New reality

Ring that Bell: Fashion Star contestant with Houston ties aims to win, hopes she's not the "crier"

Fashion Starkicks off its second season Friday night (7 p.m., Channel 2) and while a couple of contestants are from Austin, Houston fans of the show might also want to adopt New York City-based designer Hunter Bell as a fan favorite.

Bell often visits the Bayou City, where her husband, Paul, was born and raised. She was in town last week for the Passion for Fashion luncheon, where Saks Fifth Avenue executive Terron Schaefer, who portrays a Simon Cowell-like baddie on the reality series and can make or break a designer's future, was the guest of honor.

"I felt like we were shipped off to fashion boot camp. But I came back a more focused designer."

"He's such a nice person, but he gets a bad rap on the show," Bell said during the Houston visit. "The talk he talks is intimidating, but he's very endearing as well."

Bell, 32, faces 12 other contestants for a chance to launch original collections in three of the nation’s leading fashion retailers — Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Express stores. Throughout the series, they are mentored by Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos, along with new host British stylist Louise Roe.

Bell already knows the outcome since filming ended in November, and while she can't talk about specifics, she praised the experience.

"It's the hardest work I've ever done," she said. "I felt like we were shipped off to fashion boot camp. But I came back a more focused designer."

At first, Bell, who designs a contemporary women's line, Hunter Dixon, thought it was "nuts" to put her business on hold to compete in the reality series filmed in Los Angeles. But she eventually realized the exposure of being on a show watched by millions could boost her business across the nation in places where she is not well-known.

She hopes she will be fan favorite, but concedes one never knows how the show will be edited.

"I hope I'm the Southern sweetheart," said the Florence, S.C., native who graduated from the University of Alabama in 2003 with a degree in fashion design and studio art. "I'm a bit competitive, but I could be typecast as a crier. We'll see."

unspecified

Stepping Up

RodeoHouston teams up with Texas bootmaker for limited edition collab

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Lane Boots

Photo courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™

Each part of the boots ties back to the key elements of the HLSR.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) concert lineup has been announced, and concert tickets have gone on sale, which can only mean one thing – it is time to get rodeo ready. For 20 days in March, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is taking over the NRG Stadium complex, where Houstonians will display their best Western-inspired attire.

This year, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo collaborated with popular Texas-based brand Lane Boots on a one-of-a-kind limited edition collection. Muffy King, director of marketing for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, designed the boots with help from a team of experts at Lane Boots. Together, they looked at what is trending in existing boot designs and the fashion industry as a whole to come up with a unique look.

"It was important to us that the boot meant to celebrate the 2025 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo be representative of the 'Cowboy Core' aesthetic that is a major influence in fashion right now. These fundamental choices were a natural way for us to incorporate and represent our mission-driven pillar – Western Heritage," King tells CultureMap.

Each part of the boots ties back to the key elements of HLSR. The round braid on the sides represents the ropes used in competitions. The starburst effect around the star and the state of Texas symbolizes the lights on the RodeoHouston stage. The Texas on the back of the boot highlights HLSR's focus on supporting education in the Lone Star State. Departing from Lane's recognizable blue-soled boots, these feature a distinct orange sole with the HLSR logo stamped on the bottom, reflecting the branding seen across Texas ranches.

With designs for both men and women, the boots are exclusively available online. Photo courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

"We wanted to showcase the unique feature Lane has become known for in Western fashion, but with our own Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo flare," said King. "For both the Rodeo and Lane Boots, this was a real testament to the partnership and collaboration that took place to make these boots a reality."

The boots were released online earlier this month, and according to King, they are "flying off the shelves quickly" and have been met with an overwhelmingly positive response. Lane Boots produced 2,025 pairs of boots at their factory in Leon, Mexico. Each pair has an individual stamp and a special message on the inside of the boot shaft.

"The story behind the boot naturally lends itself to being relatable to many individuals across all walks of life," King says. "It was a very seamless process that resulted in an aesthetic that allows whoever wearing them to incorporate their own story and personality into the boot."

With designs for both men and women, the boots are exclusively available online. If any inventory remains when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo begins, they will be available at the Lane Boots location in NRG Center.

Photo courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™

Each part of the boots ties back to the key elements of the HLSR.

boots western wear western style rodeo houston