A day in the life of Houston's favorite fashion designer
Chloe Dao gets in touch with her dark side
Chloe Dao acknowledges the crowd after premiering her spring 2010 collection atthe Four Seasons Hotel.
Chloe Dao's new collection features richer, darker colors.
In the new collection, Dao’s normally feminine, flowy frocks are cropped closeto the body and short too.
Chloe Dao showed a darker side of her perennially sunny disposition in her new "Destruction, Death, Rebirth" collection at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Swaths of navy, blue and black dominated Dao’s color scheme and her feminine, flowy frocks were cropped close to the body and short too, showing off thigh-high socks and even higher heels.
Mini gave way to maxi though, in Dao’s metallic and berry-hued evening gowns, which still played tough thanks to manicured slashes and tight fits.
“This was a choice to be darker. I wanted to put together a show that reflected how I’m feeling. I’ve been remodeling my house for two years and there’s the economy. This show is a part of me, and I was thinking like a designer, not a merchandiser,” Dao said.
Even so, you could hear squeals of approval, even as Marilyn Manson and Jack White blasted overhead.
Unlike past fashion shows, Dao wanted her show to be extravagant, creating a New York runway feel. Originally slated for the new Poolside Bar at the Four Seasons, temperamental weather pushed the show indoors to one of the hotel’s ballrooms.
It worked out for the best as the 700 strong, standing-room-only crowd watched the moody crevices of Dao’s mind come to life.
The night was a hit, but just a week before, a day in the life of Dao was a whirlwind.
5 a.m. — Dao is up, even though she’d rather be asleep. “I can’t sleep. I’m wreck before a show,” she said.
5 - 7 a.m. — Dao is on the computer, answering e-mails and making plans.
8 a.m. — Time for breakfast. This Project Runway champion prefers Cheerios over Wheaties. She also makes her to-do list for the day. Fashion shows, licensing deals, QVC and personal appearances just don’t plan themselves you know.
9 a.m. — Staff meeting. Dao gathers her crew, going over everything from fashion show details to sample production, pattern-making and draping.
“I found out this morning we need zippers and more lining,” she said laughing.
A zipper shopping trip is added to her to-do list.
11 a.m. — Dao dashes off to the Think Pink luncheon wearing a skirt from her closet and a top she designed for her QVC line.
1 p.m. on… — Client custom fitting, meeting with her agent, a run to the salon for a meeting with makeup artists for the show, casting Neal Hamil models for her show.
“Casting was so crazy because there were shows at Neimans and Saks the same night,” she said.
Turns out, Dao didn’t find out about one her models until 3 p.m. Thursday—five hours before her show at the Four Seasons hotel ballroom.
11 p.m. — Finally at her newly remodeled home (she’s been working on it for the past two years and it includes a spacious studio) she responds to Facebook requests and comments.
“I’m seeing a lot of fans from Greece and Maylasia on Facebook these days. I think they are showing Project Runway there now and apparently I’m big in Greece.”
1 a.m. — Lights out, at least for a few hours. The fashion show is less than a week away and Dao will still be sketching in her sleep.
