Houston fashionistas have been front and center at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with Diane Lokey-Farb the headliner garnering primo front row seating at Naeem Khan where she head-huddled with Ken Downing, Neiman Marcus fashion director, and gaining front row positioning at Dennis Basso. Tonight, she just might grab another coveted A-list post at the Oscar de la Renta Show.
Her dance card has been remarkably full with invitations also to Ralph Rucci, Zac Posen and Carolina Herrera.
H-Town's charming young designer Amir Taghi was sighted at Monique Lhuillier and Carmen Marc Valvo. Donna Karan Ambassador Sheridan Williams and Karen Mayell attended the Donna Karan presentation where they were fawned over by the very-attentive Curtis Farnham, client services manager.
Cindy Garza Farmer and Clint Farmer and their daughters —Alex, 9, and Kate, 6 — caught the Project Runway show, viewing it from the American Express skybox. The girls are huge Project Runway fans so the Farmers bought the AmEx package that was offered to cardmembers for the cushy viewing spot. The Farmers also saw the Carmen Marc Valvo show, after which the designer paid a visit to the skybox.
Neal Hamil was spotted making the rounds. He has a number of models slated to be on the catwalks. Tootsies Fady Armanious has been on the job in NYC as well.
Eva Longoria to accept Texas honors
Joining the coterie of Texas artists to be honored at the Texas Medal of Arts Awards festivities in Austin in March is actress Eva Longoria, a native of Corpus Christi. She will be honored at an evening gala along with nine other recipients that include artist James Surls and Houston Ballet.
Marita Fairbanks and Kelli Blanton chair the awards events, sponsored by the Texas Cultural Trust. Details on the March 4 and March 5 activities are available here.
Stars in the night
That would be Rushmore headliner Jason Schwartzman at the new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema — Vintage Park in northwest Houston where Wes Anderson's Rushmorewas screened to a sellout audience of close to 200. The Monday evening screening was the launch of this week's grand opening activities at the new theater.
Joining Schwartzman in the spotlight that included a 20-minute Q&A with the actor were emcee Eric Vespe of Ain't It Cool News, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema founder Tim League and Neil Michaelsen, CEO of Triple Tap Ventures which owns and operates the Houston area cinemas.
Alfred Cervantes of the Houston Film Commission and Joshua Starnes of the Houston Film Critics Society presented Schwartzman a city proclamation declaring it Rushmore Day in Houston.
Stylistas in the house
Honoree Sheridan Williams won't be the only fashion icon in the spotlight for the Feb. 28 "Passion for Fashion" luncheon at Wortham Theater Center. Count in the mix Hunter Dixon designing co-founder Hunter Bell, who joins NBC'sFashion Star for season two that launches March 8.
You might recall that Fashion Star personalityTerron Schaefer, Saks Fifth Avenue's executive VP and chief creative officer, headlines the luncheon, where he will be interviewed by CultureMap editor in chief Clifford Pugh.
All of that has chairs Paula Fyhr and Liz Glanville doing a happy dance as that means more interest in the luncheon that raises funds for Houston Community College's Fashion and Interior Design programs.
A Texas-style welcome
Dr. Robert Robbins, who took over leadership of the Texas Medical Center in November, received a warm "howdy" in the River Oaks home of Steve and Linda Webster when friends of Nora's Home gathered to meet the TMC president and CEO.
The welcome was led by Dr. A. Osama Gaber, director of transplantation at The Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center. He and wife Dr. Lillian Gaber envisioned Nora's Home as an affordable temporary residence for pre- and post-transplant patients in the Texas Medical Center. The free-standing facility near the Texas Medical Center is expected to open later this year.
Joining in the cocktail reception were Pinto Ranch's Susan and Walter Pye, who presented Robbins with a cowboy hat, and Pat and Ben Bono, Dr. O.H. "Bud" Frazier, Liz Ghrist, Carl Josehart, Patricia Starck, Linda and Jerry Strickland and Susan Coulter.
Tootsies' Fady Armanious all dressed up for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week among the Houstonians making the shows.
