A Houston Fashion Frenzy

Houstonians are busy preparing for Houston Fashion Week (HFW), one of the most exciting events of the year. Dubbed ”HoustonFW: The Experience” this year, it’s sure to showcase some of the most exciting looks in current fashion. The week’s entertainment lineup will include live music, dance shows, and the Rising Stars Competition.

HFW gives designers, models, and entertainers a platform to highlight their creativity and innovation on an international stage. HFW’s designer and executive producer, Danny Nguyen, believes that this year’s fashion week will be like no other.

“What makes Houston Fashion Week different this year is the epic scale and proportion of this year’s fashion experience,” says Nguyen. “The audiences should come expecting to be wowed! Not only do we have five days of runway shows with both national and international designers, but we also have five days of post-Fashion Week events and two days of post-post-Fashion Week events. That’s two weeks of fashion frenzy in the City of Houston, which is our intended goal.”

With diversity as one of HFW’s goals, designers showcasing their looks include Giannina Azar, a Dominican-Lebanese designer who is the official designer for Miss Dominican Republic. Erik Rosete is a high-end streetwear designer from Los Angeles who is known for his work with charities such as the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and his fashion line Mister Triple X. He has headlined major fashion weeks globally.

HFW creators believe representation in every form matters. Communications director Oscar Alfaro points out that diversity can even be seen by the event’s organizer, designer Danny Nguyen. “As a Vietnamese American designer,” states Alfaro, “Danny’s leadership is a great reflection of HFW’s inclusivity and representation, in that it mirrors the diversity of our great city and the strength of our fashion community.”

One of the most exciting aspects of HFW is the Rising Stars Competition, a celebration of up-and-coming designers that showcases some of the nation’s most talented young designers. HFW provides these designers with mentorship and opportunities to network with industry professionals. The competition will be evaluated by a panel of esteemed industry experts, and the highlight is the grand prize: a chance to present at New York Fashion Week—an invaluable opportunity for a young designer.

But it isn’t just the multiple fashion shows and the Rising Stars Competition that make HFW noteworthy. The Welcome Party and shopping opportunities will be open to the public, and throughout the week there will be dinners, meet-and-greets, and after parties. One of the week’s special events will be happening on Sunday, June 9, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Montrose nightclub South Beach, which is partnering with HFW to host the Sunday Brunch Experience as part of the official platform of events. Featured guest Erik Rosette will be there to meet and greet the LGBTQ community. This event will also include a Sunday Brunch Drag Show featuring Tommie Ross, Roxanne Collins, Jazelle Barbie, Chloe Knox, and Randy Boss.

HFW’s associate producer, Rodney Vernon, sees HFW as an opportunity to show the best that Houston has to offer. “Houston is a huge, diverse city. “We should have a fashion week that rivals New York and L.A. This is going to put Houston on the fashion map. What organizers Danny and Oscar have planned is just incredible.”

What: HFW: The Experience
When: June 6–11, with runway shows June 7–9
Info: houstonfw.org