Fashion Houston Shakeup

Fashion Houston shakeup: Hot young designer fave of Lena Dunham and Michelle Obama added to lineup

As Fashion Houston gets ready to launch its four-night extravaganza next week, officials continue to tweak the lineup of designers who will show their latest collections at the Wortham Center.

The newest addition: Wes Gordon, a 26-year-old designer who has been heralded as a "young Michael Kors" and a "modern-day Bill Blass," will show his collection on Nov. 15, the last night of Fashion Houston. Gordon will join Australian womenswear designer Johanna Johnson, menswear designer Zachary Prell and bohemian chic design label Haute Hippie to close out the evening (and week) of runway shows.

Gordon replaces French designer Sophie Theallet, who had to cancel due to a family illness. Theallet is no doubt disappointed not to keep her commitment because when I spoke with her at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week after her runway show, she was thrilled about coming to Houston, although her sense of Texas geography was a bit confused.

"I watched Dallas as a child and I have this image of Dallas so I can't wait to go there," she said.

Born in Chicago and raised in Atlanta, Gordon studied at Central Saint Martins, the prestigious London design school where Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Stella McCartney studied, and interned for Tom Ford and Oscar de la Renta, before launching his own label in 2009.

His clothes, know for rich colors, custom brocades and luxe quality, have made him a red carpet favorite with such stars as Katy Perry, Jessica Alba, January Jones and Girls' star Lena Dunham, who wore a Gordon-designed malachite green duchess satin gown to the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Ball last year. “Wes’ designs have an incredible maturity that, coupled with his rowdy sense of humor, make me feel like both a lady and a tramp,” Dunham told Time magazine.

First lady Michelle Obama wore his houndstooth metallic jacket to the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards last year.

More than a dozen designers, including Nicole Miller, Yigal Azrouel, Bibhu Mohapatra, David Peck, and Chloe Dao will show their collections at Fashion Houston, Nov. 12-15. A full list of designers is on the Fashion Houston website.

unspecified

VAULT VIBES

Houston fashion star Chloe Dao marks 25 years with epic clean-out sale

Photo courtesy of Chloe Dao

From January 24- 31 Chloe Dao will open her personal design archives to mark 25 years with a rare boutique vault sale.

For Houston fashion devotees, this is the kind of news that prompts a calendar alert and a group chat with the besties. Chloe Dao is celebrating 25 years in fashion by doing something she has never done before: opening the vault.

From January 24 through January 31, the Chloe Dao boutique will host a 25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Vault Event, releasing pieces from Dao’s personal design archives alongside curated boutique items that have been held back for years. Once they are gone, they are gone for good.

“This is not a typical sale; this is an anniversary moment,” Dao says. “It’s an intentional release, a moment of reflection and gratitude, and a way to make space for what’s next. Once these pieces are gone, they’re truly gone."

For the first time ever, shoppers will be able to snag select designs from past collections and limited production runs, and Dao has confirmed she will be parting with some of her couture designs. Shoppers can expect more than 300 items, with more than half of the boutique included in the sale event.

Chloe Dao design Select runway couture and past collection pieces headline Chloe Dao’s 25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Event.Photo courtesy of Chloe Dao

Everything in the anniversary sale will be discounted 65 percent or more. Fan favorites, including the Houston T-shirt and Aya scarf, will be priced at $15 to $20, down from $42 to $68. None of the released pieces will be reproduced or restocked.

There is also a very personal moment behind this big event. Dao shared that she is planning for the future, including her eventual retirement in about 5 years, making this the right time for a shift.

“It is bittersweet, and I’m still torn about letting go of some of my archive pieces. But a close friend stopped by the boutique this past Saturday and reminded me that I can always create more. That really stayed with me. I’ve missed designing for my store, and this sale feels like a reset — a chance to return to what I love most: designing eveningwear," Dao tells CultureMap. "The past six years, especially post-COVID, were very much about survival mode. Now, if I’m going to truly survive and thrive in today’s retail landscape, my focus is shifting back to my own line and less on curation.”

Following her Project Runway Season Two win and decades of success, Dao says the milestone is also about gratitude for the city that supported her from the start.

“Think of it as an archive release and a chance to own a piece of my history as I celebrate 25 years in fashion. Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I’m so excited to share this moment, and this milestone, with you."

25-Year Anniversary Clean-Out Vault Event, January 24 - January 31, Chloe Dao Boutique, 600 N Shepherd Dr #115, in M-K-T Heights.

chloe dao anniversary sale chloe dao retirement chloe dao