WILL HOUSTON EVERBE A FASHION CENTER?

WHO IS FGIHow We Be gan

The Beauty OF THE

BUSINESS CARD

Creating STYLE DESIGN TIPS FOR YOUR HOMEWith Bookcase Treatments

THE QUARTERLY MEMBER NEWSLETTER OF THE FASHION GROUP INTERNATIONAL OF HOUSTON, INC.

WWW.FGIHOUSTON.ORG | ISSUE 1 | SUMMER 2010

on the coverModel: Phoenix from Neal Hamil Agency in Zac PosenLocation: Shot at Neiman Marcus Houston Galleria Fashion Editor: Andrea Bonner Hair & Make Up: Tree Vaello Photographer: Collin Kelly Fashion Contributors: Neomi Cortez and Alyssa Kilpatrick of Neiman Marcus Houston Galleria

H O U S T O NHAUTE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAndrea Bonner

CREATIVE DIRECTORGrace Jin

PHOTOGRAPHERCollin Kelly

WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORSAndrea Bonner, Jeanette Coon, Susan Fruit, Josephine Gough, Clifford Pugh and Tree Vaello

© 2010 HAUTE Houston Newsletter. All Rights Reserved. No part of our online or printed newsletter may be

scanned or reproduced.

WWW.FGIHOUSTON.ORGFor FGI Houston news, resources,

events, jobs, and internships, visit us online at FGIHouston.org. We are

located at 3701 W. Alabama, Suite 390 Houston, TX 77027.

PHOTO & ARTICLE SUBMISSIONSandrea@hautehouston.org

FEEDBACKYour input is important to us. Email

at andrea@hautehouston.org

ONLINE PUBLICATIONAvailable at hautehouston.org

Printed by Alliance.

HAUTE HOUSTON2

BOARD OF DIRECTORS20 10BOARD OF DIRECTORS20 10BOARD OF DIRECTORS

HOUSTON REGION

Regional Director – Josephine Gough, UZOTreasurer - Susan Silverman, The Gayla Bentley Fashion Design GroupSecretary - Kara Times, Dillard’sMembership Director - Judy Gulgun, Convergence MarketingAmbassador Director – Holly Thompson, Cleary ThompsonStudent/Affiliate Membership Director – Dr. Alyssa Adomaitis, University of HoustonProgram Director - Alexia Johnson, Savvy Consulting & EventsMarketing Director - Maude Peters, Stage Stores, Inc.Home Director - Susan Fruit, Susan Fruit InteriorsCreative Director - Grace Jin, Grace Jin DesignsNewsletter Director/Haute Houston Editor-in-Chief - Andrea Bonner, Style On Demand

FOUNDATION - HOUSTON REGION

NEW YORK

featuresWill Houston Ever Be a Fashion Center? By Clifford Pugh

The Beauty of the Business Card By Tree Vaello

Creating Style with Bookcase TreatmentsBy Susan Fruit

How We BeganBy Jeanette Coon

inaugural issueWelcome to the inaugural issue of

Haute Houston. Haute Houston

will be published five times a year

– Winter (January), Spring (April),

Summer (July), Fall (October) and

Holiday (December).

contents

sponsors

Board of Directors

Letter from the Regional Director

Letter from the Newsletter Editor

Local Events

HAUTE Member Spotlight

New Membership List

Members On The Move

FGI Houston Events

FGI Calendar of Events

Career Day

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President - Jeff Shell, Neal Hamil AgencySecretary - Carla Kay, Personal StyleTreasurer - Kara Times, Dillard’sBoard Member - Susan Silverman, The Gayla Bentley Fashion Design GroupBoard Member - Dr. Alyssa Adomaitis, University of Houston

President - Margaret Hayes, The Fashion Group International, Inc.Chairman - Emilie Jackson, Wathne Ltd. Secretary - Charla Lawhon, InStyle Magazine. Pamela Gill Alabaster, L’Oreal USA, Inc.Sally Haigh Alex, Avon ProductsJoe Boitano, Saks Fifth AvenueNancy Berger Cardone, Gourmet MagazineKathryn Cordes, Deloitte Touche TohmatsuJames D’Adamo, Hearst Intergrated MediaMary Ann Domuracki, Financo Inc.Susan C. Glick, Merchandise Mart PropertiesKate Green, GivaudanMerle Sloss, Geoffrey Beene, Inc.Robin Lewis, Robin Lewis Inc. Jaqui Lividini, Lividini Weisenfeld Partners Donald J. Loftus, P&G Prestige Products Inc.Roseanne Morrison, Doneger Group Deborah Patton, Applied BrillianceJane Randel, Liz ClaiborneDenise SeegalBari Seiden, The Estee Lauder CompaniesAudrey Smaltz, The Ground Crew Cynthia Steffe, Cynthia Steffe, Inc.Karen Young, The Young Group

