• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Sexy With A Twist

    Beyoncé's design darling pushes the bridal envelope with Old Hollywood charm

    Heather Staible
    Heather Staible
    Aug 18, 2017 | 12:16 pm

    Designer Alon Livné has quietly become the go-to designer for A-list stars both off and on the red carpet. The Tel Aviv native counts Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Naomi Campbell among his celebrity clientele and he still has room on his wish list for a few more superstar names.

     

    “Nicole Kidman has beautiful style. I’d love to work with Cate Blanchett and Rihanna. Oh my god, I’d love to work with Rihanna,” Livné said during a Houston interview.

     

    It makes sense Livné’s lust list is full of fashion-forward risk takers. His pedigree includes training at Alexander McQueen in London and Roberto Cavalli in Florence — two design houses known for bold, beautiful, and never boring collections.

     

    That envelope-pushing attitude extends to his bridal line as well. At 29, Livné has made a name for himself in the bridal market, with a career he began in 2007. He bought his first sewing machine at 14 and went to the Shenker School of Engineering and Fashion at 17, but it was the beauty and romanticism of bridal gowns that really appealed to him.

     

    Livné brought his collection to Mia Bridal Couture on River Oak Boulevard for a two-day trunk show, mixing traditional intricately-beaded designs and modern pieces that look just as good on the red carpet as marching down the wedding aisle.

     

    “I want my bride to look at her wedding pictures 30 years later and say, 'I was so beautiful,' not, 'what was I thinking?' ” Livné said. “I imagine my brides romantic and sexy, but not too sexy. Classic with a twist.”

     

    His bridal gowns take up to five months to construct, and from the sleeve length to waist detail, every element of a gown is made-to-measure, right down to the 25 measurements taken for each dress. Livné’s earlier collections were fantastical displays of intensely detailed hand work and luxurious French lace for styles he deems, “sexy, but not too sexy.”

     

    Recent collections are pushing the bridal boundaries with very chic jumpsuits and sleekly draped gowns.

     

    “It’s a new direction and it’s very different for the bridal world. It’s a little Victorian, but it’s not a costume. It’s Old Hollywood and not just another beaded dress,” Livné said.

     

    Its easy to imagine Cate Blanchett in a straightforward jumpsuit with Victorian-inspired ruffles on the bodice. An elegant low-back white gown would make the transition to a Hollywood awards show with ease. He likes to play with the idea of sexy without the scandal, so if a gown has a deep open back, Livné will add long sleeves as balance.

     

     Working with Beyoncé
     
    It’s that design style that prompted a call from Beyoncé’s longtime stylist Ty Hunter before the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.

     

    “He saw my collection and said how much B would love it,” Livné said. “I’m a big fan and she’s super nice and down to earth.”

     

    The original red chiffon gown Hunter saw in Livné’s atelier was a bit revealing for Queen Bey, so the designer found himself in the New Jersey studio with the mega-star and her mother, Tina Lawson. They came up with solutions to make the gown more user friendly for her concerts, and Beyoncé requested only Livné make the alterations while she was in the gown. She also drafted him to create dresses for her back-up dancers as well.

     

    “It was an amazing experience,” Livné said.

     

     New experiences

     

    Livné is poised for even more new experiences. He recently moved to New York to further his career, but his heart and his factory are in Tel Aviv. He won the Israeli version of the American reality show Project Runway in 2009 and breaks out in a smile talking about the city. New York, however, may just give Tel Aviv a bit of competition.

     

    “I’m so blessed,” Livné said. “Everything is super fresh for me and I have so many cultural options around me. Art, fashion, food—there’s a chance to see everything.”

     

    Dressed casually in jeans, a black graphic T-shirt and an oversized denim button-down he purchased at a resale shop, Livné confesses a personal sense of high fashion isn’t his top priority. He somewhat famously always wears New Balance sneakers and prefers vintage over current clothing, although he is a fan of Givenchy when he needs “proper clothes.’

     

    “People think designers are very glamorous, and some designers like Karl Lagerfeld like to be super dressy, but McQueen would just wear an old T-shirt and jeans,” Livné said. “I’d really like to do a men’s capsule collection in the future that has a vintage feel.”

     

    Between his ready-to-wear line, bridal collection and custom gowns, it’s hard to imagine when he would add another concept to his growing company, but Livné has accomplished quite a bit in a decade, with sights on the future.

     

    Who knows? We just might see RiRi in an Alon Livné creation next.

