GALA CHIC: OPENING NIGHT AT THE SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
Amber Marie Bently shows off her dress by Skin Graft 
Tony and Sandra Go attend the San Francisco Opera Gala Opening night of the opera in San Francisco has a time-honored tradition for 'Puttin' on the Ritz'. Right up there with Cannes but maybe not as renowned , opening night SF carries remnants of old guard charm and major fashion blitz all at once. Rock stars to royalty fly in from all over the world to attend. Friday, September 11, a gala party kicked off the 2009 season before opera goers attended a performance of Il Trovatore. You'll notice many bridal designers featured here . . . all those gowns we know and love simply switch to technicolor when they come out on nights like this . . .
Guy chic. White Tie/Black Tie
Inside City Hall, guests mingle before sitting down for dinner during opening night.
The Promenade: Guests walk into the War Memorial Opera House during the opening night of the San Francisco Opera on September 11, 2009.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom shows off her dress during the Opera Gala
Mayor Gavin Newsom and wife Jennifer
Deepa Pakianathan wears a dress designed by Naeem Khan
Angelique Griepp wears dress by Oscar de la Renta
Leslie Simpson wears a dress designed by Angel Sanchez
Karen Caldwell wears a dress designed by Lily Samii Special thanks to Amber Marie Bently and Sandra Go for raising the bar on fashion and daring to go bold this season. A little beyond the fashion curve, for me Bentley's particular edge was the most comfortable seat in the house this opening night. Somewhere between underground and the most quintessential form of couture, she was in that amazing dress by the LA based design house Skin Graft . I'm hoping her gray asymmetrically tiered stunner will open doors to a whole new way of dressing
for gala nights.
for gala nights.
