Howdy NYC!

Elaine Turner shows New Yorkers how to party with a Texas-sized fashion blowout

NEW YORK — To kick off New York fashion week, Elaine Turner threw a Texas-sized hoedown at her new store on Manhattan's Upper East Side Thursday night. Urban cowboys dressed in all-black — Stetsons included — served champagne to a large crowd of New Yorkers and Lone Star bloggers in town for the fashion festivities.

"It's our fall launch party and we decided to hook up with the T.J. Martell Foundation for cancer research because it fits with our brand and our giving-back culture," Turner said. "And really ultimately, too, we wanted to bring all these people together. And all these Texans are here for fashion week. So it's perfect."

This city is special for Turner and her husband, Jim Turner, because it's where they met. She always dreamed of opening a store here, and while doing business in New York is much more expensive that most other cities, she said it's been great for the Elaine Turner brand, because it puts the newest accessories in front of so many prominent New York fashion editors.

Women's Wear Daily senior accessories editor Roxanne Robinson-Escriout, Dallas fashion bloggers Ellen Flowers, Brooke Burnett, Haley Berry and Lauren Murphy, and Houston blogger Roz Pactor joined bloggers Mary Seng from Nashville, Jenn Papallatoc from Baton Rouge, Krystal Bennett Faircloth from Tulsa and Jaci Smith, Kendall Johnson and Shira Rosenbluth from New York.

Also joining in the fun were T.J. Martell Foundation CEO Laura Heatherly, MAC Presents exec Jessica Beutler, Elaine Turner investor Don Jones, Elaine Turner exec Heather McLeskey, Jenna Jackson of Houston-based P & R Productions, which is filming several web films for Turner, and Vincent Quan, associate professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, who is doing a case study of Turner's success as a fashion entrepreneur.

Urban cowboy servers, shown here with Elaine Turner, gave the party a Texas flair.

Urban Cowboy Servers in Stetson with Elaine Turner at Elaine Turner New York Fashion Week launch party September 2014

Photo courtesy of Elaine Turner

Urban cowboy servers, shown here with Elaine Turner, gave the party a Texas flair.

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FASHION FINDS

Japanese casualwear retailer Uniqlo now open in Houston

Photo courtesy of Uniqlo/Instagram

Uniqlo is offering t-shirts and tote bags from Houston artists including Donkee Boy and CapDavJon.

Houstonians can finally get their hands on Uniqlo products, including the viral crescent bag recently dubbed the "Millennial Birkin" as the highly anticipated Japanese clothing store makes its Texas debut on October 11 at Memorial City Mall.

While Memorial City is the first Houston-area store, a Sugar Land location is slated to open on October 18, as well as three more in the Dallas area. The global retailer is expanding its presence in Texas and California due to customer demand, and it chose to open in Memorial City Mall first because of the large retail space and built-in customer base.

"We walked through many different locations, and this store stood out to us," Nicolas Cessot, head of marketing for Uniqlo North America, tells CultureMap. "We had a really strong feeling about starting in Houston at Memorial City,"

The brand is known for high-quality, affordable, and everyday casual wear and differentiates itself from similar retailers like Zara or H&M by offering timeless basics rather than micro-trends.

"Our concept is about life wear. We provide a high-quality product with functional details and design to help people live their lives. We never sacrifice the quality of the product – yes, our price point is very affordable, and that is who we are."

Photo courtesy of Uniqlo/Instagram

Uniqlo is offering t-shirts and tote bags from Houston artists including Donkee Boy and CapDavJon.

In addition to the viral Round Mini Shoulder bags, and rows of gorgeous cashmere sweaters, shoppers can snag merch from Houston artists and businesses, including Donkeeboy and Donkeemom, CapDavJon, as well as restaurants 93' Til and Crawfish and Noodles.

"We want customers to be able to celebrate the artists in their cities, who they are already fans of or follow on social media," says Cessot. "We will continue to work with local artists to make new designs just like we are doing in Los Angeles in New York."

Uniqlo's grand opening celebration at Memorial City Mall on October 11. Photo courtesy of Uniqlo

Customers can expect special services at the Memorial City location, including t-shirt and tote bag customization with Uniqlo's UTme. The service combines photos, images, and text to create a fully personalized product in minutes. Embroidery, repairs, and upcycling are also available through the brand's exclusive Re.Uniqlo service.

"Every state has a unique style, and Texas definitely does. The reason you see certain things in this store is because of what trends we see people from Texas buying online," said Cessot. "With time, we will see what people love and get their feedback. Uniqlo is about listening to the consumer's voice, so we will see what people are gravitating to and change accordingly."

Located in the former Forever 21 location, Uniqlo's first Houston outpost is massive. Great lighting and wide rows make for an easy shopping experience with distinct men's, women's, and kid's sections with cashiers and self-serve checkout stations.

During opening weekend, there will be food, drinks, a Taiko drum performance, personalized Japanese calligraphy, giveaways, and gifts with purchase. More information about grand opening specials is available here.

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