Paper City Article

Loop — A Shoe %26 Accessory Boutique

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:55:56 GMT

Keys to the door: Owner Carrie Schwartzenburg.
Stocked goods: For the past decade, Carrie Schwartzenburg ran the Rice Village boutique Raspberry Rose with her mother, Maureen Sweeney. Once mom retired and the fashionable Schwartzenburg hit her stride as a solo entrepreneur, she decided to branch out %26#8212; across the street. The area, she decided, was wanting for shoe stores, so she stepped up and opened Loop %26#8212;%26nbsp;A Shoe %26amp; Accessory Boutique, a stylish pink-and-green shop that stocks footwear with price points ranging from $50 to $200. Within the rows of flattering flats, sandals and teetering platforms, look for labels including Toms Shoes, Sam Edelman, Camper, Bernardo, Van Eli, Jeffrey Campbell, Boutique 9 boots, Seychelles, Yellow Box, and Volatile and Havaianas flip-flops %26#8212; names that won%26#8217;t make you think twice before pulling out the Amex. But that%26#8217;s not all. This shop girl knows women have a soft spot for all things fashionable, so she%26#8217;s filled out the space with tees, sundresses, handbags and jewelry %26#8212; accessibly priced goodies to grab and go, guilt-free, when the impulse hits to buy something fun. 2427 Rice Blvd.; 713.520.5511.

Image: Carrie Schwartzenburg. Photo by Jenny Antill.

Night %26 Day

Wed, 26 May 2010 12:12:02 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Jennifer Howell.

For Babies With Lavish Leanings: Should you be producing a tiny Carleton Varney or a mini Martha Stewart, his or her nursery must be dolled up with furniture from Night %26amp; Day. Owner Jennifer Howell%26#8217;s new decor venture in Snider Plaza goes swimmingly with Hip! Hip! Hooray!, her across-the-street children%26#8217;s clothing shop. Here you%26#8217;ll find luxe cribs, Bella Notte bedding, and a perfectly edited accessories collection of signed vintage Barbie sketches, engraved silver trinkets, Beatrix Potter books and more. Howell and her in-house decorator will vamp up baby%26#8217;s room from start to finish and are known to grant even the most high-maintenance custom-design requests. You%26#8217;ve come to the right, wonderfully detail-obsessed place should you prefer that baby%26#8217;s pink crib match the monogramming on her bedding, the color of her wallpaper and the crystals in her chandelier. 6816 Snider Plaza 214.369.6816.

Brahmin

Wed, 26 May 2010 12:09:58 GMT

Keys to the Door: Founders Joan and Bill Martin; store manager Brittney Francois.

East Coast Establishment: For New England%26#8217;s social elite %26#8212; the so-called Boston Brahmin, whose family trees boast founding fathers and past presidents %26#8212; there are but a few handbag lines acceptable for toting to lunch at the club or to weekends on MV. One such label, aptly named Brahmin, has opened a new boutique in Galleria Dallas, its first in Texas and only its second outside New England. Founded in 1982 by Massachusetts natives Joan and Bill Martin, the beautifully crafted collection includes satchels, totes, wristlets, coin purses and wallets in a bevy of colors, materials and silhouettes. We think the Louise Rose crocodile-embossed leather satchel, above %26#8212; or perhaps the Elle zip-top tote in lime anaconda leather %26#8212; will be snapped up by our own Southern gentry.%26nbsp;13350 Dallas Parkway (in Galleria Dallas) 972.702.7164; brahmin.com.

Shop Carrie Ann

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:25:04 GMT

Catch the West Coast vibe at this new Uptown Park boutique, which features casual contemporary labels such as Dylan George, Gypsy 05, Lauren Moshi, Paige, Privacy Denim, Maggie Ward and Give %26amp; Take Tees. Owned by Carrie Ann Sanders and designed by local interior designer Teresa Reissig, the shop also includes puppy accessories by Crystal Affair, Faux Paw and Dog in the Closet %26#8212; all puppy-approved by Sander%26#8217;s teacup pup, Oliver. 1151-10 Uptown Blvd., 713.492.2666; shopcarrieann.com.

