Model behavior

Dallas Contemporary blazes new trail with white-haute inaugural gala

What: Dallas Contemporary S/S19 Gala

Where: Dallas Contemporary

The 411: Guests arrived at 161 Glass St. on April 5 for an opulent evening celebrating the best in contemporary art, photography, and fashion — and plenty of partying, too.

Presented by Headington Companies and Forty Five Ten, the inaugural gala was co-chaired by Forty Five Ten president and chief creative Officer Kristen Cole and DC board member and art collector Kaleta Blaffer Johnson. The event officially launched Dallas Contemporary’s spring exhibits.

As patrons, collectors, and creatives arrived, VIPs were met by photographer extraordinaire Yelena Yemchuck for their 15 minutes of fame — partaking in a Polaroid photo shoot. At her side, assisting with the activation was her partner, actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

Honorary co-chairs Mario Sorrenti, Self Service founder Ezra Petronio, and Dennis Freedman mingled among the crowd who wandered around the museum, taking in the exhibitions unveiled just for the occasion. The shows were "Mario Sorrenti: Kate" (featuring never before seen images of the fashion icon Kate Moss); "Self Service: Twenty-five Years of Fashion, People and Ideas Reconsidered" (a retrospective on Self Service magazine); and "Yelena Yemchuk: Mabel, Betty and Bette."

At the entrance of the dining room, guests got an up-close look at the art pieces that intersected art and fashion, which would be up for auction — works with names like Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel, and Peter Lindbergh attached.

The chic coterie enjoyed dinner catered by The Joule and listened to Dallas Contemporary executive director Peter Doroshenko deliver inspired remarks about future plans for the museum. Supermodel Kate Moss' rumored appearance came via a pre-recorded video saying she was sorry she missed but encouraging all to enjoy themselves and to support the Dallas institution.

Bidding got fierce in the live auction presented by Christie’s — particularly for a trip to Guadalajara from José Noé Suro (the namesake of Dallas' Jose restaurant) — who surprised the crowd by donating a second trip so that two patrons would go home happy. Following the auction, guests jammed out to Texas singer-songwriter Ben Kweller as he performed some crowd favorites.

Those who wanted to continue the revelry moved to an after-party in the back of the museum, which had been outfitted with velvet green lounge couches and a disco ball. They were met by after-party host, model-actress Erin Wasson, who took over the dance floor as DJ Luis Cerón kept the crowd moving and grooving. Partygoers could visit the full bar or caffeinate at a coffee station with all the accouterments, all while enjoying party foods like fried chicken sliders being passed on trays.

Who: The glamorous guest list included Erykah Badu, Kathryn Swain, Amanda Carter, Chioma Nnadi, Al Tidwell, Fred Holston, Francesco Clemente, Giovanni Testino, Megan Bowdon Wilkinson, Joey Wilkinson, Richard Phillips, Nancy Rogers, Amber Testino, Jeny Bania, Karen Bivins, and Michael Bivins.

Jeny Bania

Photo by Kristi and Scot Redman

Jeny Bania

All The Stars

Nicole Kidman + more celebs raise $3.1M at inaugural amfAR Dallas gala

Photo by Ryan Emberley

Dirk Nowitzki, Jessica Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Porschla Kidd.

It was a night of music, star power, and meaningful giving as amfAR — The Foundation for AIDS Research — hosted its inaugural Dallas gala on October 4, raising a remarkable $3.1 million for the organization’s lifesaving biomedical research programs.

The black-tie affair took place at the home of Kathleen and Scott Kirby, who opened their doors to some of Dallas’ most generous and glamorous supporters.

A dynamic opening set by Parson James paved the way for the evening's host, actress Teri Hatcher, to open the program with heartfelt remarks about the critical importance of HIV research. The Kirbys echoed that message, emphasizing the urgency of continued innovation in HIV research — particularly in Dallas, where more than 20,000 residents are living with HIV.

amfAR Dallas Gala 2025 Teri Hatcher.Photo by Ryan Emberley

T. Ryan Greenawalt and Kevin McClatchy, amfAR board co-chairs, saluted the city’s ongoing support, noting that “this community has rallied behind us for 25 years now, raising more than $65 million for our work.”

Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki took the stage to present the Philanthropic Leadership Award to the Gene and Jerry Jones Family, commending their profound impact in Dallas and beyond.

Haley Anderson, Caroline Jones Moldawer, Chambers Jones, Jessica Donnell, and Jordan Jones Munoz accepted on behalf of the family, sharing gratitude and reflection. “Seeing the difference that amfAR can make in people’s lives has been a powerful reminder of the importance of giving back,” Donnell said. “It’s a lesson we learned early from our grandparents and parents and one that we will pass down to our next generation.”

Later in the evening, actress and longtime amfAR supporter Nicole Kidman presented Taylor Sheridan with amfAR’s Award of Inspiration, honoring his creative vision and philanthropic commitment. Accepting his award, Sheridan urged the audience to act with generosity. “Success means nothing if you don’t find a way to give back,” he said. “All it takes is people coming together and giving a little money — and then you can find cures and you can find change.”

amfAR Dallas Gala 2025 Taylor and Nicole Sheridan.Photo by Ryan Emberley

In true Hollywood fashion, Sheridan surprised the crowd with two exclusive auction packages, offering lucky bidders set visits, walk-on roles, and meet-and-greets with the cast of one of his iconic shows.

The legendary Diana Ross closed out the night with a performance that had the crowd on its feet. She delivered a joyful medley of classics including “I’m Coming Out,” “More Today Than Yesterday,” “Baby Love,” “Can’t Hurry Love,” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.” Guests sang and danced beneath the stars, capping the evening in pure joy.

amfAR The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has raised nearly $950 million in support of its programs and has awarded more than 3,800 grants to research teams worldwide.

Ryan Emberley

Scott Kirby, Taylor Sheridan, Kathleen Kirby, Nocole Kidman

aids research aids research foundation amfar dallas gala diana ross dirk nowitzki fundraisers jerry jones nicole kidman taylor sheridan galas