Fashion Game On

Local company ups the sporting apparel game offering team gear in high style

It’s hard to dress for sporting events without sacrificing style. Running Game Clothing might just have the answer to that fashion challenge.

The Houston-based company specializes in sports apparel that’s upping the fashion game for Houston Texans, Rockets, and Astros fans.

Kicking off the 2016 football season, Running Game Clothing launched its new line of game day gear this month, available now on the company’s website. “We don’t follow fashion seasons, like fall or winter. We follow sports seasons,” company co-founder Travis Drake notes.

The new collection takes its sporting roots seriously, with tank tops and jersey shirts for both men and women, brandishing slogans including “Tailgates and Touchdowns”, “Hustle Town,” and "Is It Sunday Yet?"

Throw on a T-shirt with leggings for a tailgate outing. A fitted tee under a blazer makes for casual office attire, transitioning seamlessly from daytime to game time.

Apparel is made of a high-quality, extra soft poly/cotton blend as well as an eco-friendly semi-organic poly/cotton blend, all preshrunk and made to hold up through multiple wears and washes.

Accessories include posters and caps available in a range of colors, including red, navy, and gray, with hand-stitched embroidery and mottos from “Bulls on Parade” to “The H-Town Republic.”

Running Game Clothing counts Texans offensive tackle Duane Brown, Houston Astros right fielder George Springer and pitcher Collin McHugh, and rapper Bun B amongst its fans, as well as former Texans lineman Chris Myers, who partnered with the company in 2014 on the DQ Strong line created to help raise money for Texans offensive lineman David Quessenberry in his fight against cancer.

All hailing from Houston, company founders Travis Drake, Austin Drake, Bryan Dunlap and Adam Puskorius, who is also chef and owner of Stoked Tacos & Tequila in Midtown, started Running Game Clothing in 2012. “The whole reason we got started is we got sick of going to Academy and buying a $50 Nike shirt that you don’t like but has the team logo on it,” Drake explains.

Although the entire staff pitches in, Drake, who studied graphic design at Texas State, is the creative force behind Running Game Clothing’s designs, inspired by such organizations as the NFL, MLB, and NBA. “We pull references from slogans and from what’s happening with each team. Our guys go to just about every football game and they keep their ears to the ground.”

Future plans include pieces for cooler temperatures (think hoodies and jackets) and designs for Houston Dynamo and Houston Cougars fans.

Also in the works: The company is looking to expand into the San Antonio and Dallas markets, giving Spurs and Cowboys fans something fashionable to cheer about.

Shop for items on the company’s website. Prices range from $19.99-$24.99 for apparel and $9.99-$19.99 for posters.

Apparel is made of a high-quality, extra soft poly/cotton blend as well as an eco-friendly semi-organic poly/cotton blend, all preshrunk and made to hold up through multiple wears and washes.

fitness celebrities shopping houston-texans texas where-to-shop sports

VAULT VIBES

Houston fashion star Chloe Dao marks 25 years with epic clean-out sale

Photo courtesy of Chloe Dao

From January 24- 31 Chloe Dao will open her personal design archives to mark 25 years with a rare boutique vault sale.

For Houston fashion devotees, this is the kind of news that prompts a calendar alert and a group chat with the besties. Chloe Dao is celebrating 25 years in fashion by doing something she has never done before: opening the vault.

From January 24 through January 31, the Chloe Dao boutique will host a 25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Vault Event, releasing pieces from Dao’s personal design archives alongside curated boutique items that have been held back for years. Once they are gone, they are gone for good.

“This is not a typical sale; this is an anniversary moment,” Dao says. “It’s an intentional release, a moment of reflection and gratitude, and a way to make space for what’s next. Once these pieces are gone, they’re truly gone."

For the first time ever, shoppers will be able to snag select designs from past collections and limited production runs, and Dao has confirmed she will be parting with some of her couture designs. Shoppers can expect more than 300 items, with more than half of the boutique included in the sale event.

Chloe Dao design Select runway couture and past collection pieces headline Chloe Dao’s 25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Event.Photo courtesy of Chloe Dao

Everything in the anniversary sale will be discounted 65 percent or more. Fan favorites, including the Houston T-shirt and Aya scarf, will be priced at $15 to $20, down from $42 to $68. None of the released pieces will be reproduced or restocked.

There is also a very personal moment behind this big event. Dao shared that she is planning for the future, including her eventual retirement in about 5 years, making this the right time for a shift.

“It is bittersweet, and I’m still torn about letting go of some of my archive pieces. But a close friend stopped by the boutique this past Saturday and reminded me that I can always create more. That really stayed with me. I’ve missed designing for my store, and this sale feels like a reset — a chance to return to what I love most: designing eveningwear," Dao tells CultureMap. "The past six years, especially post-COVID, were very much about survival mode. Now, if I’m going to truly survive and thrive in today’s retail landscape, my focus is shifting back to my own line and less on curation.”

Following her Project Runway Season Two win and decades of success, Dao says the milestone is also about gratitude for the city that supported her from the start.

“Think of it as an archive release and a chance to own a piece of my history as I celebrate 25 years in fashion. Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I’m so excited to share this moment, and this milestone, with you."

25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Vault Event, January 24 - January 31, Chloe Dao Boutique, 600 N Shepherd Dr #115, in M-K-T Heights.

chloe dao anniversary sale chloe dao retirement chloe dao