Mortar Brings Edgy Vibe to Men's Fashion

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:32:05 GMT

If you%26#8217;re a man with concrete ideas about what you like to wear, may we refer you to Mortar. The new shop is owned by just such a discerning gentleman, Sacha Nelson, and his girlfriend/business partner, Iris Trent Siff. Realizing he and his chums bought most of their clothing while away on their travels, Nelson and Siff decided to fill a void in Houston with a well-edited men%26#8217;s shop dedicated to beautiful basics in sedate hues that focus on construction, fabric and fit. The result is a sleek, pared-down boutique with interiors that reflect the same pulled-back aesthetic as the clothing within, each of which is categorized by group (tees, shirts, pants, tops) and elegantly draped on black wooden hangers. Adding to the masculine appeal are vintage industrial pieces %26#8212; many culled from the eccentric coffers of Installations Antiques %26#8212; including a pant-crease machine with dry-cleaning origins and oxydized metal garment racks. It all complements the edgy vibe of Mortar, which offers a task-based approach to shopping that men find quite appealing. Nelson and Siff comb the world for obscure labels and have brought in a bevy of exclusives, including sheer Tysa cotton voile shirting; preppy-meets-surfer-cool double-weight gauze button-downs and shorts from Riviera Club; and French terry cardigans and easy jersey jackets with curved zippers from Kzo and Kai Aakmann of Korea. Need more reason to shop? How about basic, cozy tees by Velvetmen and Martin, or handmade flip-flops by Jutta Neuman, who takes a week to create the curved arch and cobbler details found in every pair. 1844 Westheimer Road, 713.529.0009; shopmortar.com.

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Image: Mortar; photo by Jack Thompson

Tootsies Goes West … Ave

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:34:17 GMT

Tootsies is packing up and moving west %26#8230; to West Ave, that is, but not until early January 2011. The chic shop, owned by Mickey Rosmarin, has been a fixture in Highland Village Shopping Center for nearly three decades, and remains open in its current location until the move. The glittering new West Ave emporium is 34,000 square feet %26#8212; the entire glass-enclosed first floor of West Ave, on the corner of Kirby and Westheimer. More on Tootsies and the new store in the April issue.

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Image: Mickey Rosmarin; Credit: Jenny Antill

Leggiadro

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:13:35 GMT

Keys to the Door: Founders Ann Ross, Brooks Ross.
Luxury of a Different Color: Dreaming of East Hampton, minus the pesky bourgeoisie? Plan a shopping excursion to Leggiadro, a bright new boutique in Highland Park Village stocked with luxurious casual wear. The company debuted in 1985, offering comfy daywear made of fabrics specially selected from mills in France, Italy and Switzerland %26#8212; now, Leggiadro has addresses in tony towns such as Palm Beach, Palm Desert, Naples and Nantucket. The new Dallas outpost? It%26#8217;s for you modern-day Grace Kellys, with tanks, tees, skirts and slim pants in vivid hues and vivacious patterns. Our favorites from the color wheel? Tuscan Table (brightly sketched lobsters, mushrooms and artichokes) and Bali Flowers (watercolor-y orange and yellow petals that recall Matisse). So, dear Grace circa 2010, we predict that a skirt in cobalt-blue zebra print or a long-sleeve top splashed with tiny minnows swimming amidst coral will be right at home in your palatial walk-in. 42A Highland Park Village; leggiadro.com.

Image: Leggiadro%26#8217;s Ocean Reef Club boutique in Key Largo, Florida

Love Tennis

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:06:21 GMT

Before an afternoon match at the club, wannabe Maria Sharapovas should replenish their tennis whites at Love Tennis. Owners Pamela King and Brittain Watson got their bug six years ago when the pals took up tennis at the Lakewood Country Club. Fast forward to today, and their obsession has manifested itself as their new Snider Plaza boutique, where you%26#8217;ll find stylish athletic wear from Lija, Fetch and Lacoste hanging alongside racquets by Babolat, Wilson, Volkl and Dunlap. Also in store, luxe leather tennis bags by LaCorte (your Tod%26#8217;s tote needs a sporty twin, after all) and tennis-themed jewelry and crystal champagne flutes, all by Silver Tennis, British purveyors of bespoke trophies. You can pick up game-day essentials here (tennies, balls, equipment) or get your racquet restrung. The fresh interior with its modern furnishings is also a score %26#8212; King and Watson clearly wanted this to be more than your average pro shop. Insider tip: There%26#8217;s even a bar in the back that%26#8217;s ready to be stocked for private tennis parties. We think we%26#8217;re in, well, love. 6708 Snider Plaza, 214.691.1540; lovetennisdallas.com.

Image: Fetch%26#8217;s Mach 5 tennis dress at Love Tennis

Matthew Trent Design Studio

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:07:31 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Lori and Matthew Trent.

