I was so honored to be in attendance at the most astounding fashion event. It was truly a once and a lifetime opportunity that was magical to say the least.  The gorgeous works of art are haunting my dreams, especially the Opera coat over the cotton pajamas. 

Check out the Town & Country coverage. 

A Giambattista Valli Couture Show At The Duke Mansion via Town & Country

Ben Gately Williams 

“If there ever were a collection that lent itself to our world, this is it, ” says Laura Vinroot Poole, proprietor of Charlotte, North Carolina’s chicest shop Capitol. She’s referring to Giambattista Valli‘s unbelievably stunning Fall 2014 couture collection. “It felt so Southern to me, ” she says. “From the wisteria-printed mousseline and gardenia embroidered lace to the layers of tulle, gorgeous colors and unabashed femininity.”

This past Tuesday, Poole brought the sensational collection to her neck of the woods and presented it at the grand Duke Mansion. “Doris Duke’s childhood home was built in 1915 and still has almost all of the original details, like sleeping porches, rose gardens, fountains, and a portrait of Mrs. Duke as a young girl in the foyer, ” she notes of the picturesque estate.

The historical setting prompted her to further the glamour with a retro-style runway show. “We were very inspired by couture shows by Christian Dior, Balenciaga, and Charles James from the 1950s, ” she says. “We tried to create that feeling with this show, instead of a traditional runway show.” All of the area tastemakers were in attendance, from philanthropists to Bank of America execs to Nascar wives. “The clothes really came alive in this setting and there were audible jaws dropping when many of the looks entered the room.”  

Equally as crafted as the couture pieces was the event itself. Every detail was carried out with supreme elegance—from the invitations and program notes that were hand-engraved by Arzberger Engravers to the menu that included homemade tomato sandwiches with tomatoes from Poole’s garden.

all images via