• 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

    Cliff Notes

    After 9/11 tributes, Lela Rose, DVF, Tommy Hilfiger & Donna Karan get down tofashion week business

    Clifford Pugh
    Sep 12, 2011 | 6:11 am
    • Orange jumpsuit from DVF
      Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
    • Diane von Furstenberg, with designer Yves Mispelaere, passed out tiny Americanflags during her runway walk
      Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
    • A look from the Lela Rose collection
      Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
    • Architectural pattens were in evidence at the Derek Lam show.
      Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
    • Donna Karan slip dress
      Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
    • Colorful sweater by Tommy Hilfiger contrasts with bikini and tote in glen plaidpattern
      Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
    • Tommy Hilfiger waves to the audience at the end of his show
      Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
    • Donna Karan enters her show from the streets of New York to the song "AmericanWoman"
      Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
    • Karan let the show off with a black jacket dress over a ivory step shirt dress

    NEW YORK — Lela Rose traditionally shows her collection on the first Sunday of every fashion week. But when she saw that the date for unveiling her spring 2012 line was Sept. 11, she nearly cancelled the show.

    But she thought twice about it and went ahead, opening with a two-minute recording of John Lennon's "Imagine," while spectators pensively waited in the dark for the show to begin.

    "At first I was nervous about showing today, but I feel like it is actually a great opportunity," the Texas-raised designer said backstage at Lincoln Center after her show. "It shows how we're moving forward and that's what we have to do. So in a way, I feel lucky we got to do it today."

    On the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, designers at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week honored the occasion in their own special ways.

    • Victoria Beckham stopped her morning show and asked for a moment of silence at the exact time when the attackers had crashed into the Twin Towers.
    • Diane von Furstenberg handed out tiny American flags during her traditional walk down the runway after her show ended Sunday afternoon.
    • Donna Karan paid tribute to the city's resilience in program notes for her DKNY collection and walked the runway to "American Woman," stopping to pick up her granddaughter, at the close of her show.
    • And, in his program notes, Tommy Hilfiger saluted his support for the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund on the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

    In each case, the designer then presented his or her spring collection, to prove that indeed, life goes on.

    Lela Rose: Color & Pumped Up Kicks

    Rose centered on a quirky theme — a "neon graveyard" of broken signs in Las Vegas and Coney Island — as the basis for a sunny collection that includes orange and yellow cut-outs in the shape of light bulb ovals, print dresses and slacks in swirling shades and colorblock T-shirts and dresses. Rose also wisely includes a number of cardigans clients can wear in next summer's over-air-conditioned surroundings.

    Rose, who traditionally picks the coolest soundtracks for her shows, included in the mix my current favorite song, "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People, as well as "At My Heels" by Twin Shadow and "Junk of the Heart" by the Kooks.

    Backstage, the designer received congratulations from Mariska Hargitay, Mandy Moore, Susan Sarandon and Sarandon's daughter Eva Amurri. Rose is designing the gown for Amurri's upcoming wedding to former MLS soccer player Kyle Martino as well as dresses for the bridesmaids and Sarandon.

    How did the 25-year-old actress choose the gown?

    "It was easy. I tried on the dress and I knew it was the one. I fell in love with it. It made me feel so beautiful," Amurri said.

    Derek Lam: California dreamin'

    Before I left for New York, fashion blogger and CultureMap contributor Roz Pactor and I had a discussion about the merits of wearing leather in the summer. I'm against it — I don't consider it a summer fabric —but she makes a strong case for incorporating it into the Houston wardrobe, particularly in that long transition into fall. (She will address the topic in a future column.)

    I thought about our discussion as I watched the chic Derek Lam spring collection, because it is loaded with lightweight leather pieces — jackets with short and long sleeves, blazers, coats, and even a leather dress and vest made of leather in the front and linen in the back.

    All the leather proved to be a perfect counterpoint to the colorful kaleidoscope prints and architectural patterns that formed the basis of Lam's collection. In program notes, the designer said he based it on mid-century modern homes, like the Kaufman house in Palm Springs, designed by architect Richard Neutra.

    The retro-combination, an emerging trend this fashion week, was evidenced in clothing with clean lines in colors of the desert. The Rat Pack is indeed, back.

    Diane von Furstenberg: Go global

    With iconic designers Valentino and Oscar de la Renta on the front row, Diane von Furstenberg also channeled a bit of a '60s vibe. Her collection, titled "Beginnings," featured sparkly mini-dresses, lounging gowns, colorful jackets and models in modified beehives and little makeup. But as with most DVF collections, all sorts of other references were in evidence, too.

    The first looks were all white — a shirt dress in her famous wrap style, a scalloped lace dress, a blazer with cargo shorts — but there was lots of color, too, with separates in combinations of brown, beige and turquoise, a showstopping one-shoulder floral gown in an eye-popping coral that would be perfect for Palm Beach or Palm Springs, and a bundle of African prints.

    Von Furstenberg is nothing if not global.

    DKNY: For the woman on the move

    For the showing of her DKNY line, Donna Karan flipped things around. Instead of entering from the back of the building, models in floppy hats briskly entered from the street, as if alighting from a taxi. They then crisscrossed the rows of onlookers in a spirited gate. It was great theater — and the strong collection was pretty nifty, too.