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ISSUE 1, SUMMER 2010

HAUTE HOUSTON4

Haute Houston kicks off our 2010 FGI Houston Brand Re-Launch Campaign! Now, and throughout the year, learn how FGI Houston can help you and your business, and how you can help the organization and the fashion industry in Houston. Now is the time to get involved:

Haute Houston: The Quarterly Newsletter of FGI Houston provides the opportunity for members and their businesses to be highlighted.

Business 2 Business: The B2B Program allows members of FGI Houston to provide exclusive discounts to fellow members, providing opportunities to both.

Committee involvement: As a member of FGI Houston, you can participate in as many committees as you would like.

Member Hotline: All members can call the FGI Houston Member Hotline at 832-3056-FGI, to ask any questions. Let us help you create connections, locate resources, and get you involved!

Weekly Bulletin: All members have the opportunity to send announcements about their businesses to our FGI Houston database through our weekly bulletin.

Member directory: All members are assigned a login and password to access an up-to-date FGI Houston member directory online. Create a printable view, or export it to Excel!

Website Presence: Let FGI Houston put your business logo and contact information with a link on our website in exchange for a link to FGI Houston on yours!

social Media Highlights: FGI Houston wants to highlight all members and their businesses on our social media pages!

Local Job Bank: Do you have a job to post? Are you looking for a job? Need an intern? Let FGI Houston put the job posting on our website.

Member sponsorship rates: As a member, you can participate in the FGI Houston sponsorship program at discounted rates!

Please visit the FGI Houston website at www.fgihouston.org for more details on each of these programs. There will be more FGI Houston excitement to come throughout the year, from the exclusive 60th Anniversary Soiree to the Rising Star Gala in November!

I look forward to working with each of you!

With Warmest Regards,

Josephine Gough, Regional Director, FGI Houston

letter from your regional directorOn behalf of the 2010 Board of Directors and myself, I would like to present you the inaugural issue of Haute Houston, The Quarterly Newsletter of The Fashion Group International of Houston, Inc.

In order to uphold the mission of The Fashion Group International of Houston, Inc. (FGI Houston), which is to be the preeminent authority on the business of fashion and design and to help its members become more effective in their careers, FGI Houston will constantly strive to provide the greatest benefits to its members.

It is indeed an honor and a privilege to welcome you to the inaugural issue of HAUTE HOUSTON – the quarterly newsletter of Fashion Group International of Houston, Inc. Our goal within FGI Houston is to be the preeminent authority on all things related to the industries that we represent – fashion, home and beauty. As we seek to inform and inspire you, we hope that the information in these pages will serve to do just that, and also provide a valuable resource that will help you market, develop and enhance your role within your respective businesses. I would be remiss if I did not thank those that helped to bring Haute Houston to being. Josephine Gough, Regional Director, FGI Houston – your vision for the future of our organization is profound and we look forward to the many wonderful things that are in store for us. Grace Jin, Creative Director, FGI Houston – your creative eye and phenomenal artistic abilities are unparalleled, and we are excited to have you on the team! Jeff Shell with the Neal Hamil Agency and Stacey Swift of Neiman Marcus – thank you for providing our beautiful cover model and cover shoot venue respectively. It is because of the dedication and generosity of members like you that we are able to do what we do. To our

contributors – Susan Fruit for home, Clifford Pugh for fashion and Tree Vaello for beauty - thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to provide such valuable information for our inaugural issue. Jeanette Coon, Immediate, Past Regional Director of FGI Houston – thank you for believing in me as a new member and allowing me an opportunity to work with such a great group of individuals. And last, but certainly not least – a special thank you to YOU – our FGI Houston membership for your support, your talents and your creative energy. It is because of you that we do what we do and we seek to serve you well.

In order to continue to provide you with a quality newsletter, let us hear from you! If there is something that you want to see, a local event that you want us to report on, an accolade that you’ve received, something exciting that your business is doing, or general comments – send them our way. We’d love to hear from you!

Andrea L. Bonner, Editor-in-Chief Haute Houston

letter from the editor

5ISSUE 1, SUMMER 2010

F g I H o U S T o n

WWW.FgIHoUSTon.oRg

HAUTE HOUSTON6

Everyone thinks of Houston as the energy capital of the world, but when it comes to more creative businesses like film and fashion, we’re on hardly anyone’s radar screen.

