Flower Power

Flower power: J. Mendel's bloomin' calla lily-powered fall collection has a sexy attitude

What:J. Mendel fall runway show.

Where: Cedar Lake Space during New York Fashion Week.

The look: A favorite of the Hollywood red carpet set, J. Mendel's Gilles Mendel offered plenty of slinky, shiny gowns with thigh-high slits and cut-outs at the bodice for starlets and their stylists to get excited about. In fact, Oliva Munn wore a J. Mendel green gown with cut-out bodice and micro-bugle calla lily embroidery straight off the runway to the chi-chi Vanity Fair party after the Oscars.

And for the woman who doesn't feel like wearing a gown but still wants to dress up, Mendel showed a nifty micro-bugle-beaded blouse with shiny Lurex trousers. Mixed it were lots of daytime separates, such as tomato red trousers and dresses with slashed hemlines, and the luxurious coats the brand is known for, like a two-tone crocodile trench and furs in eye-popping shades of blue, red and green.

The flowers: Several of the gowns, along with dresses, blouses and skirts, feature calla lily patterns in contrasting black and white, ruby and cobalt, or turquoise and blue colors. Mendel drew on the calla lily motif, citing its elements of strength, fragility and beauty, for the collection, which he said was inspired by Tamara de Lempicka’s graphic Art Deco paintings and Sheila Metzner’s soft-focus photographs. Both used calla lilies in their work.

The pattern showed up in both bold graphics and delicate embroidery on various gowns and other looks throughout the collection.

More than 3,00 black calla lilies served as the backdrop for the runway show, with a eggplant-hued calla lily on the seat of each guest.

J. Mendl evening gown with embroidered calla lilly designs.

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GUCCI GRANDEUR

Gucci unveils a new 2-story store with VIP lounge at the Houston Galleria

Photo by Pablo Enriquez for Gucci

Gucci's newest boutique recently opened and boasts two floors to offer a wider selection of the brand's luxury goods.

Gucci is expanding its footprint in Texas with a posh new boutique in the Galleria. The renowned Italian brand has cemented its luxury status in the Bayou City with a first-of-its-kind, two-story, 11,000-square-foot outpost that replaces a 4,100-square-foot boutique that opened in 2018.

On the ground floor, shoppers will be greeted with ready-to-wear women's clothing, shoes, and accessories. A custom-made Gucci Rossi Ancora staircase will lead customers to the upper floor, where they can pursue menswear, shoes, and the brand's Valigeria travel collection. The spacious upper floor also allows for displays of the coveted Gucci Blondie line and Gucci B bag presented with the current Fall-Winter and Cruise collections.

Gucci store Houston Galleria A staircase in Gucci's signature Rosso Ancora leads shoppers to the second floor. Photo by Pablo Enriquez for Gucci

The store's minimalistic decor further highlights the fashion house's collections. Nevertheless, there is no mistaking the Gucci aesthetic. Marble floors and acid green and yellow carpeting distinguish individual spaces, while furnishings by B&B Italia, Cassina, and Minotti paired with brushed steel countertops reflect the sleek, modern vision of Gucci's creative director, Sabato De Sarno.

One distinctive feature that sets this boutique apart from its predecessor is a VIP lounge for more private and personalized shopping. The boutique also showcases eco-friendly initiatives that follow LEED guidelines to promote energy efficiency.

Gucci store Houston Galleria Houston Galleria will be one of the first boutiques to open with Gucci’s latest store window concept, Endless Narratives.Photo by Pablo Enriquez for Gucci

Right now, the Houston store is one of the first to open with Gucci's latest window concept, Endless Narratives, a collaboration with renowned Italian artist Luca Pignatelli. The window display showcases the interplay between light, mirrors, and everyday objects, encouraging audiences to look deeper. On mirrored shelves, books, miniature statues, and replicas of Gucci's archival bookends, the curated design encourages audiences to see the objects and their reflections as a representation of Gucci's creative universe.