Elaine Turner Hits Double Digits

BLVD buzz: Designer's hot new boutique draws a big opening crowd and major expansion talk

Elaine Turner had a lot to celebrate Wednesday night as a big crowd turned out for the opening of her new boutique in BLVD Place. "I feel so blessed to have a store when I can serve the central Houston community," Turner said referring to her first store in the Galleria area. "Everyone's going 'I live right here,' I' work right here.' That's why we opened it. I feel so supported by Houston."

It also marked the 10th store opening in Turner's rapidly expanding chain, coming on the heels of two new store openings in the Dallas area (at Southlake Town Square and The Shops at Legacy). "It's such a huge milestone, double digits," she said. "Double the stress and double the digits."

The crowd of more than 200 sipped on a special “Elaine” pink cocktail that is on the menu at Table restaurant.

And double the fun, no doubt.

The 2,000-square-foot BLVD Place store, which was completed only an hour before the party began, is Turner's most sophisticated yet. It features her signature pink sofas along with raffia wrapped walls, walnut cases tinged in gold, bamboo floors, cowhide rugs and contemporary chandeliers.

A new jewelry area near the front of the store features a vanity table and oval mirror like a home dressing table and, in the back, an apparel area resembles a closet. (The Elaine Turner apparel line, manufactured in Houston by David Peck, will be part of the expanded spring 2015 collection. Turner wore a navy gown designed by Peck to the party.)

"It really is like a home," said Heather McLeskey, executive vice president of Elaine Turner Designs.

Twenty percent of proceeds from the evening's sales were donated to Heroes for Children, a frequent charity partner of Turner's. Joining Turner as the evening's co-hosts were KHOU Channel 11 anchor Mia Gradney and C. Style fashion blogger Carly Lee. Heroes for Children co-founder Larissa Linton flew in from Dallas for the occasion.

The crowd of more than 200 sipped on a special “Elaine” pink cocktail that is on the menu at Table restaurant. The nearby BLVD Place eatery also served up hors d'oeuvres and sweets for guests as they tried on shoes, bags, jewelry and apparel. P&R Productions filmed the evening for future episodes of Elaine’s Big Life, the webisode series on YouTube.

In the crowd were Jim Turner, Valerie Eissler, Troy Clendenin, Alexandra Carreno, Shawn Conerly, Brittany Boone, Ashley Seippel, Lisa McDonald, Carrie Colbert, Jessie Ogden, April Otjen, Alissa Maples, Elisabeth Webb, Jessica Myerson, Lizbeth King, William Zietz and Laurann Claridge, Jason and Erin Busch, DeeAnn and Marcus Thigpen.

Carly Lee, from left, Georgia Harmon, Dabney Junell and Emily Macey.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz Daniel Ortiz Photography

Carly Lee, from left, Georgia Harmon, Dabney Junell and Emily Macey.

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shop for props

Discover handmade treasures at Houston Grand Opera's garage sale

Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera/Instagram

For the first time since 2016, the Houston Grand Opera is holding costume and props garage sale on Saturday, September 14.

Calling all costume enthusiasts, theater lovers, and interior design buffs. Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is opening its doors for a unique, first-come-first-served garage sale. With a massive collection of costumes, props, and furniture from iconic productions like Aida, Hansel & Gretel, and Carmen, this sale offers a rare opportunity to grab one-of-a-kind pieces perfect for a costume party, home decor, or DIY projects.

For the first time since 2016 years, HGO is inviting the public to step behind the curtain and experience the artistry that goes into their productions. The sale showcases the incredible craftsmanship of HGO's costume shop, which employs dozens of skilled professionals who make or tailor each piece by hand.

The props department's specialized artisans also play a crucial role in creating the magic seen on stage. By making these items available, HGO is giving local theater companies, high schools, colleges, and the general public a chance to bring these beautiful pieces into their own productions or homes.

At the sale, shoppers can expect to find 68 racks of costumes and hundreds of hats, shoes, and other props.Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera

Since the last costume and props sale took place eight years ago, the nationally acclaimed opera house is bursting at the seams.

"We store items as long as possible and reuse them in any way we can," Kristen Burke, HGO director of production, tells CultureMap. "However, there comes a point about every decade or so when we outgrow our storage capacity. We then have to make some hard decisions. What might we use again? What is worth keeping in storage? What do we need to part with?"

HGO's limited storage space is a windfall for Houstonians. Shoppers can expect to find 68 racks of costumes and hundreds of hats, shoes, and other props, including fun must-haves like thrones and prop coffins. According to Burke, items will range in price from $1 to $200, with the majority in the under-$50 range. "Many pieces have a value well over that price, as they were handmade by our talented artisans. There will be some incredible deals to be had at this sale," says Burke.

Items will range in price from $1 to $200, with the majority in the under-$50 range.Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera

For HGO, sustainability is very important. If the items don't sell, they try to donate or find new uses for them. The goal is to avoid waste and give their incredible handcrafted creations a second chance to shine.

Houston Grand Opera Costume & Props Sale; Saturday, September 14, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm; 1977 Tellepsen St., 77023.

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