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, center, poses with models after this runway show on a Lufthansa flight between New York and Frankfurt, Germany.

Instagram/@rubinsinger

Rubin Singer, center, poses with models after this runway show on a Lufthansa flight between New York and Frankfurt, Germany.

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RETAIL REFRESH

Athleisure giant Lululemon stretches out with new Heights store

Photo courtesy of Lululemon/Instagram

Lululemon will be opening its newest location in the Heights on June 11.

Global athleisure brand Lululemon is leveling up in the Heights with a big move to a larger location. For Heights shoppers who live in leggings, the new location is just a short jog away from its former home.

The popular athleisure brand has officially closed its boutique-style storefront at Heights Mercantile and is relocating just five minutes down the street to a more spacious, high-traffic location at M-K-T Heights. This move is a progression for the brand in one of Houston’s most sought-after shopping neighborhoods.

Their former spot on Heights Street, housed in a repurposed residential building, was charming and very successful. It was so successful that the brand felt it needed more square footage to accommodate the needs of its shoppers.

The brand did not want to go too far from its original location and identified M-K-T as an excellent place for a new outpost, a M-K-T representative tells CultureMap.

lululemon MKT Heights Shoppers can explore the new Lululemon location at M-K-T Heights on June 11, featuring a modern layout and expanded retail space.Courtesy of M-K-T Heights

The space, which is scheduled to open on June 11, will offer a more traditional layout, in line with the brand’s familiar store design, and brings additional benefits. The new store will be adjacent to a curated mix of local and national retailers, including Chloe Dao, Ray-Ban, Buckle Bunny Hat Bar, as well as restaurant favorites Buttermilk Baby, Mala Sichuan, and Casa Nomad. It will gain visibility from increased foot traffic, enhanced signage, and a sleek, open interior that allows for a more elevated guest experience.

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