How do you entice a young, fashion-forward Houston crowd to get dressed up on a Tuesday night?
Organizers of the first-ever CultureMap Social came up with a winning idea. They asked some of the city's coolest shops to outfit several of the city's hottest fashion bloggers. When word got out about the theme, everyone else who showed up worked their darndest to look their best in the latest fall fashions just as cooler temperatures arrived.
The crowd of more than 270 that packed Saint Genevieve looked ready to star in a runway show — and they were set to have fun.
The crowd of more than 270 that packed Saint Genevieve looked ready to star in a runway show — and they were set to have fun.
Fashion bloggers Magen Pastor wore a trend-setting Wren long-sleeve, leopard minidress and Lilah Gabriel necklace, all from Sam and Lilli; Leigh Evans of Girl Around Town looked hip in vegan leather shorts, printed silk blouse and rabbit fur ombré vest, all from WildBloom Boutique; and Mishelle Echeverria of Houstonista wore an amazing pair of Current/Elliot leather pants and Vince asymmetrical zip jacket from Cakewalk Style Shop, with black round-neck T-shirt from Shop Six Twenty.
Julie Bortnick of From Prosecco to Plaid, who co-hosted a VIP party at the event, stood out in a neon pink blazer over a strapless print dress, accented with gold long chain necklaces and a gold bracelet, all from WildBloom Boutique, while Lauren Mills of Sunday Beach Blog sparkled in a Yoana Baraschi sequin sweater with Paige denim jeans and Mon Venin snakeskin clutch, all from Carrie Ann.
Issa Chou of We Wear Things looked great in a Vince leather/calf hair bomber jacket, Tibi transit yoked skirt and Elizabeth & James silk top, all from Cakewalk Style Shop; Katy Atlas of Sugarlaws was ready to party in a pleated Herve Leger skirt, Robert Rodriguez top and Ashley Pittman bangles, all from Tootsies, and Bethany Buchanan of Southern Chic Style was right on trend in a purple Yigal Azrouel dress with sheer cutouts from Atrium Ready to Wear.
Models, accompanied by burly security guards, walked amid the crowd to showcase the latest — and priciest — watches from Hublot, the luxury Swiss watchmaker that has just opened a boutique in the Galleria. In one corner of the bar, dubbed the "Hublot Hot Spot," guests could try on a watch and model it in the "Wrist and Repeat" box, similar to the "manicam" at E!'s coverage of the red carpet award shows.
Guests also checked out the new Yellow Cab app, entered a raffle sponsored by the new boutique Velvet Slipper Divine, which opens in January, received a CultureMap Must Have Swag bag from BeautyNow and hammed it up in a oversized picture frame at the Smilebooth. Representatives from Houston Ballet's Ballet Barre and Young Texans Against Cancer were also on hand to talk about their professional groups.
Seen in the crowd were WildBloom owners Thuy and Tuyet Pham, Tootsies' Chris Goins and Fady Armanious, Coquette's Aries Milan and Kristen Cannon, Velvet Slipper Divine's Vivian Wise, Sergio Morales and Kodi Roberts, Katy Mayell Ellis, Marcy de Luna, Rob Rutherford, Beth Muecke, Yellow Cab Houston president Roman Martinez and director of marketing Mike Spears, former Houston city council member Sue Lovell, Jason Fuller, Cindy Clifford, Alex Griffin, Luxe PR's Holland Vavra and Libby Cagle, and Hublot's Donnita Dennis, Ronald Mazariegos and Isabel Sorum.
Also joining in the fun were Fifi Phi, Michell Luong, Erica Renee Garza, Cristin Pactor, Beauty Now's Kathleen Jennings and husband James, Edward Sanchez, Yasmine Haddad, Karli Gillum and Carla de Rosmini.
Leigh Evans, from left, Thuy Pham, Julie Bortnick and Tuyet Pham at the CultureMap Social at Saint Genevieve.
