressed Alexandra Looney and Rochelle Gores. Colombian designer Silvia Tcherassi was present: a dress of her design, worn by Catalina Gonzalez Jorba. And emerging designer Bach Mai joined Kaleta Blaffer Johnson, who wore his moiré dress in peony pink. Other guests included Saks CEO Marc Metrick, alongside his wife Deborah Metrick, Cameron Silver, Bertha González Nieves, Ken Fulk, Thomas Keller, Porschla and Jason Kidd, Jessica and Dirk Nowitzki, Melissa Ireland, TWO x TWO Executive Director, and Scott Rothkopf.
