What: Roger Vivier Bal Harbour Opening Cocktail Event
When: December 1, 2009
Who: Brand ambassador Ines de la Fressange, along with hosts Leticia Herrera Grendene, Ines Rivero, and Munisha Underhill

When I got word that Roger Vivier would be opening a boutique in Bal Harbour, I could not have been more thrilled, especially considering that the label has only landed on U.S. shores one other time to open a boutique on Madison Avenue in New York. I wasn’t the only one who carved out time during the week of Art Basel to welcome a new brand to the luxury shopping destination, as the models came out in full force to show their support. Leading the charge was the brand’s ambassador, Ines de la Fressange, whose modeling experience dates back to the heyday of Paris in the 80s, when she served as the muse for Karl Lagerfeld. At the grand opening, Ines, straight off of a flight from Paris and outfitted in classic white jeans and her belle Vivier silver buckle flats, demonstrated herself to be full of candor and avoided the pat answers that one might expect from a typical brand ambassador. She denounced the idea of luxury brands just for the sake of wearing a label, and defined true luxury as the ability to spend time with the people you love and appreciate the things in life that bring you joy.
I was thrilled to see many friendly faces in the crowd, including models Elsa Benitez and Maria Checa, Robin Thicke and Paula Patton, and a special visit from CEO Diego Della Valle. In addition to the cocktail reception that evening, there was much more fun to be had, starting later that night with a private dinner at Casa Tua, and continuing the following morning during a brunch at the boutique.

Loren Ridinger is the creative force behind Motives cosmetics line and the senior vice president of Market America