Tiger Ball Wows Houston's Diverse Crowd with Korean Fashion Fair

Despite the heavy rains Houston’s global community, including the crème de la crème of the bayou city’s business, political and society circles, gathered Wednesday evening for Asia Society Texas Center’s Tiger Ball 2016, celebrating contemporary Korea.

A record crowd of more than 700 guests strolled in lavish gown, saris, fashionable gowns representing Korean style into the grand Chevron Gala Pavilion, one for the event’s presenting corporate sponsors. Reception hosts, Kathy and Glen Gondo, welcomed the throng of guests into the grand tent with tantalizing sushi and Korean pancakes. While Taiko drummers with Memorial Jumbo Group performed, guests flowed from a magnificent tent into the world-class Yoshio Taniguchi-designed building, where volunteers modeling Jasmine Shinhyo Park’s stunning traditional gowns greeted them as they entered the Fayez Sarofim Grand Hall to enjoy the Yeesookyung exhibition.

Honorees Edward R. Allen III and Chinhui Juhn

With 12 locations throughout the world, Asia Society Texas Center is Houston’s pride as it helps promote mutual understanding, strengths, and partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the west. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston with their innovative and relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.

Guests at the ball enjoyed an exquisite scrumptious dinner catered by City Kitchen later followed by a dessert soiree, dancing and bids on extravagant auction items.

Gala Co-Chairs, Lou Ann and Alexander C. Chae and Susan and Michael K. Jhin, and guests honored Asia Society Texas Center’s Board Chairman Edward “Eddie” R. Allen III and wife Chinhui Juhn. Asia Society’s Executive Director Bonna Kol and Joni Baird of Chevron presented the honorees, Eddie and Chinhui, with the Tiger Ball 2016 award for their continued support of Asia Society. $1.2 million was raised by Tiger Ball 2016 which will benefit exhibitions and programs, which will promote their mission of an enriched diverse Houston.

Tiger Ball has always been the talk of the town gala event with an elite audience. Spotted at the ball were: Anne and Albert Chao, Y. Ping Sun (in a beautiful red gown with a hint of sparkle designed by Houston’s young upcoming designer Becky P. Hollands) and David Leebron, Andrea and Bill White, Isla and Thomas Reckling, Claudia and Roberto Contreras, Lily and Charles Foster, Margeret Alkek Williams, Joanne Herring, Phoebe Tudor, T. Paresh Patel, John Bradshaw, Patsy Brown, Dr. Sippi Khurana, Rob Todd, Nick Florescu, Mandy and William Kao, Alice Mao Brams, Gina Li, Amber Elliot, and Asia Society’s grand patron Nancy C. Allen.

It almost seems that rain has become a part of the Tiger Ball tradition which is in Asian culture they say is good luck. Personally this is one of my favorite galas in the spring time and it has been such an honor to be part of Tiger Ball for fifteen years. With a successful 2016 gala we cannot wait until next Tiger Ball 2017 as they celebrate the magnificence of India, honoring long-time supporters Sushila and Durga Agrawal. For more information on Asia Society Texas Center please visit asiasociety.org/texas.