NEW YORK — Yigal Azrouël's designs are often minimal and very contemporary, with an urban edge. But for spring, the designer, who is known for his dashing good looks (The Daily Beast has called him "Fashion's Hottest Playboy" and the Wall Street Journal labeled him a "fashion stud"), has let his romantic side shine through.

His spring collection, which will be available in Houston at Elizabeth Anthony, has more of a feminine edge than some of his previous work, with delicate florals in pink and silver, see-through lace, colorful hand-crafted embroidery and collars and hemlines with scalloped edges.

But his minimalist sensibility remains with fluid architectural shapes, tiered overlays and cutouts at the shoulder that frame a part of the body that is usually covered.

And just when you think Azrouël may be edging toward a "too girly" look, he throws a dove gray leather motorcycle jacket over a lace panel dress for maximum effect. Jumpsuits in guipure lace or abstract black-and-white florals and a lace jabot gown also get the mix between edgy and feminine just right.

Most front row guests were enthusiastic as the models came out, but one toddler, sitting on his photographer father's lap, squirmed as his dad attempted to hold him and take photos at the same time — with varying degrees of success.

Yigal Azrouel floral silk chiffon gown with framed front detail.

Courtesy of Yigal Azrouël

Yigal Azrouel floral silk chiffon gown with framed front detail.

NEW YORK — Michael Kors is a model magnet.

To launch his new Michael Kors Gold fragrance collection, the designer hosted a party at the Top of the Standard hotel Sunday night that attracted wall-to-wall models-of-the-moment, including Kate Upton, Constance Jablonski, Jacquelyn Jablonski, Nina Agdal, Lindsay Ellingson, Devon Windsor, Tao Okamoto, Karmen Pedaru, Alessandra Ambrosio and Amber LeBon. Her father, singer Simon LeBon and his band, Duran Duran, entertained the crowd with a mix of their greatest hits and their newly released album, Paper Gods.

Amid all the young models, Naomi Campbell slipped in practically unnoticed on the arm of famed fashion photographer Mario Testino.

Also on hand were starlets Camilla Belle, Hailey Steinfeld, Halston Sage and Jaime King.

But Upton attracted the most attention in a Michael Kors black and suntan embroidered racerback dress with black sandals and clutch.

Kate Upton and Michael Kors.

Photo by Getty Images for Michael Kors

Kate Upton and Michael Kors.

NEW YORK — It pays to have connections.

As vice president of the board of trustees at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Pamella Roland was able to secure the coveted venue for the first-ever fashion show held at the new Renzo Piano-designed building that is the talk of the town.

It merged Roland's love for fashion and art with a spring collection inspired by the legendary Frank Stella (a retrospective of the artist's work opens at the Whitney next month) with high-tech panache.

Noting that Stella used unorthodox materials in his paintings, Roland incorporates such unusual fabrics as PVC Nebula lace, reflective taffeta, LED fibers and plexiglass beading into her dressed-up designs. The opening look, a strapless silk ivory gown, gets a futuristic sheen with an organza LED shrug. Satin coats and shift dresses look almost 3-dimensional with intricate pearl beading and plexi designs.

Roland also utilized the origami pattern she is known for in gowns and dresses, creating striking color combinations of red and pink, citron and mint, or orange and pink. And a silver strapless sequined jumpsuit is a real sparkler.

At the end of the show, which attracted celebrity guests Mary J. Blige and Fashion Police panelist Brad Goreski, a wall lifted to showcase the models in a tableau lit with colors from the collection. It, indeed, looked like a piece of fine art.

In Houston, Roland is carried exclusively at Elizabeth Anthony.

The finale of the Pamella Roland runway show at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Photo courtesy of Pamella Roland

The finale of the Pamella Roland runway show at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Midtown is already home to a vibrant mix of Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine. Whether it's fusion sushi at The Fish, Japanese-style barbecue at Gyu-Kaku, Texas-influenced Japanese bar food at recently opened Izakaya or more traditional Vietnamese fare at places like Thien An, Les Givrals and Cali Sandwich, diners can find something to suit almost any taste (and price point).