Just the other day, when a representative for an Italian fabric manufacturer called on David Hamilton, co-owner of Houston’s Hamilton Shirts, the first thing he asked Hamilton about was the ‘80s TV show, Dallas.

OLd stErEOtyPEs die hard, it seems.

Such a low-profile stature is really a shame because the Bayou City has an abundance of fashion entrepreneurs who have been phenomenally successful by staying close to home:• Janet Gurwitch propelled Laura Mercier to top status in the high-end

cosmetics industry from a warehouse in Stafford.• For four generations, the Hamilton family has made high-quality men’s

shirts for high-end stores like Barneys New York from a Richmond Avenue storefront.

• Elaine Turner has built a thriving accessories business from a Rice Village location.

• PaperCity style editor Laurann Claridge has found a niche in creating Claridge + King, a women’s line of shirtwear with men’s detailing.

• Former Carolina Herrera executive Greg Fourticq recently returned home to bankroll a children’s clothing line, Moo Boo.

• And Project Runway winner Chloe Dao has created a popular clothing line from her Lot 8 boutique.

WHO knEW there was so much fashion talent in Houston?

I was fortunate to sit on a panel with these entrepreneurs (except for Dao, who was called away on short notice for a QVC appearance) and fashion icon Lynn Wyatt at a seminar designed to boost the idea of Houston as a fashion center. (Wyatt brought down the house when someone asked her about her fashion style and she responded, “Class with a little bit of dash, but never trash.”)

George Marshall Worthington, past president of the MBA Council of Houston, organized the seminar because he believes in order to thrive and continue to grow, Houston has got to attract the “creative class” of young entrepreneurs who will make things happen in areas that the city is not traditionally known for.

“Obviously, this city has some significant industries — energy, aerospace, biotechnology — but it also has an extraordinary amount of creative assets,” Worthington said. “Fashion is about glamour, but it’s also a very serious business.”

Big d’s FasHiOn rULE

While Dallas is generally recognized as the center of fashion in the southwest United States, the panel believes the Bayou City can and should be the focal point of such activity. Houston is a major center of entrepreneurship and most fashion designers are, first and foremost, entrepreneurs. But they need a boost from venture capitalists and city officials to reach critical mass. Worthington favors an investment fund to support promising filmmakers and designers who work in Houston.

“Right now most venture capitalists concentrate on Houston’s most recognized industries. There needs to be a new mechanism to bring investors with these entrepreneurs,” Worthington said. “It should be on the economic agenda.”

Neal Hamil, who recently relocated to Houston after a stellar career as a top executive at two of New York’s major modeling agencies, believes that Houston has all the components to be a fashion center.

“You can fly non-stop to Houston from practically anywhere in the world and the cost of doing business and the cost of living is so reasonable here that Houston is the bargain of bargains,” Hamil said. “There’s an enormous workforce available and there is no shortage of visionary and creative talent and finance/investment resources.

“Houston has the existing buildings to house factories and warehouses, and shipping and distribution is a snap with the airports and the Houston Ship Channel. It’s all here.”

Will Houston ever be a fashion center? Here are some ideas to make it happen. By Clifford PugH – Editor-in-CHiEf – [Culturemap.com]

Will Houston ever be a fashion center? Here are some ideas to make it happen. By Clifford PugH – Editor-in-CHiEf – [Culturemap.com]

But it will take someone with a vision and a gambling spirit to make it happen. Hamil recently attended a memorial service for Dallas modeling agency titan Kim Dawson, where developer Trammel Crow’s daughter talked about how Dawson and Crow mapped out plans for a regional apparel marketplace with little more than faith that “if we build it, they will come.”

The Dallas Apparel Mart became a major factor in that city’s rise to becoming a fashion center.

“Houston has many Trammel Crow’s and fashion-savvy people to make this kind of thing happen. We should, as with film and TV production, create some very competitive tax and business incentives and go out and sell this young, fabulous, exciting city of ours to the world as the next place to create, manufacture and market fashion,” Hamil said.

FasHiOn FOOt FOrWard

One encouraging sign that more locals are taking fashion seriously: The first-ever Houston Fashion Week is planned for October, with a salute to fashion agency icon Eileen Ford and other special activities that, if done right, will draw national attention. Officials have landed a major sponsor, Audi, for the three-day event at the Wortham Theater Center and other Houston locations.

Another obvious way to build a fashion community: Highlight the Houston Community College Fashion and Design Program — it’s a great incubator of young fashion talent.

And wouldn’t be nice if someone revived the Costume Institute at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston or other museum?

