Loren and Kate Kreiss with Tracy and Alonzo Mourning

Earlier in the week, home furnishings powerhouse, Kreiss, celebrated the arrival of its Design District showroom, with a cocktail hosted by retired NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning and his fabulous wife, Tracy Wilson Mourning to benefit the Honey Shine Mentoring Program, founded by Tracy more than a decade ago. The event attracted more than 300 design-minded trendsetters who enjoyed eco-friendly cocktails courtesy of VeeV, hors d’oeuvres by MG Events and beats by DUTCH. 

Special guests included: photographer Iran Issa-Khan, outdoor living designer Fernando Wong, NIBA Home owner Nisi Berryman, stylist Elyze Held, philanthropist Jennifer Valoppi, Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora; Barbara Becker, Kate Kreiss, Amaris Jones, Tara Solomon and Nick D’Annunzio. 

The lovely Loren Kreiss, Managing Director of Kreiss Enterprises shared the following about the stylish gathering at the 3,800-square-foot showroom, “I’m thrilled with the turnout and reception for the grand opening of our Design District location. The crowd’s palpable energy, coupled with the inspiring support for Honey Shine, made this a truly memorable occasion.”

Fabrizio Cocchi,Paolo,Nadine,and Daniel Borgomanero

On Wednesday, April 27, C&C Art and Accessories, Nadine Curmi Borgomanero and Fabrizio Cocchi hosted a celebration to commemorate the unveiling of the Design Districts latest Italian showroom, MADinitaly. 
 
The private event drew support from a number of notables including famed Tod’s baron Diego Della Valle and his wife Barbara, renown Italian editor Carlo Rossella,  Venetian restaurateur Miky Grendene, La Perla heiress Martina Borgomanero and husband Fabian Basabe, fashion photographer Iran Issa-Khan, Italian Real Estate Mogul Daniela Bonetti, and international socialites Carole Seikaly, Maria Lowe, Francesca Halpern, Emmanuelle & Joane Della Valle, Paula Lieto, Giampiero Di Persia, Diane Ovadia,  and Massimo Barracca. 
 
Indulging in light bites and champagne, guests previewed the unique furniture offerings, home accents, pop-themed art and speciality linens – infused with innate Italian Flair.  The vibrant and playful lines of the furniture as well as the unexpected combinations of colors and textures reflect multiple high design influences of Italian interior designer Fabrizio Cocchi, from cutting-edge contemporary to classic.  Located at 4 Northeast 39th street, the 2,000 square-foot space boasts a perfect balance of eclectic and contemporary touches.

Lara and Fati Rosenberg

By: Maryanne Salvat and Mary Jo Shore

msalvat@miamisocialholic.com

MIYO Home owners, Fati Rosenberg and Stephanie Jourdan, opened their hearts and the doors to their fabulous showroom last Thursday to host a chic event to benefit the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation. The MIYO Home “Chair-ity” joined forces with eight local artists, including Iran Issa-Kahn, Seth Browarnik, Hillary Scrutis, Briggs Solomon, Fernando Wong, Robert Zemnickis and Thom Filicia, each of whom decorated a MIYO Home Chair with his own unique vision, using the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation for inspiration.  The one-of-a kind pieces were auctioned off at Thursday’s cocktail to raise over $30,000 for the foundation.

Well-heeled guests braved the decorative rocks in MIYO’s Zen Garden to admire the creative works such as the Patton Group’s, “Miami Housewives” chair, covered top to bottom with a collage of decoupage newspaper clippings and accentuated by a rhinestone pink flamingo in the middle, signed by the RHOM “fab four:” Lea Black, Alexia Echeverria, Adriana de Moura, and of course Marysol Patton, each of whom spent a good deal of time delighting in their carefully positioned press cut-outs.  Iran Issa-Khan’s chair incorporated her famed coral formations and included a list of well-known actors and artists suffering from the debilitating disorder. Celebrity photographer Seth Browarnik’s creation was positioned on a swatch of red carpet.  How apropos!

Fati Rosenberg, a long-time supporter of the cause said, “The Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation is very near and dear to me. It’s the first charitable organization fully committed to furthering the study of early-onset bipolar disorder. I am appreciative to have the support of the artists who’ve contributed their talent and effort to help me draw awareness and educate our community about this debilitating condition.”  Read the rest of this entry »

Fati Rosenberg and Sofia Joelsson

A few weeks ago, the chic, eclectic Miami showroom, MIYO Home, hosted an elegant breakfast in celebration of its newly opened design space and Zen Garden.  Invited guests at MIYO (which stands for “Make It Your Own”-“mio” also means “mine” in Spanish) mingled and ogled the latest collections, which span the globe, and strolled through the recently finished Zen Garden, complete with a Bonsai-shaped olive tree, which will serve as an outdoor showroom space and relaxation lounge. As the premier destination to find the latest home design trends, MIYO Home has the signature must-have unique pieces which are surprisingly affordable, ranging from $2 hand-made Asian bracelets with Chinese coins to $2,800 Indonesian couch sets, making chic and elegant style available regardless of budget.  

MIYO’s biggest draw is meeting its charming owners, Istanbul native, Fati Rosenberg and niece, Stephanie Jourdan, who hand-pick each of the pieces and know a thing or two about style.  After all, Rosenberg and her sister, Ayse Cobani (Stephanie’s mother) owned and operated the Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Boutique on the Champs Elysees for more than two decades and Stephanie’s great grandfather just happened to be shoe legend, Charles Jourdan.

 “The expansion of our showroom is a reflection of the growth of our collections,” commented Rosenberg. “Our nine signature collections feature an eclectic repertoire of furnishings and designs that adapt to fit in a variety of environments – all with originality and a touch of panache.”

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Iran Issa-Khan and Greg Gorman

While the stars shone brightly in Hollywood this weekend during the Golden Globes, we had our own share of Hollywood glam at DCOTA during the VIP preview gala for its latest DesignHouse, centered around the Golden Age of Hollywood, and the 200 piece retrospective by Hollywood photographer, Greg Gorman, entitled A Distinct Vision 1970-2010.

More than 700 art and design lovers, including a multitude of artists and designers, gathered at Design Center of the Americas on Tuesday, January 18 to celebrate the debut of  DCOTA’s latest DesignHouse, wherein 20 of South Florida’s top design firms proved that film and design go together like champagne and stone crabs- or something like that.  The exhibit features 20 installations inspired by iconic films that “influenced a universal culture and transformed a way of life,” merging the creative disciplines of film and design and demonstrating the visual impact that environments have in telling a story. (Just think, what would Casablanca have been without Rick’s Café or Psycho without the shower?) Read the rest of this entry »