    It features crisp navy jacket dresses, ivory shirt dresses with a longer hem in the back that flows with the breeze and blazers in navy, indigo, pink and a splattered pattern. One message from Karan: In the recession, every woman can still use a good jacket. Although one red,white and blue tweed suit looked like it could have dropped in from a Chanel collection, most jackets were pure Karan: Tailored pieces with clean lines that look modern today and will last a lifetime.

    Tommy Hilfiger: Trendmaster

    Tommy Hilfiger must have gotten the fashion week memo. The prince of prep's spring/summer 2012 collection covered many trends that have been emerging during fashion week:

    • A '60s influence in crisp shirtdresses and plaid pieces with matching shoes and totes
    • Color (and colorblocking) in everything from ponchos to a one-piece bathing suit to kaftans
    • Leather pieces, including a maroon suit and mustard-colored jacket

    He also featured colorful chunky sweaters, tailored denim jackets and striped pants cropped just above the ankle. Like most collections seen thus far, it had a happy vibe — and more color than has been seen on the runway in a long time.

    Hear "Pumped Up Kicks":

    unspecified
    news/fashion
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.

    Summer Staples

    Houston fashion expert spotlights top fashion trends for summer 2025

    Gabi De la Rosa
    May 9, 2025 | 12:00 pm
    Inclan Studio
    Photo courtesy of Inclan Studio/Facebook
    The RealReal's head of fashion dishes on the top trends for summer style.

    Summer may still be over a month away, but Houstonians already feel a seasonal shift in both temperatures and new styles. Layered sweatshirts and cute booties are being tucked away and replaced by lightweight fabrics, sandals, and a softer, breezier color palette.

    One of the Houston stores staying on trend for warmer weather is The RealReal, a marketplace for authenticated, resale luxury goods. The brand quietly opened its first Houston location in the Montrose Collective mixed-use development late last year, and Noelle Sciacca, head of fashion at The RealReal, offers a peek into the top trends to watch. Sciacca has a unique perspective of what's heating up in fashion because she has insider access to what customers are searching for and actually buying.

    Although it is always nice to add a couple of new pieces to our wardrobes each season, Sciacca also firmly believes in maintaining personal style.

    "In the age of TikTok, the rapid turnover of trends can feel overwhelming. While it's exciting to anticipate what's new and next, I'm a strong believer in the power of personal style — and the value of re-wearing pieces that make you feel confident, regardless of current trends."

    CultureMap (CM): What are the top three trends you're seeing emerge for Summer 2025?

    Noelle Sciacca (NS): The modern bohemian aesthetic experienced a major resurgence last year — and all signs indicate that the trend is here to stay for Summer 2025. Key pieces that channel vintage inspiration while feeling fresh and current include the peasant blouse, which has seen a 78 percent year-over-year increase in searches on The RealReal. Tassel and fringe details are also making a strong comeback, with searches up 69 percent, while leather cord necklaces — evocative of laid-back '70s style — have surged by an impressive 193 percent since last year.

    Inclan Studio peasant blouseHouston-based Inclán Studio offers several types of peasant blouses and summer styles.Photo courtesy of Inclán Studio.

    CM: We've noticed shorts are getting a bit longer this season. What silhouettes or styles are you seeing trending in that space?

    NS: While micro-mini shorts have made frequent appearances on runways in recent seasons, they're often less practical for everyday wear. In response, we're seeing a growing interest in longer, tailored shorts that transition seamlessly into office settings and wider, knee-length denim styles that offer comfort and ease for running errands. These more versatile silhouettes strike a balance between trend and functionality, making them a smart addition to any summer wardrobe.

    SloanHall jorts Find longer short silhouettes, including this style from Lutz Huelle, at Autry Park's Sloan/Hall. Photo courtesy of Sloan/Hall/Instagram

    CM: Layered looks dominated the runways this season, even for summer. How can people embrace the trend while staying cool and comfortable in a city like Houston, where the heat can be intense?

    NS: This summer, whether staying in Houston or escaping to a tropical destination, layering remains practical and effortlessly stylish. The key to staying cool — both in temperature and appearance — is choosing loose-fitting silhouettes crafted from lightweight fabrics. Embrace the modern bohemian trend, which continues to dominate both runway collections and street style, by pairing sheer peasant blouses with minimalist bra tops and low-slung wide-leg pants. Layer delicate lace-cropped jackets over flowing maxi dresses for an elevated touch.

    Christy Lynn sheer blouse with denim Houston designer Christy Lynn offers several barely there silk tops and a new denim line perfect for warm weather.Photo courtesy of Christy Lynn

    CM: Is there an "It bag" for Summer 2025?

    NS: Originally released in 2005, the Chloé Paddington quickly achieved It-Bag status, frequently spotted on the arms of early-2000s style icons such as Paris and Nicky Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, and Sienna Miller. Recently reintroduced on the brand's Spring/Summer 2025 runway, the Paddington has sparked a renewed surge in demand. Miu Miu has emerged as a powerhouse in the handbag space, producing styles that have quickly developed cult followings. On The RealReal, sales of Miu Miu bags have increased by 60 percent year over year, with searches for the Arcadie style alone soaring by 365%.

    MiuMiu Arcadie bagOne of Miu Miu's most iconic styles, the Arcadie, is available at Saks Fifth Avenue in The Galleria.Photo courtesy of Miu Miu.

    houston fashion trends 2025houston summer fashionthe realreal houstonsummer 2025 fashion trends
    news/fashion
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.
    Loading...