Fashion Houston 2011

Patrick Schwarzenegger & friends learn a lot about fashion — and life — in theirfirst runway show

Models in Project 360 hoodies
Photo by Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
Patrick Schwarzenegger, third from left, Kimberly Barth and Nick Scheinbergsurrounded by models wearing their Project 360 collection
Photo by Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
A look from the Project 360 collection
Photo by Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com

It seems like Fashion Houston is earning a rep as the go-place for young celebrity designers to showcase their clothing lines aimed at saving the planet.

Last year, in its inaugural season, the Houston-based fashion event scored a coup when Lauren Bush showed her first-ever runway collection of scarves and dresses made in an environmentally sensitive way, with proceeds helping to feed hungry children around the world.

On Monday night, at the kickoff of Fashion Houston 2011 at the Wortham Center, Project 360 co-founders Patrick Schwarzenegger, Nick Sheinberg and Kimberly Barth presented their first runway show, featuring T-shirts, sweats and hoodies emblazoned with the words "Truth," "Hope" and "Dream" in recycled leather or cotton, along with red and pink hearts, green and blue hands and more peace symbols than you ever could have found at a 1970s protest rally.

The trio will be selling the Project 360 collection Tuesday from noon until 4 p.m. at a pop up shop at the Galleria (across from the Louis Vuitton store). Prices range from $10-$120.

"Everything has an inspirational message that reflects a global cause that we donate to. It's a fashion statement kind of thing," said Barth, a former member of the R&B girl group MYNX.

"We're just trying to take comfortable, basic, everyday clothing and put a spin on it. You can make a purchase that you feel good about. In this economy, I think everyone wants to make a purchase that gives back. Being socially responsible is the wave of the future."

Schwarzenegger, the movie-star handsome 18-year-old son of estranged couple Arnold Schwarzengger and Maria Shriver, said his parents are supportive of his budding fashion career.

"They are big with the philanthropic side of everything, so the idea that we give back, particularly during these times when giving back is so important, they love the whole idea. We're not only trying to raise money, but spread the word about the message of giving back," said Schwarzenegger, who just returned from Europe where he accompanied his father to the opening of an Austrian museum saluting his dad's life. "What we've learned is that anyone can make a difference."

Project 360 started when Schwarzenegger and Sheinberg, who have been friends since pre-school, sold rubber bracelets with a peace message they created at a women's conference organized by Shriver and expanded into a clothing line after they met Barth. According to Details magazine, the company netted a profit in the mid-five figures last year.

The trio agreed that they had learned a lot about the mechanics of putting on a runway show from their Houston experience.

"Obviously our kind of clothing has a different feel than the more mainstream fashion clothing we see tonight, the very fancy stuff. Our's is more like beachy and in the wintertime very cozy. You could wear it every day," said Sheinberg, whose grandfather was the longtime head of MCA Universal Studios.

"We wanted to show everyone we could give back by showing the videos. And we tried to make our models look as fashionable as possible. We have a crowd out there that came for only very high class fashion. If this were a high school, that's like our crowd."

So what exactly did they pick up from the experience?

"The step-by-step process of how this stuff takes place," Sheinberg said. "I didn't realize how it was done and the behind-the-scenes (work), how the models are sprinting back and forth. Everyone has been so great. It's definitely a plus that it is in Houston."

Both young men will be going to college after graduating from Brentwood (Calif.) High School next spring. But they plan to continue to expand the company with Barth as a partner and believe their college contacts can only help.

In the meantime, Schwarzenegger has embarked on a career as a model. A racy billboard on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles showing him shirtless in a pair of Hudson jeans has turned heads and hearts since it went up in August. Has he been ribbed, at least a little, by his co-partners?

"No," Schwarzenegger said, with a laugh. "It's bringing in the dough. You can't make fun of that."

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The trio will be selling the Project 360 collection Tuesday from noon until 4 p.m. at a pop up shop at the Galleria (across from the Louis Vuitton store). Prices range from $10-$120.

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UNIFORM UTOPIA

Luxury scrubs brand FIGS opens first Texas location in Rice Village

Photo courtesy of FIGS

FIGS will open its new Rice Village Community Hub on December 6.

Healthcare apparel company FIGS is opening its first brick-and-mortar store in Texas with a new Community Hub in Rice Village. The retail space is designed to serve both as a store and a gathering spot for the city's healthcare community.

The Rice Village location opens this Saturday, December 6, with a public grand opening event on December 13 from 6 to 8 pm featuring giveaways, music, food, and drinks from local vendors. Joining outposts in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City, the Houston location is the fourth Community Hub for the company and the only location in the South.

The store will carry the full range of FIGS products, including scrubwear, loungewear, and accessories. It will also host events and programming focused on healthcare topics, offering visitors opportunities to meet and share experiences.

At the new FIGS boutique, shoppers will find the Color Clinic, offering scrubwear in core colors with rotating seasonal options. The store also has a Customization Station, which provides embroidery for names, titles, practice or hospital logos, and local icon options available only at Community Hubs. Personalization is also available for scrub caps, outerwear, and accessories.

FiGS The new FIGS store will offer a Color Clinic and Customization Station to let shoppers personalize their FIGS uniforms. Photo courtesy of FIGS/Instagram

The brand, founded in 2013 by Heather Hasson and Trina Spear, is known for fashion-forward medical uniforms made from a proprietary fabric with four-way stretch, antimicrobial technology, moisture-wicking, and wrinkle resistance. Hasson and Spear began selling directly to healthcare workers in Los Angeles-area hospital parking lots before growing their presence as an online retailer.

CEO and co-founder Trina Spear believes Rice Village was the perfect choice due to its proximity to the Texas Medical Center. She said the company wanted a space that supports Houston healthcare professionals and gives them a place to shop and connect.

"Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, and we are honored to bring a FIGS Community Hub to this city. This space is designed to serve and celebrate Houston healthcare professionals," said Spear. "Our Community Hubs create opportunities for customers to not only shop in a way that never previously existed, but to connect with each other and with FIGS on a deeper level."

FIGS Community Hub, 5515 Kelvin Dr., Suite 130, 77005

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