It was once a thriving part of the MFAH, with a lavish annual gala where the “Silver Slipper” award was bestowed upon such fashion luminaries as Karl Lagerfeld, Judith Leiber and Geoffrey Beene. (Lagerfeld made headlines in 1987 when he cancelled his appearance because his flight was rescheduled and he would have had to change clothes in an airport to get to the event on time. “I very much like the people in Houston, but I will not change in the pee-pee room of the Atlanta airport,” he said.)

Designer Arend Basil, who recently relocated his couture clothing line, Arend, from New York to Houston, believes the city could start by doing something as simple as placing promotional banners touting Houston’s design prowess on poles in major shopping areas, like Highland Village, Uptown Park, River Oaks Shopping Center and the Galleria.

Hamilton, who manufactures all of his shirts locally, believes that Houston should concentrate on the manufacturing aspect of the fashion business.

“What Houston does well is make things. We put a man on the moon and built the Astrodome. If Houston has a future in fashion, it will likely be in manufacturing,” he said. But politicians must be willing to tackle immigration issues first, he believes.

While most designers who want to make it big eventually need a showroom in New York because that’s where most sales are made, they can easily work out of Houston, says designer Cesar Galindo, who is spearheading the first Houston Fashion Week. The Houston native moved to New York two decades ago to hone his craft as a fashion designer, but he doesn’t rule out a permanent return to the Bayou City in the near future.

“When it comes down to dollars and cents, Houston is a very powerful place,” Galindo said. “Women buy clothes here.”

Houston can be a good base, Turner agreed. She started her accessory line in Houston, expanded to Dallas, and now has a showroom in New York.

“Texas is bigger than many countries,” Turner told the audience. “It’s a wonderful place to start.”

Source:http://www.culturemap.com/newsdetail/05-17-10-will-houston-ever-be-a-fashion-center-ideas-to-make-it-happen/

The Paper Runway June 5 – September 4, 2010 Houston Center for Contemporary Craft 4848 Main Street 713-529-4848 www.crafthouston.org

The Paper Runway is a juried exhibition of nearly 50 stunning works of paper clothing and accessories by artists from the U.S. and around the world. Featuring everything from handcrafted evening gowns to men’s vests, jewelry made from magazine pages, and a suit made from lottery tickets, each garment-inspired artwork is created from different types of paper. Materials range from recycled cotton rags and coffee filters to various handmade papers, created from fibers like abaca (banana leaf) and kozo (mulberry bark). The featured works encompass a dazzling array of patterns, textures, colors and exquisite detail. Some pieces would look right at home on the couture runways of Paris; others are inspired by the wild beauty of nature. Some pieces are whimsical and innovative, and others have a deeply personal story to tell. You’ve never seen fashion quite like this! Third Thursday at Decorative Center Houston 5120 Woodway www.decorativecenter.com

Decorative Center Houston presents “Third Thursday Series” every Third Thursday of each month excluding November. Visit different showrooms each month for a series of lectures by leading designers, editors, and industry experts covering a variety of topics, focusing on current issues, trends and materials, in addition to marketing and publicity tips and resources specific to the design industry. This program is a great opportunity to stay on top of design trends and network, as well as staying informed on the latest products and lines our showrooms have to offer.

For more information, please call 713-961-9292 x1312 Manolo Blahnik Personal Appearance September 29, 2010 Neiman Marcus Galleria 713-621-7100 Audi Presents Fashion Houston 2010 October 11 – October 15, 2010 Wortham Center – Houston, Texas www.fashionhouston.net 713-253-4883

The inaugural Fashion Houston 2010, presented by Audi, Truth in Engineering, premiers in the magical, beautiful, and charming Bayou City. The event will feature men and women’s ready to wear and couture collections from well known designers, such as Cesar Galindo, Christian Siriano, Chloe Dao, Marc Bouwer, Lauren Bush, David Peck and Kiton-Men’s Collection-Milan Italy (presented by Saks 5th Avenue), to name a few.

7ISSUE 1, SUMMER 2010

local events

The Beauty of the Business Card by Tree Vaello

Economic times call for economic measures! Of all of the business cards that I have received, the beauty industry cards are the most artistically competitive.

Hairdresser’s use fancy scissor logo’s, make-up artist’s use exotic pictures with exquisitely made-up models, wardrobe stylist’s use a classic shoe-of-choice, and nail techs might have a beautiful hand posed so perfectly. Here are some points to put into perspective when styling your card. Keep in mind however that there is a lot more to a business card than just an adorable logo.

