the fashion group international of houston, inc. QUARTERLY Newsletter
bryant jui career day winner
the vintage advantage
spring is upon us: time for change & cleaning out!
mayor parker
Announces $25 Million Partnership with Goldman Sachs
understanding small business marketing
Haute Member Spotlight gardner landry
WWW.FGIHOUSTON.ORG | ISSUE 4 | SPRING 2011
HAuTE h o u st o n EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andrea Bonner CREATIVE DIRECTOR Grace Jin PHOTOGRAPHERS Michelle P. Cabigon – Cover Roswitha Vogler and Victor Quinteros WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS Bridget Boggess, Jeanette Coon, Josephine Firat and Andrea Schutter © 2011 HAUTE Houston Newsletter. All Rights Reserved. No part of our online or printed newsletter may be scanned or reproduced. WWW.FGIHOUSTON.ORG For 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 SUBMISSIONS andrea@hautehouston.org FEEDBACK Your input is important to us. Email us at andrea@hautehouston.org ONLINE PUBLICATION Available at hautehouston.org
on the cover Bryant Jui is the winner of the Ruby Marquez Prize Paris American Academy Award. He will go to Paris to study on a scholarship this summer, donated by Daniel Marquez and The Fashion Group Foundation of Houston, Inc. Bryant is a second-year student at Houston Community College pursuing a fashion design and merchandising degree. Prior to HCC, Bryant attended the University of Texas at Austin pursuing a degree in business administration.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS HOUSTON REGION Regional Director – Josephine Gough, UZO Regional Director Elect/Newsletter Editor - Andrea Bonner, Style On Demand Treasurer - Nancy Tran, First Data Secretary - Kara Times, Dillard’s Ambassador Director - Sydney Dao Program Director - Alexia McWhinney, Savvy Consulting & Events Marketing Director - Maude Peters, Stage Stores, Inc. Student Membership Director - Jessica Ogden Beauty Director - Andrea Schutter , Fabulous and Flawless Creative Director - Grace Jin, Grace Jin Designs
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The Vintage Advantage By Bridget Boggess
FOUNDATION - HOUSTON REGION President - Jeff Shell, Neal Hamil Agency Secretary - Carla Kay, Personal Style Treasurer - Kara Times, Dillard’s Board Member - Susan Silverman, The Gayla Bentley Fashion Design Group Board Member - Dr. Alyssa Adomaitis, University of Houston
features Small Business 7 Understanding Marketing
NEW YORK
By Josephine Firat
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Spring Is Upon Us: Time For Change & Cleaning Out! By Andrea Schutter
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Mayor Parker Announces $25 Million Partnership with Goldman Sachs How We Began By Jeanette Coon
contents Board of Directors
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Letter from the Regional Director
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Letter from the Editor
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Contributors
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2011 LEAD and New Members List
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HAUTE Member Spotlight
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FGI 2011 Calendar of Events
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Spring Trends
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Career Day
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2010 Holiday Party
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Carmen Marc Valvo
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President - Margaret Hayes, The Fashion Group International, Inc. Chairman - Donald J. Loftus, P&G Prestige Products, Inc. Treasurer - Louise Evins, Evins Communications LTD. Secretary - Kate Greene, Givaudan Pamela Gill Alabaster, L’Oreal USA, Inc. Nancy Cardone, Marie Claire Magazine Joe Boitano, Saks Fifth Avenue James D’Adamo, Hearst Integrated Media Mary Ann Domuracki, Financo Inc. Ariel Foxman, InStyle Magazine Susan C. Glick, Merchandise Mart Properties Sally Haigh Alex, Avon Products, Inc. Robin Lewis, Robin Lewis Inc. Jacqui Lividini, Lividini Weisenfeld Partners Elizabeth S. Marcuse, LIM College Laura McEwen, Self Magazine Roseanne Morrison, The Doneger Group Nicholas Munafo, LVMH Deborah Patton, Applied Brilliance Caroline Pieper-Vogt, Fusion Brands Inc. Jane Randel, Liz Claiborne Liz Rodbell, Lord and Taylor Lynne Ronon, HSN Denise Seegal Bari Seiden, The Estee Lauder Companies Merle Sloss, Geoffrey Beene, Inc. Stephanie Solomon, Bloomingdales Jacquelyn Wenzel, Ports 1961 New York Inc. Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, GILT Group Karen Young, The Young Group
