Singer in H-Town

Passion For Fashion snags high-flying designer for Houston runway show

Rubin Singer is always looking to expand fashion's boundaries. The designer, who createdBeyoncé's much-talked-about bodysuit for the 2013 Super Bowl and has dressed such celebrities as Glenn Close, Heidi Klum, Lucy Liu, and Alicia Keys in red-carpet gowns, showcased his collection on a regularly scheduled Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to New York during fashion week a couple of months ago.

"As a designer, I’m always interested in finding new ways to present my collection,” Singer said. “Showing up in the air, over the Atlantic was truly a unique fashion moment like nothing I’ve ever done or seen.”

In Houston next month, he'll show his fall collection of evening-inspired ready-to-wear on a conventional runway at River Oaks Country Club as the featured designer at the Passion For Fashion Luncheon, benefiting the fashion and interior design programs at Houston Community College. Even on land, it's bound to earn raves, as it did from Women's Wear Daily, which noted that it was a season of "expansion and experimentation" for Singer.

A red mini-dress with dramatic sleeves "looked like a piece of welded armor with warrior vibes" while "a mini tuxedo dress with a built-in corset was a playful, sharply tailored offering," the fashion daily noted.

At the luncheon on May 16, Singer will be interviewed onstage by yours truly, which has become a Passion for Fashion tradition. In addition, style expert Neal Hamil, co-host of the Neal & Libby podcast, will emcee, and Melissa Mithoff will be honored as the HCC Design Society Fashion Icon. (Previous recipients have included Sheridan Williams, Phoebe Tudor, Merle Yarborough, Kelli Cohen Fein, Diane Lokey Farb, and Becca Cason Thrash.)

Powerhouse due Courtney Hopson and Elizabeth Petersen are co-charing the luncheon. For more information and tickets, visit the Passion for Fashion website. Singer will also make a personal appearance at Elizabeth Anthony, which is debuting the collection in Houston, on May 16 and 17.

Rubin Singer is the featured designer for the Passion for Fashion luncheon on May 16.

Photo courtesy of Rubin Singer

Rubin Singer is the featured designer for the Passion for Fashion luncheon on May 16.

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oh boy!

Houston's premier boys clothing boutique opens new home in Rice Village

Photo by Alex Montoya

Boys are welcome to read the books on the shelves.

Houston’s premier boys-only boutique now has a permanent home in Rice Village. ParkerJoe, which offers clothing, accessories, and lifestyle brands that takes lads from wee tykes to pre-adolescent (in sizes newborn to 16), originally opened last year in a temporary spot in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

Now open at 5515 Kelvin Dr., Suite 95, the store unfolds across 1,900 square feet, all of it stocked with the retailer’s carefully curated inventory that embraces all kinds of boys and all types of occasions. Families will find looks that range from formal and preppy to sporty and casual, with brands such as Bailey Boys, Classic Prep, Saltwater Boys, and Appaman as well as local brands like Sunnies, which specializes in polarized sunglasses for children, and onesies from Houston children’s apparel purveyor Oink Moo.

“We wanted to create a place where boys are seen and heard,” said Lisa Hostler, who owns the store with her daughter Chelsea. “Their needs and their wants are represented at ParkerJoe.”

Hostler is excited to be in the Rice Village spot, an affluent area known for its walkability and attractiveness for families, which make it an ideal location for a niche retailer like ParkerJoe.

“It’s a younger population and a strong retail mix,” she said. “We couldn’t be happier here in a center that has welcomed us so warmly and made us feel at home.”

The store itself is designed to help boys enjoy the sometimes awkward process of shopping for new clothes. Towards that end, they are welcome to touch and play with toys on the shelves, which are stocked with books, games, and stuffed animals.

An official grand opening is planned for September, but prior to that customers can expect a summer of events including trunk shows, a fashion show, and an influencer brunch.

Even as Lisa and Chelsea are excited to be in Rice Village, they are setting their sights on continued expansion. They currently have a temporary outpost in Memorial City Mall, and are looking for retail locations in other Houston neighborhoods, with a desire to open across Texas.

ParkerJoe in Rice Village is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

Photo by Alex Montoya

Boys are welcome to read the books on the shelves.

shopping parkerjoe rice village openings