By improving the quality of your business card, you leave behind a better perception of yourself with potential clients. If you are using an image, you should only use photos taken by a professional photographer. In the beauty as well as other industries, this will set you apart from the competition, as the finished product will be a cut above the rest. You might ask yourself if this really matters and the answer is an astounding “YES… it matters”. Everyone will notice the finished product and know that from that initial interaction that you mean business.

If you choose to put a headshot of yourself on your card, be sure that you have every detail prepared. Do a trial run of your hair

and make-up to be sure you are going for the correct look. If you are using a model, be sure the model is appropriate for the message that you want to send.

The card stock that you choose should represent your business style. The general rule is to go with the highest quality that you can afford. Those in the beauty industry can have fun with this since they tend to be a bit more showy! The perception is that the better the quality of your card stock, the better your business is doing and we all know that perception is reality. I was once told by Arnold Schwarzenegger that “A person does not want reminders of mediocrity, they want excellence”. If you can apply that concept to the fine details, your calling card can take you to new heights.

Make wise use of the back side of the card. If you want to compete hardball style in today’s economy, list your rates on the back of your card. This one tip can give you an edge over your competition. Clients love to know numbers before they book you. If they have to call you to find out your rates, they might run across a competitor who already has their rates listed. This can be a deal-breaker and lose you a client if the competitor’s rates are within the client’s budget!

Happy calling card updating!

{ }The better the quality of your card stock, the better your business is doing, and we all know that perception is reality.

BeBeBeA GUESTcontributor

HAUTE Houston is looking

for members to be guest

correspondents to write

fashion, home and beauty

related articles each quarter. If

you or a member you know is

interested, please email us at:

andrea@hautehouston.org

HAUTE HOUSTON8

A bookcase is an important focal point in one’s home and so should be well designed and properly accessorized. As much thought should go into the design and detailing of the

bookcase itself as goes into selecting a piece of furniture. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Instead, many bookcases are stuffed with “odds and ends” that no one knows what to do with. Over time they are forgotten about and before long, what could have been a lovely feature in one’s room becomes a cluttered eyesore.

Let’s discuss the right way to work with a bookcase. Before you begin arranging items in its interior, you need to get the design of the bookcase unit right. Look at the furniture, walls, flooring and windows around the bookcase. Are these elements casual, dressy or eclectic? What is the color scheme and design theme of the room? The books and accessories you put in your bookcase should reflect the theme of your room. Edit out all items that do not “go” with your room’s design scheme.

CREATING STYLE with Bookcase Treatments by Susan Fruit, Home Director

Notice the casual simplicity of the worn books and the few accessories nestled among them in the bookcase. The design of this bookcase is very simple. Its clean lines wrap around the window and include it as part of the design. The casual shade in the window is also very simple. Its white linen fabric ties in with the white cotton duck fabric on the chair, and the tan banding ties in with the tan window seat fabrics and the surrounding wall color. See how beautifully all these design elements are repeated and coordinated. With the large comfortable chair and ottoman in front of the bookcase for reading or snoozing and the preponderance of natural light streaming in the windows, all the books and accessories on the shelves “pop out” and make the room look warm and cozy. With the two bird houses, the beach scene picture and the two white pitchers and flowers on the side table, one can imagine that this is a corner of a room in a lake house. How relaxing.

Here we see a more formal interior. The bookcase goes all the way to the ceiling, becoming one with the architecture of the room. Look how dramatic this recessed bookcase looks next to the beautiful European style French doors with arched transom. The shelves are trimmed with molding and flanking the sides of the bookcase are antique carved wood pilasters for decorative accent. The well planned design of this simple yet sophisticated bookcase unit creates a perfect niche for the homeowner’s antique book collection interspersed with decorative accessories brought back from buying trips abroad. Because of the European styling of this room, notice how formally arranged the books and accessories are in this bookcase. An antique carved wood bench is the perfect choice for an accenting anchor piece in front of the bookcase, its white fabric coordinating beautifully with the white bookcase accessories.

For our last example, notice how the scrubbed pine doors combined with antique door hardware are the distinctive feature of this eclectic furniture piece. The base cabinet of this bookcase has a complimenting washed/worn grey finish accented by a dark stained ledge dividing its display top from the base cabinet. Notice that there are no books in the bookcase, only grey toned iron items, natural sea shells and mottled green/blue glass bottles. This gives a unique, ethereal feel to the piece and the room. The simple pine door frames are further emphasized by the scrubbed pine trestle table, both of which blend harmoniously with the natural travertine floor. The crisp white of the chair fabric and table accessories accent the surrounding neutral colors and help make this eclectic vignette fresh and sophisticated.

