With Art, Design and Estate Jewelry Galore

 

            Photo Credit: Kay Whitfield

You can forgive attitude when a girl is as chic as Miss Mele wearing her very own white gold and diamond necklace.

 

After a few bumpy years, a great antiques, art and design show is back where it belongs—at the historic and recently renovated Merchandise Mart. The force behind the new show is Dolphin Promotions, powered by the energy of Rosemary Krieger and Gordon Merkle.

Governor James R. Thompson was honorary chair of a lively preview party, which benefited the Illinois Executive Mansion Association. With him was his wife, Jayne, who manages to look younger and lovelier every year.  

The antiques, art and other offerings were fabulous; however here  we are focusing on the preview night and the people who were there.

 

The stars of the evening were the Thompsons . . .

along with  Abra and Jim Wilkin. . .

 

Laurie and Jim Bay . . .

 

Dwight and Gabriela Cleveland . . .

 

Todd Schwebel, a member of the Illinois Bicentennial Committee, with Rosemary Krieger, president of Dolphin Promotions . . .

 

Charles and Joan Moore . . .

John Dillon and Emily Bonk . . .

 

Enrique Useche-Andueza and Luke Palese . . .  

 

. . . and, of course, always at the right place at the right time, Bill Zwecker and Tom Gorman.

 

Officiating were Gordon Merkle, Rosemary Krieger and Charlie Walter of Dolphin Promotions.

 

Some of the exhibitors were as glamorous as their wares, including Lee Thinnes of Lee’s Antiques and Interiors and . . .

Lana and Michael Bock of Classic Antiques.

However, the shoes of the evening were worn by Thodos Dance Chicago Artistic Director Melissa Thodos. Designed by Gianvito Rossi out of Milan, they were so great we implored her to show them off for the camera.

For those whose idea of heaven was a top shelf of Judith Leiber bags at Classic Antiques  .  .  .  

. . .  they had only to  move along the aisle to the fantasy of being alone in a room with a couple of hundred vintage bags from Chanel, spiced with a few dozen Hermès numbers, all straight from Worth Avenue, courtesy of Only Authentics.

 

And don’t forget the Birkins  . . .

 

Hurry back next spring!

 

 MMcK

Photo Credit:

Mary Carol Fitzgerald