New Jewels on the Block: Matthew Trent is living large %26#8212; from the strand of sizeable pearls in his window to jumbo pictures of the jewelry guru at work. The big news here? A brand-new locale, in The Plaza at Preston Center. %26#8220;We wanted to be in the middle of everything,%26#8221; says Trent, of his new and renamed Matthew Trent Design Studio. After closing up his long-standing Maple Avenue shop and moving to this spot on the corner of Villanova Street (across from Sprinkles Cupcakes and next to Corner Bakery), Trent is showing off huge windows that reveal a modern, open concept and all the handcrafted treasures inside. Designed by architect Rick Carroll, the store boasts a large central display case and zebra-print chairs and stools perched on wall-to-wall zebra carpet (somebody call Auntie Mame!). But the real show is in Trent%26#8217;s in-house atelier. Perfectly visible from behind large glass walls, patrons and passersby can watch Trent at work as he creates his one-of-a-kind pieces %26#8212; sapphire and diamond rings, black Tahitian pearl necklaces, and all manner of engagement and wedding baubles. With the new location comes a bevy of planned new wares, too: pieces in rose gold, 22K gold and silver, at some rather pocketbook-friendly prices compared to Trent%26#8217;s more luxurious offerings. Seems the move and the new digs have inspired all sorts of magic-making, indeed. 4015 Villanova St. (in The Plaza at Preston Center)214.871.9170; matthewtrent.com.

Images: Above, Matthew Trent Design Studio. Below, Matthew Trent. Photos by Heather Helen Ray.

Arend Couture Studio

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:51:17 GMT

2017 Elmen St.
713.523.0943
Open by appointment
Keys to the Door: Designer Arend Basile.

Stocked Goods: Roman-born Arend Basile was schooled in the rarefied world of couture by none other than Hubert de Givenchy. Basile dutifully worked at his side for more than two decades in Paris until the icon%26#8217;s retirement, then moved to the studios of John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. Now this energetic designing mind calls Houston home. He%26#8217;s installed himself in a small townhouse at the edge of River Oaks, with the bottom floor serving as his atelier. Arend%26#8217;s eponymous collection, which is produced in New York, has gained a steady following among boldfaced types in both Manhattan and now Houston.%26nbsp; Known for his elegant cocktail and eveningwear rendered in gorgeous fabrics such as satin-backed silk crepe, duponi silk and jet beading with a spot-on fit, Arend will fit a luscious piece from his collection to your body, or have him design a custom creation. (He%26#8217;ll swear not to produce it for anyone else for the foreseeable future. Imagine: no more dress doubles at your next soir%26#233;e to beg the dreaded Us Weekly

question: %26#8220;Who Wore it Best?%26#8221;) What%26#8217;s next for the peripatetic designer? Why, handbags, of course. His slinky metallic python handbags and satin evening clutches coordinate, natch, with his twice-yearly collections and swing from day to night.

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Image: Designer Arend Basile

Image: Basile's inspiration board

Photos by Jenny Antill

Bulgari

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:32:57 GMT

NorthPark Center
214.414.9666
bulgari.com
Glowing All the Way: It may not be Rome%26#8217;s via dei Condotti where Bulgari has resided for 125 years, but the new boutique at NorthPark Center will satisfy the Elizabeth Taylor in us all. Saunter through the brown marble entrance into the 2,500-square-foot store, where jewels and timepieces gleam. The Dallas boutique is one of the first in the world to follow Bulgari%26#8217;s new design mantra of contemporary interiors with immaculate decorative touches %26#8212; think chocolate-brown leather detailing on vitrines and a stunning optical fiber chandelier. Color bursts come by way of Bulgari%26#8217;s sparklers, of course: amethyst, blue topaz and green tourmaline gemspop against the quiet modernity. But it%26#8217;s not just the jewelry that is stealing glances. Dabble in Bulgari%26#8217;s accessories, where arm candy for her is a leather handbag of ebony python and nappa plisse with antique gold hardware. And for finely dressed fellas, we love Bulgari%26#8217;s black calf-leather briefcase with palladium-plated hardware.%26#160;

Little Bean

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:42:11 GMT

5308 Junius St.
214.370.9111
littlebeanshop.com
Keys to the Door: Owners Christine and Steve Visneau.
For Your Little Human Beans: We first noticed Baby Bean Vintage Daywear, a retro-inspired line of kiddie clothing made from vintage fabrics, on the racks of fashion boutique Kacky %26amp; Carl, then on the backs of celeb tots such as Suri Cruise. Now Baby Bean gets its own crib: Owners/designers Christine and Steve Visneau have opened a storefront in East Dallas%26#8217; historic Junius Heights neighborhood. There, you and the little one can find homemade togs, handcrafted toys, other clothing labels and accessories sourced from everywhere from Brooklyn to Tokyo. The front of Little Bean is artfully arranged with Christine%26#8217;s dresses, pants, bloomers and bibs, plus dolls by Jess Brown, stationery by Shinzi Katoh and hair clips by Silla. In back, pro photographer Steve has set up his S.W.V. photo studio. The Visneaus%26#8217; joint resume reads like entrepreneurs who take their fair share of Flintstones vitamins: baby clothing creators; co-proprietors of a quarterly children%26#8217;s online mag, smallmagazine.net; and parents of two small girls. With Garden Cafe to their right and a playground across the street, Little Bean has found the right pod.%26#160;

