Accessible glamour

First Jennifer Lopez, next Oprah? Liz Glanville's Houston jewelry is shooting tothe stars

The L'Oreal ad featuring Lopez wearing the earrings
18k white gold and pave diamond thick medium hoop earrings, $15,000
Liz Glanville, owner of DeVille Fine Jewelry
Detail of Jennifer Lopez wearing DeVille Fine Jewelry's diamond loop earrings

Call it Christmas in July for Liz Glanville, founder and CEO of Houston-based DeVille Fine Jewelry.

During an annual trip to Los Angeles to showcase her latest collection, Glanville was given the opportunity to meet with one of Jennifer Lopez's stylists, hoping for the chance to be featured throughout award season. Little did she know that she would end up with more than just 15 seconds of red carpet fame.

Unbeknownst to Glanville, her classic 18-karat white gold and pave diamond hoop earrings were selected to grace the lobes of JLo in a new worldwide L'Oreal Colour Riche Le Gloss ad campaign. This is the first ad campaign in which DeVille has been featured, but it will not be the last.

Even though the store only opened a year ago and a press campaign wasn't launched until six months ago, DeVille has quickly become known throughout the industry. The line is a quick favorite of fashion editors, who routinely see every jewelry line from Los Angeles to Milan. With several features in local and regional print publications already under her belt, Glanville is ecstatic that DeVille will be shown in upcoming features in magazines like Oprah, InStyle and Condé Nast Traveler.

Glanville, who is a graduate of both the Fashion Institute of Technology and the University of Houston, aimed to start a jewelry business that was nothing if not accessible. Knowing that many women find the idea of buying luxury items daunting, she says she has designed her entire business around the idea of accessibility, from the jewelry itself to the way in which her store is set up.

"I want people to think of buying fine jewelry as approachable — and make sure the experience of investing in that piece is enjoyable and personal," she told CultureMap via email.

With such humble attention to experience, it's no wonder that this Houston favorite is quickly becoming a darling of the jewelry world.

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VAULT VIBES

Houston fashion star Chloe Dao marks 25 years with epic clean-out sale

Photo courtesy of Chloe Dao

From January 24- 31 Chloe Dao will open her personal design archives to mark 25 years with a rare boutique vault sale.

For Houston fashion devotees, this is the kind of news that prompts a calendar alert and a group chat with the besties. Chloe Dao is celebrating 25 years in fashion by doing something she has never done before: opening the vault.

From January 24 through January 31, the Chloe Dao boutique will host a 25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Vault Event, releasing pieces from Dao’s personal design archives alongside curated boutique items that have been held back for years. Once they are gone, they are gone for good.

“This is not a typical sale; this is an anniversary moment,” Dao says. “It’s an intentional release, a moment of reflection and gratitude, and a way to make space for what’s next. Once these pieces are gone, they’re truly gone."

For the first time ever, shoppers will be able to snag select designs from past collections and limited production runs, and Dao has confirmed she will be parting with some of her couture designs. Shoppers can expect more than 300 items, with more than half of the boutique included in the sale event.

Chloe Dao design Select runway couture and past collection pieces headline Chloe Dao’s 25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Event.Photo courtesy of Chloe Dao

Everything in the anniversary sale will be discounted 65 percent or more. Fan favorites, including the Houston T-shirt and Aya scarf, will be priced at $15 to $20, down from $42 to $68. None of the released pieces will be reproduced or restocked.

There is also a very personal moment behind this big event. Dao shared that she is planning for the future, including her eventual retirement in about 5 years, making this the right time for a shift.

“It is bittersweet, and I’m still torn about letting go of some of my archive pieces. But a close friend stopped by the boutique this past Saturday and reminded me that I can always create more. That really stayed with me. I’ve missed designing for my store, and this sale feels like a reset — a chance to return to what I love most: designing eveningwear," Dao tells CultureMap. "The past six years, especially post-COVID, were very much about survival mode. Now, if I’m going to truly survive and thrive in today’s retail landscape, my focus is shifting back to my own line and less on curation.”

Following her Project Runway Season Two win and decades of success, Dao says the milestone is also about gratitude for the city that supported her from the start.

“Think of it as an archive release and a chance to own a piece of my history as I celebrate 25 years in fashion. Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I’m so excited to share this moment, and this milestone, with you."

25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Vault Event, January 24 - January 31, Chloe Dao Boutique, 600 N Shepherd Dr #115, in M-K-T Heights.

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