Valentino, Debbie and Rudy Festari
A STYLISH CROWD of more than 350 gathered at a River Oaks Country Club luncheon to celebrate Italian culture in Houston and take in a bright fall fashion show from Saks Fifth avenue.
The event, dubbed “Bella Roma” and chaired by Karen Remington and Saula Centa Valente, raised more than $200,000 — a record! — for the Italian Cultural & Community Center. Honorees for the day were longtime Houston clothiers Debbie and Rudy Festari. Debbie teared up discussing her husband’s journey from a childhood in Rome to becoming one of H-Town’s most iconic fashion merchants; Astros royalty Jeff Bagwell also honored Rudy with remarks.
“Speaking in his native Italian, Rudy spoke of his love of fashion and family, thanking his many friends and supporters,” said a rep for organizers of the event. “Rudy and Debbie’s proud son Valentino was there and shared in the applause and standing ovation for him.”
A lunch of caprese salad and stuff chicken — with a splash of Pinot Grigio, naturally — provided fuel for a fun afternoon. Guests not only enjoyed the sophisticated ladies’ styles on the runway but also perused an extensive silent auction and wine pull.
VIPs in the crowd included emcee Owen Conflenti, Nicole Lassiter, Brigitte Kalai, Sippi Khurana, Lesha Elsenbrook and Donna Lewis, Daniel Irion and Kirk Kveton, Melissa Juneau, Ally Shell, Courtney Hopson, Melissa Mithoff, Mauney Mafrige, Roland Maldonado, Jessica Rossman, Kristen Cannon, Jessica Meyer, Debbie Clemens, Rachel Bagwell, Gary Petersen, Victor Costa, Roz Pactor, Brian Ching and Lindsay Yates.
Brian Ching and Lindsey Yates
Courtney Hopson and Melissa Mithoff
Sippi Khurana and Felicia Stone
Roz Pactor and Victor Costa
Ally Shell and Michelle Reyna
Marla Hurley and Jennifer Grigsby
Farida Abjani, Brigitte Kalai and Alex Blair
Maria Moncada Alaoui and Kristen Cannon
Lorena Gomez and Jessica Gomez
Mauney Mafridge and Travis Torrence
Kristy Phillips and Jennifer Pinkerton
Kirk Kventon, Debbie and Rudy Festari and Daniel Iron
Karen Remington, Saula Valente, Roberta Bentley and Holly Dean
Jody Merritt, Edna Meyer Nelson and Christine Johnson
Jessica Rossman and Ronald Maldonado
Gary Petersen and Rachel and Jeff Bagwell
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Fady Armanious, Brigitte Kalai AND Alicia Smit (photo by Priscilla Dickson) 
