The look of spring 2012

Houstonian Britt Maren works the runway at Carolina Herrera & Badgley Mischka

Britt Maren leads the line-up at the end of the Badgley Mischka show.
Photo by Peter Michael Dill/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Britt Maren at Carolina Herrera
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
At Badgley Mischka, from left, Grace Hightower DeNiro, Somers Farkas, Joanne DeGuardiola, Suzanne Johnson and Muffie Potter Aston
Photo by Clifford Pugh

NEW YORK — Former Houston model Britt Maren, who CultureMap caught up with at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in February, is at it again. I spotted her on the runway at the Carolina Herrera show in an off-white silk crepe blouse with geometric applique, black pleated pants and red and black patent leather belt.

And at Badgley Mischka she wore three gowns, including a nude georgette gown that closed the show.

Maren, who was known as Maren Stavinoha before she moved to New York and hit it big as a top runway model, was a brunette in February, but is now a blonde again. Her big break came when Alexander Wang picked her to open his show a year ago and a few weeks later stylist Guido Palau chopped off her waist-length hair and bleached it backstage at Balenciaga in Paris before she hit the catwalk for the influential French fashion house.

As Renee Zellweger and Nicki Minaj looked on, Herrera presented a lovely collection of daywear in a beguiling print of canary yellow sparrows and gowns embroidered in geometric art deco patterns.

Mark Badgley and James Mischka mixed in their premier Badgley Mischka collection with their lower price Mark + James line. The Badgley Mischka gowns were more glam, but I liked the more casual Mark + James pieces better, particularly a turquoise crepe chiffon pant and a watermelon-colored romper.

Among those having a good time at the Badgley Mischka show were Suzanne Johnson, wife of New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, and four friends all outfitted in shiny form-fitting Jets jerseys. Johnson said the shrunken jerseys, which are studded with Swarovski crystals, are available for all NFL teams — including the Houston Texans — at NFLshop.com.

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shop for props

Discover handmade treasures at Houston Grand Opera's garage sale

Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera/Instagram

For the first time since 2016, the Houston Grand Opera is holding costume and props garage sale on Saturday, September 14.

Calling all costume enthusiasts, theater lovers, and interior design buffs. Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is opening its doors for a unique, first-come-first-served garage sale. With a massive collection of costumes, props, and furniture from iconic productions like Aida, Hansel & Gretel, and Carmen, this sale offers a rare opportunity to grab one-of-a-kind pieces perfect for a costume party, home decor, or DIY projects.

For the first time since 2016 years, HGO is inviting the public to step behind the curtain and experience the artistry that goes into their productions. The sale showcases the incredible craftsmanship of HGO's costume shop, which employs dozens of skilled professionals who make or tailor each piece by hand.

The props department's specialized artisans also play a crucial role in creating the magic seen on stage. By making these items available, HGO is giving local theater companies, high schools, colleges, and the general public a chance to bring these beautiful pieces into their own productions or homes.

At the sale, shoppers can expect to find 68 racks of costumes and hundreds of hats, shoes, and other props.Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera

Since the last costume and props sale took place eight years ago, the nationally acclaimed opera house is bursting at the seams.

"We store items as long as possible and reuse them in any way we can," Kristen Burke, HGO director of production, tells CultureMap. "However, there comes a point about every decade or so when we outgrow our storage capacity. We then have to make some hard decisions. What might we use again? What is worth keeping in storage? What do we need to part with?"

HGO's limited storage space is a windfall for Houstonians. Shoppers can expect to find 68 racks of costumes and hundreds of hats, shoes, and other props, including fun must-haves like thrones and prop coffins. According to Burke, items will range in price from $1 to $200, with the majority in the under-$50 range. "Many pieces have a value well over that price, as they were handmade by our talented artisans. There will be some incredible deals to be had at this sale," says Burke.

Items will range in price from $1 to $200, with the majority in the under-$50 range.Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera

For HGO, sustainability is very important. If the items don't sell, they try to donate or find new uses for them. The goal is to avoid waste and give their incredible handcrafted creations a second chance to shine.

Houston Grand Opera Costume & Props Sale; Saturday, September 14, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm; 1977 Tellepsen St., 77023.

hgo houston grand opera shopping sustainability