The Palm Beach glitterati overflowed with bling-bling at the Diamond Constellation Ball held at Mar-a-Lago, benefiting the South Florida Science Museum and starring society’s hot jeweler of the moment — Graff. The elite, welcomed by co-chairs Catherine Adler, Nancy Carter, and Susan Keenan, enjoyed bellinis and cosmos, and a scrumptious mélange of hors d’oeuvres — including lamb chops with mint jelly and spring rolls.
Circulating amidst the cool tones of Duke Ellington, models showcased the evening’s dazzling prize drawings. One flashed a blinding 22-carat ring on a carefully guarded finger; another, casually attired, was ready to tee off with a Louis Vuitton Golf Bag; and a third announced a return to elegance, in a David Goodman natural Russian “Dr. Zhivago” sable wrap. On the fashion front, the fur stole is very much alive in Palm Beach. There were at least four Barbie Doll-like ladies wearing beautiful white stoles draped over slinky, full-length gowns.
Bombshell blonde Petra Levin looked radiant in a signature Tom Ford evening gown — classic and white, which prompted one hipster to quip: “Ohh, she’s wearing that dress.” Andrea Joseffer, also in white, told The Sheet she was in “Oscar.” Yes, that Oscar. Her friend, Fran Luckoff, was one of the evening’s stand-outs, in a vintage, non-designer-specific bead-embroidered dress.
The 118-room “Hispano-Mooresque” mansion was built in 1927 for cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and bought in 1985 by Donald Trump, who turned it into a private club (the site of his over-the-top wedding to model Melania Knauss). It is located on 18 seaside acres, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Worth (hence, the “sea-to-lake”/Mar-a-Lago name). The lavish interior is adorned with 22-karat gold-leaf ceilings and moldings, 16th-century Venetian tapestries, marble floors, and Czechoslovakian crystal chandeliers.
The gleam from this “constellation” was clearly reflected in the eyes of Museum CEO Jim Rollins, who was all smiles: “We raised $20 million and we’re looking to raise $20 million more.” Looks like he picked the right place to start!
Written/reported by David Granoff
