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    Lady Gaga's Houston BFF

    Meet Lady Gaga's new best friend: This Houston designer has it made in the shades

    Elizabeth Rhodes
    Jan 14, 2014 | 3:24 pm

    At only 22, Mexican-born and Houston-based designer Enid Almanza has already made the big time. After designing for only two years, the designer's unique Coke-can glasses were worn by the queen of unusual fashion — Lady Gaga — during her ABC Muppet Thanksgiving Special with Elton John.

    The designer, who has been living in Houston for seven years, crafts each of his pieces by hand and chooses to use "everyday objects" — such as forks, zippers, clothes pins and water bottles — to make daringly beautiful glasses, headpieces, dresses and shoes for his ENID brand. Not only that, but he styles and photographs everything himself, creating almost mythical settings for each ensemble.

    Almanza felt that Lady Gaga — widely known for her outlandish style — would be the perfect person to wear one of his pieces. After talking to her team for six months and sending her a pair of his unique Coke-can glasses, the Houston-based designer was told that there was no guarantee the superstar singer would wear them.

    The glasses worn by Lady Gaga are not simply one of Almanza's many pieces. They are the first piece he ever designed.

    "I sent the designs and for two weeks I didn't get any sort of response or message," Almanza says, "and then one day, before Thanksgiving, they said, 'We used your glasses to record the Thanksgiving special.' "

    Almanza was absolutely stunned, although with his extremely unique eye for fashion, it's no surprise that Lady Gaga is a fan. The designer is still working with the music and fashion idol's team and will likely collaborate with Gaga again.

    The glasses worn by Lady Gaga are not simply one of Almanza's many pieces. They are the first piece he ever designed.

    "I was just in my house, sitting around, and I saw these empty soda cans. I just kept staring at them and got my scissors and cut the top of them. I grabbed a pair of old glasses that were laying around and just glued them like that," he says. Little did he know that they would eventually be worn by one of the world's hottest musicians.

    While it may come as a surprise, the young designer had no aspirations to design fashion pieces until two years ago when he began having visions and dreams of the fantastical pieces he now creates. Those visions led him to start designing clothes using his skills as a graphic designer. "I started using programs to design clothes and create sketches and everything just started forming itself — all this that there is right now," Almanza says.

    For the designer, creating fashion pieces is not only about creating something beautiful, but is about telling a story. "I want my art to tell a story, to say something that has happened in my life. Everything that I do, whether it is the editorials or the fashion films or even a pair of glasses, has a story behind it," Almanza says. "Everything is autobiographical — every single thing."

    Almanza says he's influenced by many designers — especially Alexander McQueen — although not in terms of the creations that they've made.

    "It's by the way that they live, by the way they reach success," he says. For Almanza, "success is not about being famous," instead it means being understood and appreciated for his work.

    With a passion for designing and creating unbelievably unique fashion pieces, coupled with his Lady Gaga debut, Almanza has a bright future ahead. He is already working with a photographer from Vogue and is looking to further expand his brand with fashion shows.

    Almanza's distinctive Coke-can glasses were worn by Lady Gaga during her recent Muppet Thanksgiving Special.

    Enid Almanza interview Lady Gaga wearing Enid eyewear
    YouTube
    Almanza's distinctive Coke-can glasses were worn by Lady Gaga during her recent Muppet Thanksgiving Special.
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    SPRING FORWARD

    3 Houston designers unveil bold looks and colorful collections for spring

    Gabi De la Rosa
    Feb 16, 2026 | 3:30 pm
    Hunter Bell
    Photo courtesy of Hunter Bell
    Hunter Bell celebrates 20 years with a Spring 2026 collection featuring exclusive artwork by Isabel Wislon woven throughout key pieces.

    Although the official start of spring is still a few weeks away, Houston designers have been busy creating their latest collections. Available now, these seasonal debuts feature bold designs, saturated colors, and an interplay between elegance and playful charm. In Houston, where dressing for the spring season is practically a sport, these statement skirts, flowing dresses, and eye-catching jewelry are not just wardrobe updates; they are a part of what makes the city come alive with seasonal style.

    Hunter Bell

    Houston designer Hunter Bell commemorates her 20th anniversary with a Spring 2026 debut that feels both celebratory and personal. She tapped fellow Houston creative, Isabel Wilson, for an exclusive painting for this collection. The painting isn't featured in just one print; its element are layered throughout the collection's key pieces.

    Alongside Hunter Bell's signature bold prints that feature floral motifs and bright spring colors, customers will also find hidden quotes woven into select pieces. They're inspired by the cities and spaces that have shaped the designer's two-decade journey. The brand will be celebrating its 20th anniversary all year long, making this launch the first of many to come.

    Hunter Bell Hidden quotes and signature floral prints define Hunter Bell’s anniversary collection, marking the first of several releases planned for the year.Photo courtesy of Hunter Bell

    Christy Lynn Collection

    On the heels of opening her first boutique outside Houston in Healdsburg, California, Christy Lynn Lee unveils her Spring 2026 collection, Aurielle. Inspired by California, where she was married and began dreaming of launching her own brand, the collection channels California vibes filtered through Lee's romantic lens.

    Aurielle features warm hues alongside pops of color and doesn't stray from the hand-painted floral motifs that are the brand's cornerstone. In addition to flowing dresses, the new collection offers lightweight layering pieces and several two-piece sets that easily mix and match with other prints and silhouettes.

    Christy Lynn Spring 2026 Flowing dresses, lightweight layers, and mix-and-match sets highlight the romantic direction of Christy Lynn’s latest seasonal launch.Photo courtesy of Christy Lynn Collection

    Susana Vega

    Jewelry designer Susana Vega is once again moving her label forward with surprising materials and innovation in her latest collection, Soto. Known best for her elegant sculpted beadwork designs, Vega most recently launched her first collection of mixed metals and has now unveiled organic designs made from reclaimed cedar wood sourced from Petén, Guatemala.

    The Soto collection consists of earrings, ear cuffs, and bracelets, each hand-carved to preserve the integrity of the wood's grain. The pieces are then inlaid with either silver or gold elements and finished with beeswax for a lived-in, natural look.

    Susana Vega/Soto Hand-carved cedar earrings and cuffs are inlaid with silver or gold and finished with beeswax in Susana Vega’s newest collection.Photo courtesy of Susana Vega

    Hunter Bell

    Photo courtesy of Hunter Bell

    Hunter Bell celebrates 20 years with a Spring 2026 collection featuring exclusive artwork by Isabel Wislon woven throughout key pieces.

    hunter bellsusana vegachristy lynn collectionhouston fashion designersshopping
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