Dallas Social Score

Every Dallas chick’s favorite luncheon lures Tim Gunn for 10th anniversary

Tim Gunn comes to Dallas on April 1 to entertain at the 10th annual Chick Lit Luncheon.

Photo by Scott McDermott

For its 10th anniversary Chick Lit Luncheon, Community Partners of Dallas (CPD) is bringing in the big guns: Tim Gunn, of Project Runway fame, is the featured speaker at the annual event that every Dallas girl pencils into her social datebook.

CPD also recruited local fashion guru Brian Bolke, owner of Forty Five Ten and Five and Ten, to serve as honorary chair. Suddenly we are worried about what we’re going to wear!

Traditionally the Chick Lit Luncheon has been known for the best-selling female authors who have served as guest speakers, but the big 1-0 called for something different — like the witty and frank observations of one of fashion’s best-known names. Gunn, who is responsible for positioning Parsons as a world leader in fashion design education, won an Emmy for his hosting work on Project Runway, for which he also serves as producer. He also is a New York Times best-selling author.

“To have the inimitable Tim Gunn as the featured author of our 10th annual luncheon is beyond our wildest dreams,” says CPD president and CEO Paige McDaniel in a release. “We know he is going to thoroughly entertain attendees with his insights on fashion, lifestyle, design, and pop culture, and we cannot think of a speaker more befitting this milestone fundraiser.”

Kristi Hoyl is the chairwoman of this year’s event, during which volunteer and supporter Jill C. Bee will receive the Partners for Children award, and longtime Chick Lit Luncheon presenting sponsors Dr. Robert and Lara Tafel will receive a special 10th anniversary Champions of Hope award.

Anticipating record attendance, CPD has secured a new venue for the luncheon: Hilton Anatole. The Chick Lit Luncheon takes place April 1 at 10:30 am at the Hilton Anatole. It starts with a wine reception; a seated luncheon and Gunn's chat follows. Tables start at $1,750 and are on sale now; individual tickets go on sale in early March.

Community Partners of Dallas has ensured safety and restored dignity and hope to abused and neglected children since 1989. The organization provides crucial resources and support to the caseworkers of Dallas County Child Protective Services.

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Gala preview

Dallas' most glam fall gala to honor Hollywood superstar Charlize Theron

Universal Pictures Presents "The Odyssey" Paris Premiere

Photo by Pierre Mouton/Getty Images for Universal Pictures

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Hollywood star Charlize Theron will be the guest of honor at one of Dallas' hottest-ticket galas of 2026: She will receive amfAR's Award of Inspiration at the organization's black-tie ball on October 24.

For a second year, the glamorous fall fundraiser will take place at the home of Kathleen and Scott Kirby, a release says. Taking over where Dallas' TWO x TWO gala left off when it ended in 2024, the amFAR gala has quickly become one of Dallas' marquee social events, drawing philanthropists, collectors, and high-profile guests in support of amfAR's mission to end HIV/AIDS.

Theron, who won an Oscar for Monster, is currently on a worldwide press tour ahead of her starring role in one of the summer's biggest movies, The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated adaptation of the Homer epic (opening July 17).

Beyond her film career, Theron serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace and founded the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), which supports organizations focused on youth health, HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, and combating gender-based violence across Southern Africa.

"Charlize Theron’s longstanding support of amfAR and HIV/AIDS care and prevention through her own foundation make her an inspiration to us all," said amfAR CEO Kyle Clifford in a statement. "We are grateful to her for her tireless work and are thrilled to be able to recognize her at our event in Dallas this year."

According to amfAR, programs supported by CTAOP have reached more than 4.8 million young people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Theron and the foundation also launched the Together for Her campaign with CARE and the Entertainment Industry Foundation to address gender-based violence, and later partnered with the Ford Foundation to advocate for global vaccine equity.

Founded in 1985, amfAR has invested more than $950 million in research grants supporting HIV/AIDS and other diseases in which viruses and the immune system play a significant role. Over the past 26 years, supporters in North Texas have raised more than $66.5 million to advance amFAR's ongoing HIV research and global health initiatives, the organization says.

This year's gala will feature cocktails, a seated dinner, musical performances, and a live auction offering luxury goods, travel experiences, and contemporary art. Tickets and table sponsorships are now available, starting at $2,500.

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