Hadleigh’s

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:35:50 GMT

74 Highland Park Village, Second Floor
214.770.4743
hadleighsbespoke.com
Keys to the Door: Owners Gable and Ed Shaikh.
Isn%26#8217;t That Dandy: Something tells us Jay Gatsby would%26#8217;ve shopped at Hadleigh%26#8217;s. Husband-wife stylistas Ed and Gable Shaikh %26#8212; you may remember them from their days at Ralph Lauren in Highland Park Village and their subsequent turns at Stanley Korshak %26#8212; have brought back masterfully constructed, artisan-made, tailored-to-fit men%26#8217;s and women%26#8217;s clothing and chic accessories %26#8212; just the thing for motoring about in the Rolls-Royce or for parties at the manor. For dapper gents, that means Cesare Attolini suits, hand-knit cashmere ties, Barker Black shoes, BRM watches, even handsome eyewear and luggage. For her, it%26#8217;s Hadleigh%26#8217;s tailored jackets of a silk-cashmere blend or a range of custom shirts in more than eight dozen fine fabrics. Our detail obsession? Hadleigh%26#8217;s custom-made, royal cotton boxers %26#8212; luscious skivvies and highly giftable, too. But delicious design doesn%26#8217;t end there: The appointment-only atelier, on HPV%26#8217;s second floor above Menchie%26#8217;s Frozen Yogurt, is as tasteful as its wares: dark glossy wood floors, exposed ceiling rafters and debonair architectural furniture make for the perfect studio for indulging in the art of fine dressing.%26#160;

Swag

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:38:19 GMT

NorthPark Center
214.691.0123
lovemyswag.com
Keys to the Door: Owner Lisa Alfieri, store manager Carol Reese.
Shop Like a Rock Star: Swag, NorthPark Center%26#8217;s new jewelry and accessories emporium, stocks an impressive lineup of designers who have made fans out of the famous %26#8212; rocker-chic celebs John Galliano and Madonna, to name just two. It%26#8217;s all about the celebrity shopping experience at this boutique. Owner Lisa Alfieri (of the Alfieris who opened The Old World shop in 1966) is stocking Pandora, King Baby Studio and Alwand Vahan. Love dangly things? Sip on a glass of wine while you gild yourself in 14K gold or sterling-silver charms %26#8212; or throw on a Virgin Saints and Angels cuff, a Thomas Sabo pendant or a one-of-a-kind Dian Malouf ring. What%26#8217;s more, amidst all the sparkling bracelets, necklaces and earrings, you can outfit your castle with the painted-glass lighting of Ulla Darni, the glittery trinkets of Jay Strongwater and the organic animal bronzes of Loet Vanderveen. You and your home %26#8212; drab to fab in no time.%26#160;

Funky Couture

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:03:01 GMT

2446 Times Blvd.
713.874.1865
unclefunkysdaughter.com
Keys to the Door: Owners Tonya and Ray Reed.

Stocked Goods: Tonya and Ray Reed, fresh from corporate gigs in the energy field, longed for a creative career path that would give them autonomy, as well as a company ethos that rang true to their own ethical core. In 2003, the duo founded the very successful Uncle Funky%26#8217;s Daughter in Rice Village %26#8212; a boutique with a cool, urban vibe and an attached salon specializing in natural treatments for curly-haired women and men, including their own line of natural, organic hair-care products with clever branding such as Curly Magic (their top seller), a vegan, aloe-based curl definer. Now, just two doors away, the Reeds have carved out a sweet new niche and named it Funky Couture. They liken the concept to a girly general store with a mod twist; it%26#8217;s for those intrigued by what lies beneath. You%26#8217;ll find intimates from Simone Perele, Elomi, Goddess, Spanx and Mimi Holliday, with bra sizes ranging from 30A to 56K in addition to organic beauty brands such as Naturopathica, Farmaesthetics and K. Hall Designs.

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Image credit: Jenny Antill

Smith %26 Company

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:20:10 GMT

Brownstone Antique Center
2736-C Virginia St.
713.524.0100
Keys to the Door: Owner Wayne Smith.
What%26#8217;s in Store: Fans of Wayne Smith%26#8217;s former antiques and jewelry store on Bissonnet (Circa, Antiques and Estate Jewelry) will be thrilled to hear that the jeweler and gemologist, after more than five years living as an expat in San Miguel de Allende and working with private clients, has returned to Houston and again opened up shop. The jewelry box of a boutique, designed by Dennis Lyons Interiors in pale purple hues with Donghia fabrics and Maya Romanoff for Donghia mica%26#8211;flecked wallcoverings, houses an impressive selection of fine jewelry by Kimberly McDonald, Rina Limor, Emsaru, Rawat and Ashley Park; custom design work; and exquisite estate baubles from such jewelry heavyweights as Bulgari, Harry Winston, David Webb and Cartier.%26nbsp;