Notables from S.F. and L.A. came together to honor the highly anticipated unveiling
Words by DIANE DORRANS SAEKS
On Thursday, March 17, Gary Friedman, CEO of RH — along with 1,500 stars of the tech world, the social scene, and influencers of style, business, entertainment and innovation — celebrated the opening of his newest invention, RH San Francisco Gallery.
The superbly renovated five-story building, built in 1917 to house Bethlehem Steel management, is situated in a dramatic former industrial neighborhood. After a six-year-long restoration, the Beaux-Arts structure — a jewel among rusting dry docks and steel warehouses — gleams as one of the most elegant and compelling centers of design in the U.S.
“I’m so grateful to all the specialists who’ve worked on this building,” said Friedman. “Our focus was on maintaining the integrity of every detail. Now to see everyone enjoying its beauty is a great pleasure.”
“Our focus was on maintaining the integrity of every detail. Now to see everyone enjoying its beauty is a great pleasure”
Gary friedman
Ellen DeGeneres with Portia de Rossi (who is collaborating with Friedman on General Public art collections) were among the first to dash around the marble-floored showrooms, restaurants, bars and roof-deck with panoramic views of the bay.
Joining them were planeloads of celebs who flew in from L.A. including Alexandra Daddario, Sara and Erin Foster, and Jessica Alba, unmissable in a chic, short, bright yellow tweed dress. And working the crowd were home-team heroes from the Warriors, a rare and very animated sight at a design event.
Also loving the vibe of DJ Shallou were Samantha and Darren Bechtel, Arturo and Sophia Pacifico Griffini, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Olga Dubrovsky, Eche Martinez, David Jimenez and Leann Conquer.
The party, which benefited the Tipping Point Community — and raged on well beyond midnight — honored RH’s six-year transformation of the historic space. Lighting designer Jonathan Browning, who first visited the structure ten years ago with Friedman and his team when it was covered in graffiti and dust, noted, “This building is a rare beauty, a welcome gift to the city.”
April 1, 2022
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