    Designer Alon Livné designed multiple gowns and costumes for Beyoncé's Mrs. Carter World Tour.

     
    shopping
    news/fashion

    WHERE TO SHOP IN JULY

    Where to shop right now: 10 Houston stores with summer fashion finds

    Gabi De la Rosa
    Jul 3, 2025 | 4:30 pm
    Dolly Parton
    Photo courtesy of Kendra Scott
    Kendra Scott’s latest collaboration with Dolly Parton features vintage-inspired pieces with hearts and butterflies, available for a limited time.

    Temperatures are heating up, and so are the fashion finds in the Bayou City. With summer sales in full swing and new limited-time collabs hitting the racks, Houston shoppers can refresh their closets before fall styles roll in.

    And let's be real, the summertime temps will be here through October, so a mid-year update is in order. Here are 10 standout spots to check out this month.

    Chloe Dao
    July marks the halfway point of the year, but it also means the countdown for Chloe Dao's Annual Birthday Sale is officially on. On Saturday, July 26th, shoppers will receive 50 percent off most items in the store (some exclusions apply) from 10 am-12 pm. The sale continues with 30 percent off for the rest of the weekend, and shoppers will also find 25 percent off select Dao Chloe Dao Original Designs.

    Jimmy Choo
    Jimmy Choo recently debuted a line of jelly shoes, blending the nostalgic trend with the brand's signature glamour and craftsmanship. The summertime staple is available in a variety of colors and styles at the Jimmy Choo boutique in the Galleria.

    Kendra Scott x Dolly Parton
    Country music legend Dolly Parton teamed up with Texas jewelry giant Kendra Scott for a second time with a line of vintage-inspired accessories inspired by her music. The limited-time collection features 10 styles, heavily featuring hearts and butterflies.

    La Fragancia
    The premier perfume chain store, with locations across California and Denver, opened its first Houston outpost at Houston Premium Outlets, near Saks Off 5th. It offers high-end fragrances for men and women, carrying all major brands from Armani to Zegna. La Fragancia also specializes in niche perfumes from France, the Middle East, and Italy, as well as exclusive imports and gift sets at discount prices.

    Loewe
    Fans of the luxury Spanish brand known for its iconic puzzle bags can now get their hands on the 10th anniversary Loewe Confetti bag. Available at the Loewe boutique in River Oaks District, the limited-edition design is made from leather and hand-embroidered with thousands of confetti pieces in colors perfect for summer.

    Maison Francis Kurkdjian
    Maison Francis Kurkdjian has officially opened its only Texas boutique at River Oaks District. Houstonians can now discover the world of Kurkdjian's artistry, featuring cult-favorite Baccarat Rouge 540 and exclusive boutique offerings. In celebration of the opening, Houstonians can receive a complimentary gift with purchase and complimentary engraving.

    Perigold
    The leading online luxury retailer recently debuted its first brick-and-mortar store in Highland Village. The massive 20,000-square-foot flagship store features a curated selection of furniture, decor, and lighting, showcasing over 150 luxury home brands. [Editor's note: Read CultureMap's full visit to the store here.]

    Rag & Bone
    The iconic denim retailer recently opened a boutique in Houston Premium Outlets. Customers can find favorites, including authentic heritage clothing with modern details for both men and women.

    Tiffany x Pharrell Williams
    Available at Tiffany in The Galleria, the Tiffany Titan by Pharrell Williams collection incorporates sharp spear-like spikes in everything from necklaces and earrings to bracelets and rings. The collection is available in 18K gold or titanium, featuring all-metal and diamond styles.

    Veronica Beard x Head Sportswear
    The exclusive Veronica Beard x Head Sportswear capsule collection is available at Veronica Beard in River Oaks District. This eight-piece collection, designed for athletes and fashion enthusiasts, features versatile women's tennis and activewear, crafted in Head's signature high-performance fabric. The new line includes a zip-front dress, jacket, skort, and top set, as well as a bra and leggings in limited-edition colorways of white, sage, and terracotta, complementing Veronica Beard's Pre-Fall 2025 collection.

    Dolly Parton
      

    Photo courtesy of Kendra Scott

    Kendra Scott’s latest collaboration with Dolly Parton features vintage-inspired pieces with hearts and butterflies, available for a limited time.

    jimmy chookendra scottriver oaks districthouston galleriawhere to shop in houston
    news/fashion
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.
    Loading...