At a party in Dallas several years ago, I complimented a lovely woman on her bold, bedazzled headband. She reached out her hand and said, “I’m Lele.” Yes, it was that Lele (Lisa to some) Sadoughi. She had recently moved to the city from New York, where she had designed accessories for preppy powerhouse J.Crew. After recognizing that said headwear could be updated from its standard tartan plaid with vibrant colors and jeweled embellishments, her eponymous brand was born. Sadoughi now has five brick-and-mortar locations across the U.S., including a flagship location in Highland Park Village.
I received an invite for an intimate dinner she recently hosted (with catering by Cassandra from Art 2 Catering) at home to celebrate her partnership with Shopbop, the global online retail destination. Sadoughi’s headbands, jewelry, and other embellishments have joined Shopbop’s curated selection of ready-to-wear and accessories from more than 1,000 established and emerging designers.
Knowing the designer’s affinity for statement making maximalism, the event had us wondering what tricks and tips she has for flawless entertaining. Here are her illuminating responses.
How Dallas-Based Designer Lele Sadoughi Entertains at Home
Your entertaining essentials?
Lele Sadoughi: Good conversation, something sparkly, and something sweet.
What’s the soundtrack to the evening?
LS: A bossa nova playlist through the entire night, that includes Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66 songs — “Mas Que Nada” and “Magalenha.”
And, of course, what cocktails set the mood to shop and start that conga line?
LS: The cocktails were provided by Saint James Tea, and we had some theme drinks: Lemon Tea-ni with lemon iced tea, Grey Goose vodka, lemon juice, and a lemon slice; berry sweet tea with raspberry iced tea, Grey Goose vodka, ginger ale, lime juice, and fresh raspberries; and the Spill the Tea-quila with lemon iced tea, blanco tequila, triple sec, fresh-squeezed lime juice, and a lemon slice.
Sadoughi also enlisted darling Missy Peck from MissyRSVP for help with the food and decor. Peck arranged for Bryan Long from Grey Gardens to create the gorgeous florals that adorned the long dining table. She also worked with Sadoughi on selecting the gorgeous La DoubleJ china and employed Sadoughi’s velvet bows as whimsical napkin rings (a wink to the the hostess’ accessories empire).
Feel free to appropriate these tips for your own swellegant suppers. I know I will, as might other guests I air-kissed throughout the night, including Kasey Lemkin, Kira Nasrat, JoJo Fleiss, Sharon Lee Clark, Kameron Westcott, Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, Jamie O’Banion, and Amy Havins.
