There’s a retail phenomenon happening at 4349 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines that has Iowans willingly emptying their cup holders of loose change and driving across county lines.

With bustles and bouffants, the stars of the stage arrived at the Tonys in — what else? — the most theatrical of designs.

Clad in a bottle green, body-contouring Alaïa creation, Nora turned heads for all the right reasons. This wasn’t just another red carpet dress. It was a statement. A move away from conventional bling ...