Marguerite Hoffman hosts a garden party for the Dallas Conservatory

bRianne Bolke‘s long and storied career in the luxury retail world includes learning the ropes at Neiman Marcus, co-founding Forty Five Ten in 2000, and opening The Conservatory five years ago. To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Bolke’s latest concept, he put together a fashionable guest list to dine with him at the home of the internationally renowned art collector, Margaretha Hofman.

For those who are not regular viewers of the ART news Marguerite is on the annual Top Collector list and, together with her late husband Robert Hoffman, amassed a museum-worthy art collection, including masterpieces by Jasper Johns, Cy Twombly, Ellsworth Kelly, Gerhard Richter, Maria Lassnig and Joseph Beuys. “I have a soft spot for overlooked female artists, and I’m excited about the intentional addition of BIPOC artists to the collection,” Hoffman said. PaperCity when discussing her most recent acquisitions.

We started our evening in the Bill Booziotis-designed pavilion that houses the collection, with guests walking out to the lush backyard landscaped by Michael Van Valkenburgh (who also designed New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge Park). A parade of chic ensembles, most of which had been purchased from one of Bolke’s retail concepts over the years, then made their way to the main building for dinner.

Bolke’s evening remarks drew the table’s attention to the evening’s honored guest, the acclaimed Italian designer Alberta Ferretti. “She took a chance on me and was the first major brand that Forty Five Ten was invited to buy, and we did, very nervously and barely making the minimum,” Bolke told the table. “We bought three very expensive skirts and were sold as soon as they fell to the floor. I have been faithful ever since.”

The next day, Bolke shared the following via text message: Planning an outdoor dinner in Dallas is not for the faint of heart. I’m so lucky with the weather, but more importantly it turned out to be the most casual dinner with friends.

The friends seen at the dinner table included Brian’s husband Faisal Halum; Lisa Runion; art collector Cindy Rachofsky; Founder of Partlow Boots, Kasey Lemkin who came with her sister-in-law Margaret Lemkin; architect David Droese with his PR guru wife Suzanne Droese; Danielle Hunter; Juliette Aston; Jennifer Karol; Kara Goss; Zoe Bonnette; Missy Peck; Bradley Agather; Baptism And Dirk Wilson; Todd Fiscus And Ceron; lifestyle guru Mole Anderson; Jennifer And Johannes Adelaar; Leigh Anne Clark; Reed Robertson; Porsche Kidd; Lori Mikles; Keely Cawley; Sabrina Dee; and from Houston (and Paris) Becca Cason Thrash.