When San Francisco Opera announced that the season would open with Verdi’s Rigoletto, I knew I wanted my Opera Ball look to nod to Italian design. That’s what led me to fashion designer Eva Rorandelli, the creative force behind Evaro Italia. Her brand is rooted in Florence with a family legacy in Italian fashion and a deepening presence in the Bay Area, which is exactly the balance I was seeking!

Click below to watch The Making of the Dress with Evaro Italia...

Evaro Italia is a luxury womenswear house founded by Eva in 2015, with garments designed and hand-finished in Italy. The brand’s language is unapologetically Italian: sculptural lines, exquisite textiles, and a painter’s sensitivity to color and light. There’s heritage behind it, too! Eva’s family has been in the business since the 1940s, and she grew up in Florence surrounded by Renaissance art and the San Lorenzo district’s ateliers. 

Beyond the atelier, Evaro’s Bay Area footprint mattered to me. The brand has shown and hosted trunk shows here (from a couture presentation in Napa inspired by Florence’s rose gardens to a luxury showcase at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel), building a conversation between Italy and our local arts community. 

When deciding between the stunning selection of looks that Eva had set aside for me, my gaze kept drifting back to the red gown. Something about it felt instinctive, as if it belonged to the world of Rigoletto. Verdi’s opera is a tapestry of high drama where passion and betrayal unfold against a backdrop of courtly intrigue. Every emotion is heightened, and every choice is deliberate. In this story, red isn’t just a color. It’s a presence.

The San Francisco Opera’s season artwork for the Gala also echoed that same rich shade, and the visual language of Rigoletto is soaked in crimson. The Duke’s world is seductive and lavish, Gilda’s innocence is caught in a web of deception, and Rigoletto’s fury burns beneath it all. Choosing the red gown felt like stepping into that narrative, not simply watching from the audience but becoming part of the scene itself.

What truly made this gown special were the thoughtful details that revealed themselves the more I wore it.

The front slit in the skirt added a beautiful sense of movement to the structured silhouette, which made it easy to glide between interviews with artists, guests, and VIPs, and the bodice featured delicate side slits that added an unexpected architectural element. It’s a design choice I rarely see, and it brought a modern edge to a timeless silhouette. 

To complete the look, Eva paired the gown with a beaded purse, a statement ring, and elegant earrings, which are also pieces of her collection. Each piece felt like an extension of the dress itself.

The purse, with its ornate embroidery, mirrored the gown’s beaded embellishments, the ring added a touch of regality, while the earrings framed the face with a subtle sparkle. Together, these details created a look that felt cohesive, elevated, and completely at home in the world of opera.

I’ve always loved how the worlds of art and fashion naturally intertwine. Opera has a way of inspiring grand gestures, and the San Francisco Opera Ball is a perfect example of that spirit. One of my favorite parts of the evening is seeing how everyone embraces the occasion and arrives dressed to express their own sense of drama and elegance.

Many cities have galas, but few have audiences that make fashion statements quite like this one. San Francisco Opera fans go all out, and the result is a night that feels as spectacular in the lobby and on the red carpet as it does on the stage.

A heartfelt thank you to Eva for bringing this vision to life with such artistry and care. Wearing one of her designs made the evening feel even more special, and I’m so grateful for her creativity and attention to detail. If you’re dreaming of a look that’s as thoughtfully crafted as it is unforgettable, make sure to check out Evaro Italia. It’s an experience that blends Italian craftsmanship with modern elegance, and it’s one I’ll treasure for years to come.

And to find out more about what's next for San Francisco Opera, click here!