Chic & Affordable

Macy's new Giambattista Valli collection is made for the budget-conscious partygirl

Giambattista Valli for Impulse, only at Macy's: Black dress, $139; red dress,$99; and pink dress, $139
Giambattista Valli for Impulse, only at Macy's: Blouse, $79; jacket, $139; andpant, $109
Giambattista Valli for Impulse, only at Macy's: Leopard one-shoulder Dress,$109; black dress, $109; and leopard shift dress, $109

In the latest in a series of designer collections at affordable prices, Macy’s today unveiled a capsule collection by Giambattista Valli just in time for the holiday season.

It is the Italian designer's first foray into budget-conscious fashion. The 17-piece collection of cocktail dresses, flirty skirts, feminine blouses, lightweight jackets, edgy pants and graphic T-shirts retails between $50-$150.

While not a household name like Karl Lagerfeld, who previously designed a collection for Macy's that got mixed reviews, Valli has an enviable reputation among the designer crowd for his colorful creations, which are shown regularly at fashion week in Paris. His first-ever couture collection, with extravagant gowns costing five figures, was recently showcased in Houston at Tootsies.

The Macy's collection, called “Giambattista Valli for Impulse Only at Macy’s,” has several standouts for the fashion-forward, budget-conscious party girl.

Over half of the collection features animal prints — love the sheath in contrasting leopard prints divided by a red band, the leopard print coat and fitted leopard-print blouse with frilly sleeves. (Valli has a thing for leopard.)

Over half of the collection features animal prints — love the sleeveless sheath in contrasting leopard prints divided by a red band, the leopard print coat and fitted leopard-print blouse with frilly sleeves. (Valli has a thing for leopard.) A fuchsia one-shoulder body-hugging cocktail dress and a black petal-covered mini-skirt are sure to attract attention on the holiday party circuit, too.

“This capsule reflects my enduring loves, but is really a celebration of my biggest inspiration of all - the energy and vitality of women themselves,” Valli said in a statement. “I love dressing them for all their happiest moments, making them feel as special as possible. This collection is a passport into my world and a chance to experience the passion and romance of my house and Paris itself."

The collection also includes textured fishnet tights ($20 a pair), a satin-bow clutch ($49), rhinstone faux leather clutch ($69) and lace-printed candle ($29).

Like Target, Macy's is showcasing big-name designers in hopes of attracting big buzz, although Macy's has not yet featured a collection that captured the imagination of fashion lovers like Target did with Missoni. (Previous Impulse collections were by designers Kinder Aggugini, Matthew Williamson and Lagerfeld.)

Next up at Macy's is designer Doo-Ri Chung, whose lower-price collection, called Doo-Ri for Impulse, will debut Feb. 15. She regularly shows during New York fashion week under the doo.ri label. First lady Michelle Obama recently wore a dazzling purple one-shoulder gown from Chung's spring 2012 collection to a state dinner for South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and first lady Kim Yoon-ok at the White House.

unspecified

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