9ISSUE 1, SUMMER 2010

HAUTE HOUSTON10

HAUTE member spotlightJudy Gulgun

Would you like to nominate someone to

be featured in our next member spotlight?

Email us at andrea@hautehouston.org NominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateNominateWould you like to nominate someone to NominateWould you like to nominate someone to

be featured in our next member spotlight? Nominatebe featured in our next member spotlight?

Email us at Nominate

Email us at

NominateSOMEONE TO BE FEATURED

Judy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy GulgunJudy Gulgun Speaking of stats, here are a few of Judy’s: Years in Fashion: 20+

Years in FGI: 7

Degree: 2 degrees - B.S. Fashion Merchandising & Marketing and Apparel Production, Philadelphia University; Fashion Design studies at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London.

Industry Experience: Swimwear designer, sportswear designer, print stylist, product developer, merchandiser, buyer, retail manager, merchandise manager, fashion PR. I’ve worn so many hats, I could be a milliner!

I’ve worked about half-n-half – 10+ years each in the retail and manufacturing industries, with some overlap, transitioning from the creative side to the numbers-focused side of running a business.

Current Position: Contract Merchandiser/Training Team Leader seeking a full-time opportunity. Let’s talk!

Latest Accomplishments: GHWCC Ambassador of the Year, ABWA 2010 Woman of the Year Award, Recognition by Governor Perry at the Houston Area Women of Honor Luncheon, Fort Bend Mayoral Proclamation

Career Milestones: Full-page editorial press coverage in Women’s Wear Daily, my designs showcased in Macy’s Herald Square New York windows, photo shoots with Stephanie Seymour & Claudia Schiffer donning my designs, opportunity to design swimwear in the Middle East for export to Europe, entry into the Paris Couture Runway Shows, VIP status at the Vegas Palms poolside show of Nicky Hilton’s designs with Paris, DJ AM & the Hilton family nearby, meeting Tim Gunn and the fabulous people who make this industry so exciting.

Where Fashion has Taken Me: I’m a fashion gypsy. Lucky enough to visit Paris, New York, L.A., Munich, Barcelona, Milan, Monte Carlo and Capri in my fashion ventures. I’ve resided in San Diego, Istanbul, London, and Athens – just to name a few of the many amazing haute spots.

Why Houston: Houston has a plethora of entrepreneurs. I supported local design talent via trunk shows, consignments and gift markets during my 8-year tenure as Merchandise Manager at The Houstonian Hotel. Houston IS Haute!

Worst Fashion Faux-Pas: Sporting a Bain de Soleil St. Tropez bronze tan, reminiscent of my summers in the Greek isles.

Worst Faults: Perfectionism (i.e. my categorized & colorized closet). Facebook voyeurism. Writing with lots of exclamations!

Indulgences: Canopy, Tiny Boxwood’s, Glee, Sex & the City 2, Ceviche, Mojitos, Spa Pedi’s, Hot Stone Massages, Retail Therapy

Inspirations: Montrose galleries, Angelika films, weekend escapes, festivals & farmer’s markets, beaches, Venice, Santa Fe, New York

Interests: International travel, sailing, wining & dining with great company – preferably all together!

In each issue of Haute Houston, we want to shine the white hot spotlight on one of our awesome members. For our first issue, we chose none

other than Judy Gulgun, the current Regional Membership Director of FGI Houston. She was the winner of our “Name the

Newsletter” contest and we are excited to introduce you to her. Judy, along with the

fabulous Houston membership team, has worked diligently to increase new memberships by 30% from 2009.

ISSUE 1, SUMMER 2010 11

new members

2010 nEW MEMBErs

kairy-tatE BarkLEy | French Cuff BoutiqueOwnerHouston, TX | Executive Member

sandra CaLLOWay | Gemini GraphicsRetail Buyer/Sales Manager Houston, TX | Executive Member

MEri COOnEy | Klein ISD, Family & Consumer ScienceFashion Design TeacherSpring, TX | Executive Member

LaQUitta daVis | Q’s CollectionsBoutique OwnerSpring, TX | Associate Member

saMEEra Faridi | Poshak Fashion & StyleFormal/Bridal DesignerHouston, TX | Executive Member

JOan FLUkE | Stage StoresDivisional VP Misses SportswearHouston, TX | Executive Member

kEsLEr titUs FrEtty | Titus Collection CEO/DesignerHouston, TX | Executive Member