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letter from your regional director Dearest Fashion Group Members and Friends, I am so thrilled to be leading this wonderful group as we enter the spring season of 2011. Since the Holiday Party at Lot 8 last year, many things have happened! I have been able to witness the great power of networking in our organization! I would like to share a few of those stories with you. Gardner Landry: Landry has been a member for only 4 months! Landry is the designer of the Sessanta Camp Shirt, a men’s dress shirt, with a tie-dye pocket. As a member for only days, Landry came to the Holiday Party at Lot 8 with our seasoned member Diane Brett, who referred him to the organization. There he was able to meet Chloe Dao, fashion designer for Lot 8 and Dao Chloe Dao. Landry came hoping to meet great friends and make long-lasting business connections, and he did just that! Chloe Dao’s manufacturer is now Gardner Landry’s manufacturer of shirts, and the shirt just became available at Norton Ditto on W. Alabama and Kirby! Donae Chramosta: Chramosta is the business developer of Times Past, a worldwide purveyor of vintage handbags, jewelry, and antiques. Donae joined Fashion Group at the Spring/Summer 2011 Trends event at Neiman Marcus. At the event, she met Rebecca Spera, the host of ABC’s Mirror/Mirror, and because of this new connection, Rebecca Spera will be doing a segment at Chramosta’s store! At the Carmen Marc Valvo Book Launch event at Neiman Marcus, Chramosta told me that she is ready to take her career to the next level because of the inspiration she received at Career Day. Andrea Bonner: Andrea Bonner is the owner of Style On Demand Image Consulting and Personal Shopping. She joined FGI in 2009, hoping to make new business contacts and develop lasting professional relationships. After submitting an article for the FGI newsletter, she was asked by then Regional Director Jeanette Coon, to join the board as Newsletter Editor. Because of her fashion writing ability, she was invited to cover Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City in September of 2010. In December 2010, she was elected as Regional Director Elect for FGI Houston and most recently was accepted as a freelance writer for Tyra Banks’ new fashion and beauty site, Type-F. Alexia McWhinney and Andrea Schutter: McWhinney is the owner of Savvy Consulting and Event Management, and Schutter is the owner of Fabulous and Flawless Hair and Make-up Studio. Last year, the two partnered up and put on a wonderful event called the Pretty Party. Both members are new members from 2010 and currently on the Board of Directors. Myself, Josephine Firat: For many years, my business partner and I have been working on a revolutionary umbrella design that is stylish, sophisticated, and made with the best quality products. I joined Fashion Group 4 years ago with the exact intention of meeting new people, learning about the industry, and growing my company. I did just that, and was able to give back to the fashion community while doing it. The UZO Umbrella is now available at Tootsies and Lucho, and Houston Magazine will be running a story in the upcoming issue. There are many more stories out there similar to these, and we want to hear about them and share them! Please send us your Fashion Group story to stories@fgihouston.org. Hearing how Fashion Group has created relationships, friends, businesses, products, and how it continues to help build the economy in our great city of Houston, makes me sincerely love serving this group as your Regional Director. If you are still writing your story, and want to learn how to get connected, please check out our website and contact us. We are here for you! Warmest Regards,
Josephine
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Be Be a guest contributor 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
FGI houston
www.fgihouston.org letter from the editor Ahhhhhh – Houston in the Springtime. Well, it’s certainly not Paris, but I love it just the same! Time to put away the tights and Uggs and prepare to hit the city’s busy social scene in a cute Spring ensemble from one of our many fabulous FGI member designers and boutiques (check out a list of members at www.fgihouston.org). If you missed it, then you missed a treat. The 25th Anniversary FGI/FGF Career Day was a huge undertaking and an overwhelming success! Thanks to Jeff Shell, Jane Hall, Gloria Pearson, Linda Kuykendall, Josephine Gough, Ingrid Furtado and the other hard working volunteers and students for making this Career Day, one to remember. The thought provoking and encouraging words of the day’s keynote speakers; designer Carmen Marc Valvo and business woman and former Laura Mercier CEO Janet Gurwitch, served as inspiration to the students and other attendees. The knowledgeable workshop presenters were absolutely phenomenal and the time and effort that they put into providing such valuable information should be commended. An event of this magnitude could not have come to fruition without the tireless efforts and support of all of those who were involved. Kudos and many thanks to you all! The Spring Trends Event, which was held at Neiman Marcus, was not only informative, but super fun as well. Thanks to Shandolyn Arline-Johnson who chaired the event, along with her committee – Kara Times, Linda Cole, Jerry Mathis, Naomi Belt and yours truly. Neiman Marcus PR Director and dedicated FGI member, Stacey Swift and her awesome team outdid themselves with the Fashion Jeopardy Game. Another job well done. As Regional Director Elect for 2012, I will soon be attending the Regional Director’s Conference in New York City. I look forward to reporting back to the Houston membership about all of the exciting things that FGI is doing internationally and also hope to be enlightened about our vision for the future. Be prepared to GET INVOLVED! Each of you brings a special talent to this organization and we need you to make Houston the best FGI region out there! Enjoy the beauty of the season!
