Gown, baby, gown
Peas and carrots, celebrities and rehab, fashion and art - some things are just meant to be paired. So it makes perfect sense that Michael De Paulo, a local couture dress designer, was commissioned to create a sumptuous gown to be raffled off at the Museum of Fine Arts Council Summer Party and Art Auction on Saturday.
Tonya Mezrich, social butterfly and jewelry designer, is on this year's Event Committee and the one responsible for conjuring up the entire collaboration.
"Michael is very talented and has dressed me for all of the '21' movie premieres," she said. (Mezrich's husband, Ben, is the author of the book that inspired the film "21.") After she approached the young designer with the project, MFA development officer Erin McKenna attended his recent trunk show at Saks Fifth Avenue to seal the deal.
"Erin looked at the pieces at my show and was very pleased . . . so we moved forward with the idea," De Paulo says.
The dress, worth $3,000, is made from amethyst-colored ruched taffeta with an organza sash and crystals. De Paulo, a former architect, says his inspiration for the piece comes from "abstract sculpture, the cleanliness of form, Van Gogh paintings, and Constantin Brancusi sculptures." How very arty.
De Paulo hopes the gown will have party guests reaching for their checkbooks. "Hopefully, we can bring in $20,000, but realistically, $7,500 would be ideal . . . anything that contributes to the museum. I absolutely adore the MFA. It's a great place to get inspired for my work."