PaigE giLL | Stage StoresDivisional VP Fine Jewelry/ Fashion Jewelry/AccessoriesHouston, TX | Executive Member MELissa grEggs | Jenise Gregg CoutureOwner/DesignerHouston, TX | Associate Member

stEVEn gUtHriE | 4TH Ward.netOwner/DesignerHouston, TX | Executive Member

LakEisHa HarrELL | Macy’sSalesHouston, TX | Associate Member

graCE Jin | Executive Brand, LLCMarketing DirectorSugar Land, TX | Executive Member

aLEXia JOHnsOn | Savvy Consulting & EventsPrincipal & Managing DirectorHouston, TX | Executive Member

CHristinE JOHnsOn | Stage StoresSenior VP Fragrances/CosmeticsHouston, TX | Executive Member

sULtana kaZiM | SultanaEvening Wear DesignerHouston, TX | Executive Member

nHi LE | BCBG Max AzriaSales Webster, TX | Associate Member

tHy Mai | Tootsie’sBuying InternHouston, TX | Associate Member

WEndy MargraF | Art Institute of Houston NorthFashion Merchandising FacultyHouston, TX |Executive Member

rOnaLd OBMaCEs | UZO UmbrellasPresidentHouston, TX | Executive Member

JEssiCa OgdEn | Everything But WaterFit Specialist Houston, TX | Executive Member

daVid PECk | David Peck, LLCOwner/DesignerMagnolia, TX | Executive Member

karEn PELtZ | Stage Stores | Divisional VP Advertising Business OfficeHouston, TX | Executive Member

annEttE rEPasCH | Stage StoresSr. VP Misses/Plus-size Petites/Fine Jewelry/Fashion Jewelry/ Accessories/IntimatesHouston, TX | Executive Member siMran riHaL | Elan CoutureOwner/Design DirectorHouston, TX | Associate Member

Marina saBa | Impression BridalHead Designer-Simone CarvalliHouston, TX | Executive Member

JULiE stOUt | International Academy of Design & Technology - Online DivisionFashion Merchandising Program Chairperson Austin, TX |Executive Member

staCEy sWiFt | Neiman MarcusPublic Relations Houston, TX | Executive Member

nanCy tran | Prior Beauty Industry ExperienceFinancial AnalystHouston, TX | Associate Member

andrEa WaLkEr | Makeup by AndreaMakeup ArtistHouston, TX | Executive Member

tOni WHitE | G.V.B.S.ConsultingWardrobe ConsultantHouston, TX | Executive Member

WHitnEy WHitE | U Rocker DesignsOwner/Western Wear DesignerMissouri City, TX | Associate Member

Mary katHErinE yarBEr | Righteous Clothing LLC | PartnerHouston, TX | Executive Member

2010 nEW aFFiLiatE and stUdEnt MEMBErs

Brittany aLEXandEr Customer Service Brittany0924@gmail.comHouston, TX | Affiliate Member

artHi gUnasEELan MBA studentarthi.g9@gmail.com Houston, TX | Student Member

CarOLinE JOHnsOn BS in Fashion Merchandising from TSUcjohnson752@gmail.comSugar Land, TX | Affiliate Member

CHarLOttE JOHnsOn BS in Fashion Merchandising from TSUcharajohnson@gmail.comSugar Land, TX | Affiliate Member

The Fashion Group International of Houston, Inc. welcomes its 2010 New Members

HAUTE HOUSTON12

new members

HAUTE HOUSTON12

AnnouncementWe want to hearYOUR SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT

members on the move

KUDOS to FGI Board member, Kara Ellis Times for being selected as FGI’s Woman of Excellence honoree for the Federation of Houston Professional Women’s annual Women of Excellence Awards Gala. The event will be held on Saturday, September 11 at the Houston Hilton Post Oak. Kara serves as Secretary on the FGI Houston Board of Directors and Treasurer on The Fashion Group Foundation board. Kara has been employed with Dillard’s Department store as the Ladies Ready to Wear

Manager for seven years. Kara has experience as a judge and guest speaker on retail management and planning future career paths with high school and college students.

For more information regarding the Federation of Houston Professional Women’s, Women of Excellence Awards Gala, please contact Susan Silverman at susans@fgihouston.org

kara ELLis tiMEs

Congratulations

Susan Fruit ASID, FGI Houston Home Director, recently completed a video for submission to Oprah Winfrey for Oprah’s Talent Search Competition. The winner of the competition will determine who will be the next interior design TV star! Check out Susan’s video entitled, “Susan Fruit – America’s Interior Design Detective” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeUSecQ2efU .

