The New York Times - November 14, 1986
Bernadine Morris

The evening, a tribute to Nina Hyde, fashion editor of The Washington Post, will benefit the AIDS Research Program of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health and the Washington Fashion Group's Scholarship Fund. Eight hundred people paid $150 to attend the black-tie dinner and 300 others joined the party in time for dessert, paying $40 for the privilege.

"It's a spectacular, dressed-up crowd," said Ellin Saltzman, fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue, as she surveyed the guests.

Mrs. Hyde responded, "Maybe we've laid to rest the idea that Washington is a frumpy town."

Tables covered with gold lame cloth had fantasy palm trees as centerpieces. "It's all enormously elegant," said Geraldine Stutz, the former president of Henri Bendel. "But it has wit and humor."

Auction Items

Contributions to an auction, a high spot of the evening, were coming in as late as this morning. Among the 180 donations were a week in France, including lunch at the home of the designer Jacqueline de Ribes, a Fendi broadtail fur and three days at Oscar de la Renta's house in the Dominican Republic.

"I can't explain how this caught on," said Val Cook, chairman of the evening. "It's a very different event for this city. AIDS has something to do with it. So does Nina's reputation. Nobody said no when we asked them to contribute. People we invited as guests insisted on paying for tickets."

"The designers have something to do with the attraction," said Eleni Epstein, a former fashion editor of the now-defunct Washington Star, who served on the committee. "We have the President and Mrs. Reagan every day. But people love to meet Geoffrey Beene and Calvin Klein. They wear the labels." Other New York designers they could meet included Ralph Lauren, Gloria Sachs, Donna Karan, Louis Dell'Olio, Mary McFadden, Jeffrey Banks, Mary Ann Restivo, Kasper and Bill Blass. Mr. Blass and James W. Symington, the former Democratic Congressman from Missouri, assisted the auctioneer, John Marion, president and chairman of Sotheby's. Carla Fendi, Mariuccia Mandelli of Krizia and Rosita Missoni came from Italy while Jacqueline de Ribes, Thierry Mugler, Bernard Perris and Paloma Picasso represented France.

Local guests included Marie and Evan Galbraith, Jeane Kirkpatrick, William and Buffy Cafritz and William and Deeda Blair. Maria Cuomo, Grace Mirabella and her husband, Dr. William Cahan, and Dawn Mello were among the guests from New York.

"The Washington Fashion Group runs a fund-raiser every two years," said Aniko Gaal, regional director of the organization of 6,000 female executives, which serves as a clearinghouse for the exchange of information on tastes and trends and has about 200 members in the Washington area. "At a board meeting in February, I suggested we honor Nina Hyde, who was celebrating her 25th year in Washington," she said. "From then on it just rolled. We changed locations three times because there wasn't enough space."

Mrs. Hyde said: "I'm a doctor's daughter and very aware of medical problems. I know people who have died of AIDS, and I also know that it has the potential to affect us all, our kids included. So I insisted that a share of the money raised be used to help what is an emergency situation, a crisis."

The Fashion Group agreed and established a scholarship in her name.

Cocktails and Auction

The evening started at 7 P.M. with cocktails and a silent auction, during which guests could bid for such prizes as a costume sketch by Yves Saint Laurent, a cocktail suit by Chanel with accessories and a James Galanos suit, size 8, valued at $3,390. Dinner by Design Cuisine Caterers was to start with wild salmon, followed by roast breast of game hen. Then the crowd was to go to the buffet table to choose from 30 different desserts.

"It's the equal of any festive occasion we ever had here," said Buffy Cafritz, who gives and goes to a lot of parties.

Donald Graham, publisher of The Washington Post, said the evening provided an optimistic omen. "It's a wonderful time for us to be honoring Nina," he said. "The fashion community here is booming. Downtown stores are being remodeled and new ones are coming in. We're at the beginning of a new era."

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