Fashion news
J. Mendel, Aries Milan & Cesar Galindo's all-red collection are added to FashionHouston lineup
A look from the J. Mendel spring 2011 collectionPhoto by Rob Loud/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz
Aries Milan of Kate Kills Pretty
Adele wore a black cotton embroidered scalloped lace dress designed by BarbaraTfank at the MTV Video Music Awards
Fashion Houston 2011, which kicks off Oct. 10 with four nights of runway shows at the Wortham Theater Center, has added a number of intriguing new designers to its lineup. With only a couple of slots left to be filled, the event will showcase an interesting mix of seasoned pros with some fresh faces.
The latest additions include:
Gilles Mendel will send his J. Mendel spring 2012 line fresh off the New York fashion week runway to Houston. A family-owned brand originally known for high-quality furs, the fifth-generation Mendel launched a ready-to-wear line in the mid-'90s and attracted a celebrity following that includes Kate Hudson, Demi Moore and Elizabeth Banks.
His looks run the gamut, from chiffon dresses to tweed suits to skintight leather minis and lavish red carpet gowns. A prior commitment prevents Mendel from attending the Houston show, but his collection will be overseen by his top lieutenant. It will debut on Fashion Houston's closing night, Oct. 13.
Aries Milan, the owner of Coquette boutique, will debut her new line, called Kate Kills Pretty, on Oct 11. Inspired by a trip to Hawaii, she created a fun collection of separates with shell detailing and hula-like fringe skirts. As far as the unusual name for the collection, she explains,
As a teenager I idolized Kate Moss. She's gorgeous and has that edgy style. And it has a double meaning. When you kill something, it's right on target and has that edgy feeling."
In addition to showing his line CZAR line of flirty, fun party dresses on Oct. 11 (right after Milan's show), Cesar Galindo plans to feature an all red-collection of one-of-a-kind gowns on Oct. 13. He designed the capsule collection to raise awareness for the World AIDS Day Luncheon, which he is co-chairing in Houston on Dec. 1. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each look will benefit the AIDS Foundation Houston.
The collection, which Galindo has dubbed Rojo, is "all geared to my Texas woman," he said during a phone conversation from New York, which is his base of operations and where he's currently participating in an episode of a top-secret reality fashion show. He promises details later.
Galindo, who was the first designer to show at the inaugural Fashion Houston last year, said he's excited to show twice this time around. "There were lots of chickens (that helped Fashion Houston get started) but I'm one of the chickens that hatched it," he said with a laugh.
The latest additions will join a line-up that includes Carmen Marc Valvo, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Robert Rodriguez, Douglas Hannant, Norman Ambrose and Houston designers Chloe Dao and Jerri Moore.
Also on hand: Barbara Tfank, who has become the singer Adele's go-to designer. Tfank designed the off-the-shoulder dress that the singer wore to the MTV Video Music Awards.
Tickets are available on the Fashion Houston website. Nightly VIP seats range from $100-300, with general admission $65 and standing room $35. Discounts for two and four-night packages are available as are student discounts with valid ID.
For a schedule of the full lineup, click here.
