Fashion Houston Finale: Bling, Menswear, Ocean Blues and Visions of Marfa

Lebanese designer- Rami Salamoun introduced his collection of luxurious couture evening wear for men and women. Gowns were heavy in beading and sparkle, as were the detailing in the mens suits and tuxedos. The gorgeous gowns basically wore the models, in the fact that there were lines that curved and hugged the body in the right places, while tastefully showing just the right amount of skin. The finale was a man wearing what seemed to be traditional Middle Eastern garb, with the highlight being the large cape, bearing the Lebanese flag, which sparkled under the spotlights.

Miami-based menswear designer Fabrice Tardieu launched his namesake brand in 2013. He is known for blending classic street style with couture structuring. He gathers much of his inspiration through the street style culture of Wynwood Arts District in Miami. That Wynwood flair showed in his Spring/Summer 2015 collection, through the form of floral printed blazers, textured leather jackets, Ben Franklin screen-printed tees and red and black track pants with tapered legs. Thanks to Tardieu, men have a fresh outlet for letting their creative styling juices flow.

Local Houston designer- Amir Taghi joined us once again for the final night of FH5. This time, we had a chance to peek into two collections- one that was available for immediate buying and the other that was available for pre-order for Spring. For Fall, Amir looked to Iran’s past and present. “The past is known for intricate patterns and designs, but the present is known for the dictatorship ruling the country at this point in time. My job was to show the struggle of the ancient and the modern,” he explained. However, for Spring, he was inspired by Bianca Jagger and Carine Roitfeld- two powerful women were are fierce, bold and empowered. Overall, the collections were minimal in shape, yet compelling when it came to a small detail. I must say that I enjoyed the Fall collection a tad better, as I was a fan of the pop of red against a nude, print or light pink. I loved the draped bow in the back of a strapless nude dress. It was somewhat awkward…yet….somehow, it just WORKED. Then there were two more looks, an exaggerated off-the-shoulder light pink top paired with a red pencil skirt, a printed top with red maxi skirt that were my favorites as well. So simple…and yet dramatically good. The Spring collection was lovely, with a pastel palette and wearable separates. I appreciated the cigarette pants and halter tops with quirky embellished collars. The Spring/Summer 2015 collection is currently available for pre-order here.

New York City luxury ready-to-wear and jewelry designer- Valentina Kova presented her Spring 2015 collection- “Aequorea,” which was mainly inspired by her love of the sea, scuba diving and surfing. The color palette was rich with a mix of dark and pastel hues, hinting at the marvelous colors of the sea and the kaleidoscopic creatures that reside in it. The looks were breezy and could take one from a day at the beach to a night on the town. Valentina is also known for intertwining masculine with feminine, which was evident in the finely tailored jackets and trench coats. The fluidity of the chiffon and silk blouses and slip-like dresses were inspired by jellyfish. She also sent out a bodysuit tucked under a flowy silk trench coat that resembled a scuba suit. I feel that Valentina captured the essence of the sea beautifully through fashion.

Last but certainly not least, Houston designer David Peck‘s impeccable collection took to the runway. This Fall/Winter Resort season, he was inspired by a road trip to his hometown of Santa Fe, NM last Fall. He also went to Roswell, Taos and Marfa. He designed prints that were inspired by those cities, as well as the colors and textures that reside in the area. There was one notable print he used, a picture of a vintage trailer parked in a desert landscape; he explained to me that he took that print from a photograph he took while at the El Cosmico Hotel in Marfa. The collection featured his signature easy separates, finely-tuned career wear, stunning cocktail and eveningwear and lastly- the debut of his faux-fur vest collection. David additionally added statement accessories, such as handwoven clutches, belts and jewelry- all bearing resemblance to the Southwest. Just when you thought the presentation was over, there was one surprise after another. There was one segment when the models marched down the runway in two versions of David’s faux fur vests. Just when you thought, ‘oh this can’t get any better…’ well my friend, it does. The light dimmed and we were mesmerized by dancers from the Houston Ballet. The finale of the show had models mixed with the dancers, who were sporting exotic masquerade masks. Congrats to another successful collection David! I want one of everything in my closet… please… and thank you!