Retail Therapy

Lady Gaga agrees: When it comes to hats, Philip Treacy is tops

Philip Treacy created the hat that Lady Gaga wore to the Grammys
During a recent appearance at Neiman Marcus, Philip Treacy gets to work. To seemore amazing hats click on Slideshow.
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
A Philip Treacy hat is always eye-catching.
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Treacy also found time to pal around with his good friend, Lynn Wyatt
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
The show included these fancy creations
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Here's the line-up for the "hat" show at Neiman Marcus.
Photo by Priscilla Dickson

Couture milliner Philip Treacy thinks American women can learn a stylish lesson from their European counterparts. Don’t wait for Derby Days or Easter to don a hat. Instead make every day a special occasion.

In between outfitting the always eye-catching Lady Gaga in her architecturally heavy Grammy hat (he collaborated with Giorgio Armani who designed Gaga’s shimmering Armani Prive gown) and preparing for the ready-to-wear shows, Treacy fit in a Texas trip. Fresh off art directing Grace Jones’ world tour, Treacy gave an adoring Neiman Marcus crowd of Houston hat-wearers a peek at spring. Colors reached across the spectrum from pale to hot pink and designs were equally as broad. Wide-brimmed hats gave way to what could best be described as a satellite dish with a sprig of flowers in the middle.

“Women who are conservative dressers can add something extra with a hat,” Treacy said. “Hat wearers are really misunderstood because people assume they are extroverts when actually they are shy and hats give them confidence.”

It does take a certain amount of je ne sais quoi to don some of his more beautifully outlandish toppers (think Sarah Jessica Parker’s green floral number from the Sex and the City premiere) but as he says, he designs for housewives and royalty alike.

“Hats are a personal choice and really give a person the chance to assert their sense of independence,” Treacy says. Surprisingly, clients such as Lady Gaga and Grace Jones allow Treacy to have free reign.

“Lady Gaga is definitely interesting but she chooses from what I make,” he says. The duo have developed a strong rapport and Treacy is collaborating with her for her concert tour in London.

For the rest of us, Treacy also designs ready-to-wear hats and says once you’ve put on a hat, don’t take it off. “You wouldn’t take your underwear off at an event would you? You miss the whole point if you take it off,” Treacy says.

His hats will next be seen on the runway at the Valentino and Alexander McQueen shows because as he says, “glamour is the ultimate accessory.”

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UNIFORM UTOPIA

Luxury scrubs brand FIGS opens first Texas location in Rice Village

Photo courtesy of FIGS

FIGS will open its new Rice Village Community Hub on December 6.

Healthcare apparel company FIGS is opening its first brick-and-mortar store in Texas with a new Community Hub in Rice Village. The retail space is designed to serve both as a store and a gathering spot for the city's healthcare community.

The Rice Village location opens this Saturday, December 6, with a public grand opening event on December 13 from 6 to 8 pm featuring giveaways, music, food, and drinks from local vendors. Joining outposts in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City, the Houston location is the fourth Community Hub for the company and the only location in the South.

The store will carry the full range of FIGS products, including scrubwear, loungewear, and accessories. It will also host events and programming focused on healthcare topics, offering visitors opportunities to meet and share experiences.

At the new FIGS boutique, shoppers will find the Color Clinic, offering scrubwear in core colors with rotating seasonal options. The store also has a Customization Station, which provides embroidery for names, titles, practice or hospital logos, and local icon options available only at Community Hubs. Personalization is also available for scrub caps, outerwear, and accessories.

FiGS The new FIGS store will offer a Color Clinic and Customization Station to let shoppers personalize their FIGS uniforms. Photo courtesy of FIGS/Instagram

The brand, founded in 2013 by Heather Hasson and Trina Spear, is known for fashion-forward medical uniforms made from a proprietary fabric with four-way stretch, antimicrobial technology, moisture-wicking, and wrinkle resistance. Hasson and Spear began selling directly to healthcare workers in Los Angeles-area hospital parking lots before growing their presence as an online retailer.

CEO and co-founder Trina Spear believes Rice Village was the perfect choice due to its proximity to the Texas Medical Center. She said the company wanted a space that supports Houston healthcare professionals and gives them a place to shop and connect.

"Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, and we are honored to bring a FIGS Community Hub to this city. This space is designed to serve and celebrate Houston healthcare professionals," said Spear. "Our Community Hubs create opportunities for customers to not only shop in a way that never previously existed, but to connect with each other and with FIGS on a deeper level."

FIGS Community Hub, 5515 Kelvin Dr., Suite 130, 77005

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