Runway to Reality

Shop, get glam at Fashion Houston's downtown Pavilion

Fashion Houston week ticket holders will have access to a downtown Pavilion aswell.
More Than You Can Imagine goes on the road for Fashion Houston week.
Coquette Boutique and Bistro

There’s more than just fashion shows filling the Audi Fashion Houston slate of events next week. Ticket holders will also have access to the 8,200-square-foot Audi Pavilion, a shopping and beauty destination for those looking for a post-runway fix.

Erected on Fish Plaza in front of the Wortham Center, the Pavilion will house pop-up shops from Galleria and River Oaks Shopping Center and The Art Institute and Fashion Group International will have also have a presence in the pavilion.

Coquette Boutique & Bistro is keeping fashion on the forefront and in the shopping bag, bringing lines like Sass & Bide, Michelle Mason, Rory Beca and YFB (Young, Fabulous and Broke) from its Westheimer boutique to the tents for the duration of Fashion Houston.

Luxury goodies from More Than You Can Imagine will also pop up and store owner Vicki Rizzo is optimistic about what the fashion and shopping event may mean for Houston, known in the past for oil, space and yes, cowboys.

“It’s great for anybody who wants a presence at Fashion Houston. It’s is great fun to be on the ground floor of something exciting for the city and something I hope we do every year,” Rizzo said.

She is bringing in an elaborate display for the store’s stint at Audi Pavilion to show off Louis Vuitton bags and other items from her upscale consignment boutique.

Between shows and shopping, there’s also the glam factor, provided by Laura Mercier’s Flawless Space. Those who stop by can get members of the Laura Mercier beauty team to create custom palettes, shop (and get free shipping) and walk away with a swag bag. Look for bars and bites at the Audi Pavilion too.

Audi Pavilion doors are open from 5-11 p.m. and organizers are encouraging attendees to “arrive fashionably on time.”

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SUDDEN SHUTTERS

Saks Off 5th to close 3 Houston stores with blowout final sale

Saks OFF 5th/ Facebook

Saks Off 5th is closing its only San Antonio store.

Houston shoppers looking for the thrill of the deal might want to mark their calendar. Discount designer retailer Saks Off 5th is closing most of its U.S. stores, including three in the Houston area, as its parent company tries to wiggle its way out of bankruptcy. Liquidation sales will begin Saturday, January 31 at select locations.

The mass closures come after Saks Global — the parent company of luxury department stores Saks 5th Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, and Neiman Marcus — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections on January 14. The conglomerate has been buckling under the strain of $2.5 million in debt it acquired with the 2024 purchase of rival retailer Neiman Marcus.

"As we advance on Saks Global's transformation, we are taking decisive steps to realign our business to better serve our luxury customers and drive full-price selling across our core luxury businesses," said Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer of Saks Global, in a release. "With these actions, we will be well positioned to seize the greatest opportunities for long-term growth and value creation. We sincerely thank our Saks Off 5th and Last Call colleagues for the important role they have played in serving our loyal customers."

Saks will close 57 Off 5th stores and shutter the five remaining locations of Neiman Marcus’ off-brand shop Last Call. Only 12 OFF 5th units will survive the move. After the onslaught, Texas’ sole store will be at Grapevine Mills mall in Grapevine.

Many of the U.S. stores will kick off closing sales beginning January 31. An additional 23 stores will close outright on February 2. Here’s the full list of Texas shutters:

Saks Off 5TH locations holding closing sales:

Cypress, 29300 Hempstead Rd.
Sugar Land, 2745 N Town Center Blvd.
Katy, 5000 Katy Mills Cir.
San Antonio, 5819 Worth Pkwy.

Saks Off 5TH locations closing February 2:

Grand Prairie, 2950 W. I-20 #125
Dallas, 8040 Park Ln.

Last Call Locations holding closing sales:

Grapevine, 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy. #233
San Marcos, 3939 S. I-35 #1105

The overall primary market for luxury goods has been declining in recent years due to changing customer preferences, a perceived decline in quality in top brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and a growing resale market led by sites like The RealReal and Vestaire Collective.

the rim luxury retail designer shopping chains closings