parties

Simone Biles Cheers on Football-Star-Turned-Male-Model Boyfriend at Festaris’ Fash Bash

Daniel Ortiz
Simone Biles Cheers on Football-Star-Turned-Male-Model Boyfriend at Festaris’ Fash Bash

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens

SIMONE BILES TURNED up at one of the city's most raucous fall events, to cheer on BF Jonathan Owens, formerly of the Houston Texans, in a men's fashion show.

For many of the city's most party-hearty philanthropists and socialites, clothiers Debbie and Rudy Festari's annual Una Notte in Italia "celebrity" men's fashion show to-do is as much a part of the autumn as al fresco dinners, droptop drives and cheering on the Astros in the playoffs.

This year's affair, staged at the Royal Sonesta Hotel and touting a guest list of more than 500, sold out eight weeks before invitations went to print, said Debbie, honorary chair of this year's event, who also noted that the popular bash raised a record of nearly $450,000 for Children at Risk's efforts to fight child trafficking.

Co-chairs for the successful evening were Melissa Holman Juneau and Jennifer Pinkerton. Handsome media personality Johnny Bravo was emcee, and he doubled as auctioneer for the live auction.

Per the ritual, a slew of notable men took to the runway in Festari for Men duds for the night's main event — to the inevitable hoots and hollers of the boisterous crowd, sauced up on Italian wine and satiated by an Italian-inspired meal. Many athletes were among those strutting their stuff, like Olympic great Carl Lewis, Dynamo stars Zarek Valentin and Tim Parker, Sabercats rugby player Ken Nasoqeqe and ex Texans safety Owens. Other fashion-forward dudes included Chad Pinkerton, Moez Mangalji, Matthew Brams, Stephen Chen, Bob Sanborn, Brandon Dewan, Adrian Duenas, Jonathan Zadok, Clayton Katz, Hugo Guerrero, Mark Theissen and Al Lindseth.

Sponsors for the fete included Rolls Royce Motor Cars North Houston and Veneno Tequila. In addition to Biles, boldface names in attendance included Gary Petersen, Hallie Vanderhider, Melissa and Michael Mithoff, and Astros Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell.

Adrian Duenas, Desiree Jacobs, and Axel Sadek

Carl Lewis

Mellisa Holman Juneau, Lara Goodson and Jennifer Pinkerton

Clayton Katz

Debbie and Rudy Festari

Greg Fourticq and John Cone

Mark Thiessen

Joyce Echols and Brian McCulloch

Todd Phillips, Jessica Rossman, Katherine Ross and Robert Gamch

Tiffany Wong and Courtney Hopson

Roberto and Claudia Contreras with Lucinda and Javier Loya

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Parties
promoted

Ancient French Wellness Cures Reimagined at Houston’s Escape Spa: The Power of Vichy

Ancient French Wellness Cures Reimagined at Houston’s Escape Spa: The Power of Vichy

Serial entrepreneur and spa visionary LeBrina Jackson

NESTLED IN THE heart of France, the town of Vichy holds a rich history in the world of wellness and hydrotherapy. Acquiring fame for their alkaline springs in the 17th century, the Romans were among the first to recognize the therapeutic benefits of the springs. They established a French spa known as “Vichy,” which still exists today and continues to attract spa-goers from around the world to experience the transformative effects of hydrotherapy.

Keep Reading Show less
promoted

Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less
promoted

Leadership in Action: CEO Theresa Roemer Credits Mother, Mentors and Mindset for Accomplishments

How did you get to where you are today? My journey to where I am today is built on a foundation of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Every step along the way, I faced obstacles, but I approached each one with determination and a “never give up” mindset. Instead of being discouraged by challenges, I used them as opportunities to grow and improve. Consistency was key—I committed to showing up and giving my best effort every day. I also learned not to take “no” as a final answer. Instead, I saw it as a chance to push harder, adapt, and find another way forward. It’s this combination of persistence, resilience, and unwavering focus that has brought me to where I am today.

Keep Reading Show less