HAIR WE ARE

Luxurious Houston hair salon locks award as best in the U.S.

A luxurious hair studio in River Oaks has been recognized by a major industry magazine as the 2021 Salon of the Year in the United States and Canada.

Therapy Hair Salon, located at 2727 Saint St., will be featured on the cover of Salon Today’s summer issue.

“Winning the award shows us that our idea of providing an elevated experience and space was something Houstonians needed,” co-owners David Bamford and Luis Perez tell CultureMap. “Texas has been overlooked for so long as a place for excellent hair when, in reality, Houston is filled with a lot of very talented stylists.”

This is the first time a Texas salon has won this award, an equivalent to winning an Oscar in the hair industry, Therapy co-owner David Bamford says in a release.

Bamford and Luis moved into the half-acre space five weeks before the global pandemic. Their goal with their new space was to create an accessible salon retreat in the heart of the Bayou City.

“Our goal was to create a unique third place for our clients — a space that is not their house or office but a place they can feel 100 percent comfortable, relaxed, and pampered,” Bamford and Perez tell CultureMap.

Designed by Kristin Perrin, the 6,700-square-foot space was designed to feel like “home” with an abundance of natural light, comfortable furniture curated by Maletti, and large glass sliding doors leading to a lush Restoration Hardware-inspired outdoor patio with 120-year-old trees for guests and team members to enjoy.

“With us being from Australia and Mexico, it was vital to use all the natural light and for the salon to be open to the outdoors,” reflect Bamfrord and Perez. “Our large covered outdoor patio has been an amazing hit.”

The salon features 22 stations outfitted with large, ring-light-rimmed, round mirrors and warm golden brown leather upholstered chairs from Italy; a spa treatment room for anti-aging and restoring facials; and a retail space which includes hair and personal care products, candles, silk pillowcases, jewelry, and accessories.

Since opening Therapy Hair Studio more than 14 years ago, the award-winning duo have been featured in multiple publications, including Vogue, Allure, American Salon, and more.

Therapy has also been awarded as one of the Top 100 Kérastase salons in America for five years in a row; Top 10 Kevin Murphy salons; Top 100 L’Oréal salons; and in-house makeup artist, Jahan Telfah, won Image Skincare’s Facialist of the Year award in 2020.

Therapy Hair Studio wins 2021 Salon of the Year.

Photo courtesy of Joe Aker

Therapy Hair Studio wins 2021 Salon of the Year.

beauty

RODEO RUNWAY

Western glam takes over as RodeoHouston fans dress to impress

Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

Brooke Jones, Kiala Cardenas, Brittany Ruggeri, and Franschesca Jones.

Houstonians have dusted off their boots and rhinestones as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is in full swing. Already one of the largest events in Texas, the crowds are continuing to grow. In 2025, more than 2.7 million people attended RodeoHouston, and this year the event is already on track for record-breaking numbers.

Livestock competitions, carnival rides, deep-fried food, and headlining concerts are the official reasons people come to the rodeo. Unofficially, however, people watching has become a sport all its own. The crowded walkways on RodeoHouston grounds transform into a Western-themed runway, where personal style is just as much of the experience as enjoying deep-fried Oreos or a Ferris wheel ride.

A wide range of outfits is always on display. Some attendees go all in with head-to-toe sequins, fringe on everything, and dramatically decorated hats. Others keep things casual with denim, boots, and graphic t-shirts, while groups of friends will often coordinate themed outfits for concert nights.

Rodeo Fashoin 2026 Emily Duran and Brylie Wagner.Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

No matter the style, there are two must-have accessories: cowboy hats and boots. Hats serve a dual purpose for both fashion and protection from the sun during daytime events. Boots are essential to rodeo style, but sometimes come with a painful learning curve.

Many attendees walk more than a mile from the parking lot to the grounds, and after exploring, they often add more than 20,000 steps. For those who did not properly break in their boots, the end of the day can involve blisters and a slow walk to the car, boots in hand.

“Rodeo fashion is so fun. My friends and I planned out outfits together, and we made sure we broke in our boots before tonight,” Teresa Delgado tells CultureMap. “When you are from Houston, you only make that mistake once.”

Rodeo Fashion 2026 Karson Graves, Reese, Lowery, Mackenzie Lewis, Natalie Doyle, Brandi Hunger, and Jenna Faulkner.Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

Some days have them whether it's official or it's an unspoken trend. When Megan Moroney took the stage, pink was the color of the concert, inspired by Moroney's album Cloud 9. Nearly 70,000 attendees filled the stadium in everything from flouncy pink ruffled outfits to bright neon boots and hats.

“We have really been looking forward to this concert,” said Ashley Little from Cypress. “I didn't think too much about my outfit at first, but my daughter wanted to coordinate, so here we are wearing pink together.”

Between carnival rides, mutton busting, and nightly concerts, the rodeo has plenty to see, but some of the most memorable moments are stopping to notice that fashion is just another part of the show.

Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

Brooke Jones, Kiala Cardenas, Brittany Ruggeri, and Franschesca Jones.

houston rodeo fashion western style