We are told that the following people will be wearing gowns by local designer Lily Samii to the Symphony and Opera galas this week (September 3rd and 5th, 2008.)
Symphony:
Gretchen Kimball of San Francisco, Honorary Chair of the Symphony: Ms. Kimball will be adorning a black duchess satin gown with an exquisite black lace bolero. The gown has a full train held up by layers of tulle that will float with her down the red carpet.
Ruth Ma of San Francisco: Ms. Ma will be wearing a chocolate duchess satin strapless gown …

Last week Neiman Marcus held a luncheon for some of their most devotedly fashion-forward customers to welcome in the new fall collections. As you can imagine it was a pretty fabulous group. Some of the ladies even took a moment from shopping to have Vasna (from Drew Altizer’s studio) snap their picture. What fun!

Vicki Winston, Dien Nguyen

Debbie Novak

Jennifer Kelly

Kris Anthony

Sandra Wilder

Marybeth LaMotte

Andrea Schnitzer

Angelique Griepp

Stephanie Tuttle

Stacy Azcarate

Barbara Burdick
Photos: Vasna, for Drew Altizer [drewaltizer.com]

We know we’ve been remiss in posting photos from last month’s fabulous “Save The Lake” fashion show featuring an appearance by legendary designer Oscar de la Renta. We’re sorry, okay! It’s been, like, Summertime!

Oscar de la Renta with co-chairs Barbara Brown and Tamara Fritz
Anyhow, friends of SFluxe in attendance said it was an absolutely beautiful day, and that of course the fashions were divine. The Saks Fifth Avenue production, held lakeside at the estate of Tamara Fritz, raised $600,000 to benefit the League to Save Lake Tahoe. …

We checked in with vintage clothing dealer Ricky Serbin and found out he recently attended the Lexus Fashion Preview at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the beautiful Monterey Peninsula! He was there with Vogue’s Sally Singer, host of the event.  We’re so jealous!

Sally Singer and Ricky Serbin
“The fashion show was great, stronger than usual. I think after three years they are really getting the show to super, Vogue-worth perfection,” says Ricky, who is the only west coast CFDA member to go to the event each year (the CFDA is …

Orkut Buyukkokten’s “I (Heart) Prada” shirt said it all — and he wasn’t the only one. Politicians, tech titans, philanthropists, fashionistas, the newly pregnant, the about-to-be-married, the just-divorced, new money, old money, hardly any money at all… they all crowded into the big, gorgeous new Prada store on Maiden Lane last week to show their love.

Orkut Buyukkokten with partner Derek Holbrook
There were the ladies brave enough to wear Prada to a Prada opening, and the ladies brave enough not to wear Prada — confusing, we know, but that’s fashion …

Charisse Nash arrives in style at the Nordstrom Designer Preview
We recently had the pleasure of attending the annual Nordstrom Designer Preview fashion show which raises funds for Raphael House, the city’s oldest shelter for families in need.
SFLuxe’s Selena-Renee Russ remarked afterwards that “It seemed like all of fashionable San Francisco was at the event! The crowd looked even more fabulous than some of the models.”
How true! Here are some highlights.

Front Row Sisters: Elizabeth Touw, Keylee Sanders, Kimberly Miller, Andrea Schnitzer minutes before the start of the show

Amy Glass …

Lotus Vodka Presents…
Vanity Beauty Lounge’s Grand Opening Soiree

Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Where: 3 Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level (2nd. Floor)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Goodies: Sugar by Candybar
Liquid by Lotus
Pampering by Vanity Beauty Lounge
RSVP to: (415) 615-2164 or rsvp@crossmarketingpr.com
Vanity Beauty Lounge will open its doors to the public for the first time to unveil the latest in modern spas.
The creator of Vanity Beauty Lounge, Jade Goranson, has spent the past decade chatting with fashionistas, librarians, and bankers about their beauty needs. Jade’s experience, combined with your voice, …

Charleston Pierce, Clae Herring, Lorence Manansala and Rachele Gitz
Last week, Men’s Vogue and Hennessy hosted a party to celebrate the launch of Dean Wareham’s new book “Black Postcards: A Rock & Roll Romance,” with a live performance by Dean & Britta at Harlot. It drew a very youthful, fashionable crowd, as one would expect for a Vogue event.
Here are some highlights from the evening, brought to us by photographer Misha Vladimirskiy.

Britta Phillips and Dean Wareham

Clodin Plath, Meghan Lopez and Page Kelly

Kevin Whittaker, Galina Sverdlick and Marchelle Alexander

Christine Lamoore …

Sonya Molodetskaya (right) with friend Lisa Alexander at Louis Vuitton last month.
On Tuesday afternoon, SFluxe’s Damion Matthews dropped by Podium in the Marina district to see how things are shaping up now that owner Sonya Molodetskaya has turned the popular boutique into consignment based shopping. He reports:
“What a surprise it was! The store is much livelier than it was before, with a brighter, more colorful scheme, and a wide selection of designer clothes. Sonya said that she is doing a lot more business now, with some customers …

The De Beers Group opened its seventh North American store in San Francisco last week.
The latest store in De Beers’ growing roster of North American locations (including doors in Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, New York and Beverly Hills) is located at 185 Post Street in Union Square.
Its huge interior features open spaces, ebony walls, etched-glass paneling and a VIP room for private presentations.
The opening brought out San Francisco’s A-list aficionados of all things sparkly, including Melanie Ellison, Maria Manetti Farrow, and Jennifer Seibel, among others.

Sobia Shaikh’s eyes glimmer as she …