While that diversity does not currently include any Korean restaurants, that will soon change. Dosi owner An Vo tells CultureMap that he will soon bring a restaurant called Anju to the former West Gray Public House space. Just as Izakaya is named for a Japanese style of restaurant where the drinks and food have equal importance, the name "Anju" refers to a style of Korean food that's designed to be served with alcohol.

"We always wanted to be in Midtown," Vo says. "That was my first choice for Dosi. It was really crowded at the time . . . but more of a drinking crowd is where we want to be."

Renovations to the space have already begun, and Vo hopes to be open in November. If he hasn't received a liquor license by then, Anju will initially be BYOB. "We’ll be open late hours until 2 am." Vo says. "Definitely catering towards the Midtown crowd where people walk around."

Compared to Dosi, Anju "will be more of a casual, Korean eatery," Vo says. "As always, we’re going to have a little Southern flair to it. We will be focused on medium to full size entrees and sides." Anju will serve dishes like large format bibimbap, Korean chicken and waffles and whole fish sourced from local purveyor Frixos Chrisinis, according to Vo. Like Dosi, prices will run between $8 and $16 with some larger items like Korean pork shoulder (bo ssam) sold by the pound. Anju will feature a selection of soju, but it won't offer as many infused varieties as Dosi does.

The success of both Dosi and Dak & Bop suggests Houstonians will embrace modern Korean restaurants that appeal to the local palate and offer affordable prices. If Anju delivers on Vo's intentions for it, the restaurant will bring some additional diversity to Midtown's exploding dining scene and give residents another fun, drinks-oriented option.

"Black-tie energy" can often seem an oxymoron. But Saturday night's Houston Symphony season opener and black-tie dinner obliterated any notion of sleepy formal evenings. The party popped from the moment that Andrés Orozco-Estrada took the podium in Jones Hall and continued with an out-of-the-gate fervor throughout the late-night dinner at The Corinthian.

Surely, the stirring musical program contributed as did the soaring talents of guest artist violinist Joshua Bell. The swell mix of guests, well beyond the coterie of the symphony's most ardent supporters, ignited a further spark. And then there was the honoree — the much-beloved philanthropist Margaret Alkek Williams, her 80th birthday celebration continuing and inspiring a record evening.

The Corinthian overflowed with the largest attendance ever for the opening night dinner — more than 660 guests. They helped raise another record — more than $800,000, that super figure due in part to generous gifts from Kristina and Paul Somerville and Joella and Steve Mach, Houston Symphony Society president.

The symphony had its own gift for the birthday girl — the full orchestra performing "Happy Birthday" while the Jones Hall entourage joined the chorus. It was her hour again at The Corinthian, where she was honored with a champagne toast, the entire room raising their glasses in salute.

Applause, applause for chair Janet F. Clark, recently retired CFO of Marathon Oil and chair of the symphony board's strategic planning, for honorary chair Vicki West and for David Wuthrich, gala underwriting chair.

Icing on the cake of the glorious evening was provided by Bergner and Johnson which decorated the striking hall in shades of purple, green and fuschia; the multi-course dinner which concluded with a divine Sacher torte (in Margaret's honor and worth every calorie) from Jackson and Co.; and dance tunes from the Richard Brown Orchestra.

There were so many notables in the crowd that it's difficult to name a few but here we go: Linda and Gene Dewhurst, Betty and Jesse Tutor, Jana and Scotty Arnoldy, Cora Sue and Harry Mach, Sydney and Don Faust, Linda Chin and Dr. Ron DePinho, Ralph Burch, Nancy and Bob Peiser, Ellie and Michael Francisco, Amy and Jim Lee, Beth Madison and Catherine and Andrew Kaldis.

Special guests on this evening were Magarita and Hans Graf, the symphony's longest tenured music director, back in Houston for a week of what he described as "fun and friends."

David Wuthrich, Margaret Alkek Williams, Vicki West, Janet F. Clark.

Photo by Wilson Parish

David Wuthrich, Margaret Alkek Williams, Vicki West, Janet F. Clark.