A Warm Evening in Fort Lauderdale

A convivial gathering on the outdoor pavilion of the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale at yesterday evening's Members' Reception for the debut of the exhibit Edward Steichen: In High Fashion the Condé Nast Years, 1923-1937. Left to right, R. Layton Massengill, Rod Stafford Hagwood, Gary Lodge, Terry Whited, Ivonne de la Vega and Robert Wilson.

Mr. Massengill is President of Massengill Ltd. Mr. Hagwood is the fashion columnist of The Sun-Sentinel. Ivonne de la Vega designed the gown auctioned to benefit the museum. Mr. Wilson is an international management consultant. Mr. Massengill and Mr. Whited have been partners for 33 years. Mr. Hagwood and Mr. Lodge have been partners for 7 years.

Mr. Whited sported a real leopard vintage cloche, a mink vest and several pieces of stunning Elsa Perretti jewelry. My review of the Steichen show will appear in the South Florida Gay News. Here is the gown created by Ivonne de la Vega to be auctioned to benefit the museum. I told her I loved it but was worried that the lower bows around the flowers might be ungapatch. Ivonne assured me that they were detachable!