Great job Susan!

sUsan FrUit

America’s Interior Design Detective

Houston’s own Elaine Turner is celebrating 10 years in business! To commemorate this historic event, they are launching Elaine Turner Vintage by bringing back two of their most popular and iconic styles; the Pamela Tote and the Alexandra Clutch. Both styles will be available in September 2010. Visit www.elaineturner.com for more information.

Elaine Turner is also featured in the July issue of InStyle magazine. If you haven’t already, pick up your copy today!

Have you received an award or

honor? Are you or is your business

doing something that we need to know

about? We’d love to hear from you!

Please send any special announcements

to andrea@hautehouston.org

tim gunn and andrea Bonner at tim gunn

Jeanette Coon at 2010 spring trends

Phoenix of neal Hamil and kristen allen at Haute

Houston Cover shoot

andrea Bonner and Josephine gough at Haute Houston Cover shoot

Panel discussion at Fashion Business Event

sultana kazim, Joe ringer and sara shaw at global Expansion

andrea Bonner, shandoline Johnson, raul razo, raza Hasan and dr. alyssa adomaitis at simon Blogger’s Preview

Lynn Wyatt and shandoline arline Johnson at Fashion Business Event

susan silverman and Jerry Mathis at 2010 spring trends

FGI HOUSTON EVENTS

Jane Hall, allen richel and gloria Pearson at

global Expansion

Haute Houston Cover shoot

Marina saba susan Bessire, Lou gregory, and dawn Linde at global Expansion

ISSUE 1, SUMMER 2010 13

JANUARY 20From Runway to Reality -

Spring/Summer 2010 Trends

MARCH 8Career Day

MAY 5The Business of Turning

Dreams Into RealityFeaturing Lynn Wyatt

JUNE 9Global Expansion Through Fashion

JULY 22Haute Houston Launch Party

AUGUST 17Fall 2010 Trends Event

AUGUSTInaugural Rising Star

Nominating Luncheon

SEPTEMBER Retail Revolution...Why They Buy

OCTOBER 60th Anniversary Member Soiree

NOVEMBER 10Rising Star Awards Gala

DECEMBER 2Annual Meeting & Holiday Party

Career Day photos courtesy of Michelle Cabigon

HAUTE HOUSTON14

2010O F E V E N T S

CAREER DAY

Calendar

Vivian andrus, todd ramos, Chloe dao and Heather McLeskey

intErEstEd inBEing an

intErn?

Who We AreThe Fashion Group International is a global, non-profit organization of dynamic professionals, men and women of achievement and influence in the all areas of fashion and design and design related industries, including apparel, accessories, beauty and home.

What We DoThe FGI mission is to be the preeminent authority on the business of fashion and design, and to help its members become more effective in their professional lives. FGI offers insights on major trends in person, on-line and in print, hosts programs and business symposiums, and provided access to industry leaders and peers.

FGI raises money to support a range of philanthropic causes that benefit and improve the Fashion and Lifestyle industries and our community.

As A MemberPublications: The International Membership Directory, an invaluable resource, lists all FGI members around the world. The Members’ Bulletin reports regularly on the latest trends and industry issues that help members market and manage their businesses while it updates readers on member related news. The Ready To Wear Trend Report publishes twice yearly, straight from the runway commentary.

Web site: The FGI online community includes comprehensive news, event information, fashion and business reports 24/7. Updated daily, the Members Only Fashion Access Network features member profiles, executive job banks, forums and more.

Region Events: Our industry events (retails trends, informational seminars, panels designed for decision makers and CEOs) keep you informed.

Our networking opportunities are limitless. Use our directory to maximize business trips by networking with potential clients, suppliers, and manufacturers among the FGI membership worldwide.

intErEstEd inBEing an

intErn?

HoW We BegAnFounded in the 1930s, Fashion Group International (FGI) was the first non-profit fashion organization established by and for women. Today the organization offers membership to men and women alike. Elizabeth Arden, Edna Woolman Chase, Lily Dache, Edith Head, Claire McCardell, Virginia Pope, Eleanor Roosevelt and Carmel Snow were among the founding members. These legendary figures left an indelible print on the American fashion landscape.

by Jeanette Coon

15ISSUE 1, SUMMER 2010

The FGI Houston internship program is designed to provide students and recent graduates with an opportunity to learn about the fashion, home and beauty industries of Houston.

There are currently three (3) Fall internship opportunities available for 2010. The complete bulletin can be viewed on FGI Houston’s Web site at www.fgihouston.org

If you or someone you know is interested, please contact the FGI Houston Operations Manager, Kristen Allen at Kristen@fgihouston.org for more information.

hauTe housToN16

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