Cha-cha-changes

Big changes at The Galleria: New luxury stores moving in, keeping the River Oaks District at bay

The Galleria has taken a giant step in cementing its place as Houston's premier luxury shopping destination with the announcement that it has landed four new stores.

The luxury watchmaker Rolex will open its first free-standing store in Texas at the mammoth shopping mall next summer. The 1,800 square-foot store will open next to Tory Burch, which will undergo a major expansion about the same time. Burch has told CultureMap several times that she was looking to expand in Houston.

Other new stores include:

Tod's, the high-end Italian shoe and accessory retailer, will open a 2,000-square foot store in The Galleria in the summer of 2015. Former Gucci and Valentino designer Alessandra Facchinetti is the new creative director of Tod's women's collection, so expect to see a whole lot of attention on the brand from major fashion magazines soon.
Trina Turk, the hot womenswear line, will open a 1,400 square-foot store next to Sephora in Galleria I in the fall of 2014. Sephora will also greatly expand its store.
Tourbillon, the luxury watch retailer, will open its first Houston store in The Galleria next summer. The 2,815 square-foot store will be located next to bareMinerals in Galleria II.

While there has been much speculation in retail circles that Chanel would leave The Galleria for the new River Oaks District complex, where Hermès and Tom Ford are among the new tenants, the French luxury house is staying put in the Galleria. The boutique will begin an extensive renovation of the store, located near Neiman Marcus, early next summer and will remain open during that time.

In other changes, Zara will expand to a two-story store encompassing more than 18,000 square feet. Construction will begin next April and is scheduled to be completed next fall.

And Club Monaco will relocate to Galleria II next to Zales with a 4,500 square-foot store.

Major changes are taking place at The Galleria with a number of new luxury stores on the way.

unspecified

TEXAS THREADS

Shiner and Texas Standard brew up a limited-edition new collab for men

Photo courtesy of Shiner

The limited-edition Texas Standard x Shiner collection blends performance apparel with classic Texas style, including polos, pearl snap shirts, and the brand's signature guayabera.

The new Texas Standard x Shiner collection just dropped, and it is way more than a famous beer logo slapped on a t-shirt. The two Texas brands — one a clothing company known for its made-in-Texas products and an iconic Texas brewery — teamed up to create a limited-edition line inspired by the Lone Star State's unique lifestyle. This capsule collection was designed to fit in everywhere from dance halls and fishing trips to sports games and happy hours.

Shiner has been brewing beer in Texas for more than a century, and this partnership was a great way to celebrate its heritage beyond what’s in the bottle. For Texas Standard, known for modernizing Texas staples with performance fabrics, it was a chance to collaborate with one of the state's most recognizable brands.

"Shiner and Texas Standard already speak the same Texan language, so everything about the collection is authentic, not forced," Joshua Brito, vice president of marketing and direct at Texas Standard, tells CultureMap. "We leaned on the iconic marks and imagery Shiner's built over 100-plus years, then layered in the same authentic Texas details that run through everything we make. One of our goals was to avoid a flat logo lockup merch drop. Every piece needed to be something someone's proud to wear, carrying what Shiner, Texas Standard, and Texas stand for."

Shiner x Texas Standard Inspired by more than a century of Shiner brewing tradition, the collaboration celebrates Texas heritage with apparel designed for everything from brewery patios to dance halls.Photo courtesy of Texas Standard and Shiner

That attention to detail shows throughout the collection, which features graphic tees, a baseball cap, pearl snap shirts, and a reimagined version of Texas Standard's bestselling Guayabera Libre. Rather than oversized logos or novelty graphics, Shiner and Texas Standard focused on design details.

The Guayabera Libre features breathable, moisture-wicking fabric with UPF 40. It includes hidden pockets, mesh venting, and a water-resistant finish. This technical fishing shirt, styled as a Texas classic, was made for both hanging out on a boat and at a backyard barbecue.

While the Guayabera Libre shirt might steal the spotlight, it isn’t the only standout. The Traditions Polo in Shiner Gold features hand-drawn illustrations inspired by Texas culture and Shiner's 100-plus-year history. The Western Traditions Polo incorporates pearl snaps and classic yoke styling with lightweight, moisture-wicking fabric, a signature of the Texas Standard.

"We started with pieces that we already know resonate with our shared audience," said Brito. "The Guayabera Libre and pearl snap shirts we're known for include moisture-wicking, breathable fabric from the start, not added on. From there, the Texas flair came easy."

The collection was designed as a standalone release and is expected to remain online through September on Shiner and Texas Standard’s websites.

shiner beer texas standard. texas brands texas beer men's shopping shiner x texas standard