Last Saturday evening (March 16th , 2019), well over 1,400 guests…and yours truly…descended upon the Omni Dallas Hotel to celebrate DIFFA/Dallas’ largest annual fundraising event of the season, the 29th House of DIFFA!
This year’s theme, “House of DIFFA: Futuro,” inspired a “future with Zero stigma, Zero deaths, and Zero new infections.” Per Tim Garippa, House of DIFFA: Futuro Chair, the theme reflected “the future that DIFFA Dallas is committed to reach, a future without HIV/AIDS.”
Needless to say, this was the hottest fashion ticket in town! In honor of this year’s theme, attendees were fabulously clad in their futuristically, cosmic-best threads! The evening started with early cocktails and silent auction sponsored by Ebby Halliday. As always, the collection of one-of-a-kind jackets for silent auction was amazing! Designers included Zac Posen, Dolce & Gabbana, Theory, Ted Baker, Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gautier and many others!
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Decoration for the main event was a fun, sexy interpretation of the theme! Guests didn’t take their seats in a dining room, but more of an inter-planetary lounge with high-energy music, lasers and a variety of dancers clad in strategically placed LED lights…of course!
Style Council Ambassadors runway walk opened the program followed by compelling addresses by House of DIFFA Chair Tim Garippa and DIFFA/Dallas Board Chair Lee Borchert.
“We have reached a point where the end is in sight. A future without HIV/AIDS. There’s a lot of work we have to do, but we will get there,” said Garippa. Truly inspiring!
Kudos to comedian Dana Goldberg for hilariously hosting the Ebby Halliday Live Auction, raising an outstanding $100K while on stage! These donations are so important since money raised by DIFFA/Dallas, over 325K this year alone, will directly benefit the 20+ organizations that aid the fight against HIV/AIDS in North Texas!
Next, former Queer Eye and interior designer trainee, Carson Kressley, took the stage to introduce the much anticipated Visionary show. Models strutted the runway in garments from Forty-Five Ten and Traffic LA. To everyone’s surprise, the show included unexpected cameos by RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Asia O’Hara and Dallas based androgynous artist Sunel Molina! And that’s not all! The show ended with a bang when three models donning Iris Van Herpen dresses, descended on the runway looking totally celestial! Fun fact: Said dresses were flown from Paris especially for the event! Impressive!
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Then, for post-show festivities, guests had a chance to get their dance-on to the tunes of DJ Lucy Wrubel at the House of DIFFA After-Party, sponsored by Ketel One and Visit Dallas! The fun continued!
Ultimately, for me, this event was nothing short of unforgettable. I left the event feeling proud of being part of a community that leverages its creativity and love for a cause that can make such a critical difference in the lives of ALL those affected by HIV/AIDS. Fast forward to a future free of HIV/AIDS!
Check out the full photo gallery below.
Cover Photo: Joseph Brewster/Thomas Garza
For more information about DIFFA/Dallas, or to get involved, visit www.diffadallas.org
Jorge Gallegos
Not just a pretty face
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