Karen Katz came wearing Blahnik's $1,050 crystal shoes created just for the occasion, and Zac Posen gave a nod to Neiman's Texas roots by donning a pair of boots with a Western style. "These are not real cowboy boots — they're YSL — but I do wear cowboy boots," he insisted.

Other designers who attended Friday night's festivities included Christian Louboutin, Ippolita, Lana Marks, Carolina Herrera, Gilles Mendel, Ralph Rucci, Nanette Lepore, Taryn Rose, James Ferragamo, Vittorio Missoni, Carlos Falchi, Mark Badgley and James Mischka, Nicole Miller, Nancy Gonzalez and a large number of high-ranking executives from European and American fashion houses and the world of real estate.

Katz said the event was Neiman's biggest, surpassing in attendance Neiman's 90th anniversary celebration, which was staged as a rodeo.

"I grew up in Shreveport, but it was always a big thing to come to Neiman Marcus in Dallas. We always came here, ever since I was nine — and even then I was this long, tall and skinny thing," said CeCe Cord.