With the holidays quickly approaching, stores all around Houston are touting special collaborations and pop-up shops to help shoppers find that special gift. In this edition of Where to Shop, we also feature new stores, the latest "it" bag that's actually a glamorous fanny pack, and a reminder about the upcoming one-day CultureMap holiday pop-up shop.
Disney x Kiehl's for Feeding America
Kiehl’s Since 1851, the 166-year-old purveyor of premium skincare products, is collaborating with Disney this holiday season for a number of "Collection for a Cause" products, each packaged in a Mickey Mouse-adorned tin.
The special products include Kiehl’s customer favorite Calendula formulations (foaming facial cleanser, herbal extract alcohol-free toner, soothing hydration masque, and ultra facial moisturizer for $45), Creme de Corps “grapefruit” whipped body butter ($38), scented hand cream trio (includes one each of grapefruit, coriander, and lavender, packaged in a separate box; each tube is $35), and Special Edition Hydration Essentials gift set (Creme de Corps, ultra facial cleanser, ultra facial cream, ultimate strength hand salve and lip balm, all for $29).
Kiehl’s pledges 100 percent of its net profits from this collection, up to $100,000, to Feeding America. The products are available at Houston-area Kiehl's stores and online.
The French sportswear brand is partnering with M/M Paris on a holiday collector series. Mathias Augustyniak and Michael Amzalag, the award-winning French art and design duo, have created a two-tone geometric alphabet to reinterpret the world’s most famous crocodile. The collector series of men’s and women’s apparel and accessories features “Lacoste” embroidered in green and red on classic colors of white, navy, and red. The collection, which ranges from $30 to $225, is available at the Lacoste boutique in The Galleria or online.
Cacao Fashion, Jewelry and Gifts opens with global selection
Millennial brother-sister duo Jose and Monica Alonso have opened a unique boutique that specializes in gifts imported from all over the world. Exotic hand-made items like sculptures from Cambodia, stationery from Italy, towels from Greece, and dolls from Japan have been expertly curated for the Houston market.
The store, located at 4340 Westheimer in the newly-developed Westheimer Oaks, between River Oaks District and Highland Village, also offers ceramics, home fragrances, luxury bath products, candles, stemware, clothing, and jewelry from countries including Mexico, Germany, Spain, and France. Many items are under $100.
The athletic apparel retailer has teamed with Athletic Propulsion Labs to launch three exclusive shoes with reflective yarn, Propelium technology, and new colors. The unisex Black All-Reflective ($250) has an all-black silhouette that stands out even at night. Cinder Rose ($165) comes in a new dusty pink shade in one of APL's most popular styles, the Techloom Phantom shoe. And Ascend Black Ombre ($200), switches overlays on the shoe from white to black.
The new styles are available at the Highland Village store and online.
Carrie Ann pop-up shop in The Woodlands
The stylish Uptown Park womenswear boutique has opened a holiday pop-up shop at Market Street in The Woodlands. Owner Carrie Ann Sanders features stylish looks for women of all body types and ages. The temporary store, located at 9595 Six Pines Drive, Suite 450, also offers a wide selection of doggie apparel and must-have accessories for the style-savvy pooch. The pop-up shop is open through the end of the year.
Make(her) pop-up at GreenStreet
Three women entrepreneurs have combined forces to open make(her) — pronounced “Maker”— a female-owned pop-up boutique at GreenStreet in downtown Houston. The store, located at 1201 Fannin, offers Texas-centric apparel, jewelry, and beauty and skin care products from the owners of Camellia Alise, Stateline Designs, and Brenda Grands Designs.
The collaboration came about after the owners, Lyndsey Brantley (Camellia Alise), Brenda Grands (Brenda Grands Design), and Ellyse Espinoza (Stateline Designs), pitched their retail concepts at Next Up, a pop-up market presented at GreenStreet by crowd-funding Fintech firm NextSeed, and received an offer to open a pop-up shop. It remains open through December 24.
Miu Miu has created its own take on the fanny pack, with the all new Miu Miu Rider bag from the brand's Crosière 18 collection. It comes in signature matelasse leather in contrasting shades of navy and powder blue, oxblood and sugar pink, black and racing green — all with white striped edging with the Miu Miu logo on the front. A single gold zipper allows for easy access and a quilted leather strap lets it be belted to the hip or waist. $1,500 at the Miu Miu boutique in The Galleria and online.
An All-Star lineup of 19 Houston designers and artists have joined together to offer a wide array of art, home goods, apparel and accessories at the pop-up boutique, LAUNCH, located on downtown's Avenida Houston (at 701 Avenida De Las Americas), and online.
Items include menswear (Edwidge Pierre, Jamel Hawk), womenswear (Chloe Dao, VCheri), jewelry (Brenda Grands, Modern Artifacts, Temple Street), handmade soaps (Simple Nut Organics), handbags (Venom, Ceibo), fragrances (Mair Fragrances, Onata Fragrances), skincare (Rosehip Essential Skin Care), baby gifts (Reserved Only), and insect art (Bug in a Box).
A noted Round Top antiques dealer is setting up a pop-up location at River Oaks District through the holidays. Susan Horne, who owns and operates House Rummell in Round Top, will showcase her latest finds and antique discoveries, with pieces in her favorite hues of blue, along with distinctive lighting and accessories, including an exclusive, best-selling candle line from the United Kingdom.
Susan Horne Antiques is located between Theory and Moncler through Jan. 4, 2018.
CultureMap Holiday Pop-Up Shop
On December 3, CultureMap is bringing back the ultimate holiday shopping experience with a holiday pop-up shop at Silver Street Studios. The curated holiday boutique features 25 favorite local retailers for men, women, kids, pets, jewelry, gifts, home, and gourmet food and beverages will be available, with cocktails, festive food, carolers, crafting, complimentary gift wrapping, and more while you shop.
Admission is complimentary; reserve a spot here.
Kiehl’s Since 1851 is collaborating with Disney for a number of "Collection for a Cause" products, each packaged in a Mickey Mouse-adorned tin.
Studs and Shake Shack created a limited-edition Burger huggie earring and Earscape set. Photo by Studs 
For $78, earring enthusiasts can get the two Shake Shack burger huggies, the 14K-gold Smiley Stud and the 14K-gold Micro CZ Stud.Photo by Studs