Andrea L. Bonner, Editor-in-Chief Haute Houston ISSUE 4, SPRING 2011
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contributors Bridgette Boggess Bridget Boggess grew up immersed in the Dallas art scene attending theater, dance, and art events at a very young age. She has been a professional classical dancer and model for over ten years and received her BFA from Southern Methodist University. While there, Bridget also focused on other forms of art influenced by dance, such as fashion and modern art. In 2008, Bridget created a wardrobe styling company out of her love for fashion called Dress Marie. Her company strives to bring its clients a wardrobe that is modern, authentic, radiant, and interesting everyday through the services of wardrobe management, style consulting, and personal shopping. Bridget has most recently also joined Tootsies, an upscale women’s boutique in Houston, as their concierge and style maven. She views fashion as a natural extension of the fine arts, as well as a way to hone her creativity, while helping people look and feel their best.
Josephine Firat
Josephine Firat is the 20102011 Regional Director of The Fashion Group International of Houston, Inc. Firat co-founded UZO Umbrellas in 2007 and currently markets her umbrellas globally. Firat has been an adjunct business professor at Houston Community College, since 2006, and is currently involved in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Houston.
Andrea Schutter
Andrea Schutter is an Award winning hair and makeup that has been in the beauty business for over 20 years. As a Professional Celebrity Hair and Makeup artist she has worked with many actress and actors in movies, TV, photography. She is an advisor, teacher and mentor. Andrea is President of Fabulous Flawless Hair Makeup Studio and Boutique in Midtown. www.fabulousandflawless.com www.reelmakeupfx.com
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LEAD & NEW MEMBERS FGI Houston would like to thank its 2011 Lead Members for taking the charge and leading the organization into another successful year! Likewise, we would like to welcome our newest members and look forward to your active involvement within the organization!
Monica Pesek - Caruggis (Executive) Andrea Schutter - FGI Beauty Adviser and Owner of Fabulous and Flawless Hair and Makeup Studio & Boutique (Executive) Alla Stefanski - Galleria Alla (Executive)
FGI Lead Members of 2011 Kairy-Tate Barkley - French Cuff Boutique (Executive) Thomas Becker - LBR International (Associate)
Julie Stout - International Academy of Design and Technology (Executive) FGI New Members of 2011 Donae Cangelosi Chramosta - Business Development for Times Past (Executive)
Andrea Bonner - FGI Houston Regional Director Elect and Newsletter Editor, Owner of Cheryl Whitaker - (Associate) Style on Demand (Executive) Diane Brett - Patternmake (Executive) Josephine Firat - FGI Regional Director, CEO of UZO Umbrellas (Executive) Melissa Greggs - Jenise Gregg Couture (Associate)
Ebele Iloanya - Creative Director of Mod Chic (Associate) Briggett Beatty - Adjunct Professor Fashion - Briggett Beatty Designs (Associate) Denise Jackson - Designer of Denise Jackson/ANINI (Executive)
Steven Guthrie - 4thWard.net (Associate) Alexia Johnson - FGI Program Director and Owner of Savvy Consulting & Events (Executive)
Deidre Thomas - Keyholder - Joe’s Jeans (Associate) Bridget Boggess - Owner/Wardrobe Stylist of Dress Marie (Executive)
Caroline Johnson - Visual Coordinator of White House Black Market (Associate) Charlotte Johnson - Marketing/Sales for Sona Medspa (Associate) Kay King - Fashion Designer and Educator at Houston Community College (Executive) Gardner Landry - Principal of Gardner Landry (Associate) Jessica Ogden - FGI Student Membership Director, Store Manager for Everything But Water (Executive) Gloria Pearson - Owner and Designer of Glourious (Executive)
The Fashion Group International of Houston, Inc. welcomes its 2011 New Members
Understanding Small Business Marketing
by Josephine Firat
Lengthy TV advertisements, glamorous billboards, catchy radio ads are not what business marketing is all about. In fact, many people, including entrepreneurs themselves, often confuse and interchangeably use the terms Marketing and Advertising. Marketing, as defined by educators, is the “process of creating desired goods and services to customers and involves all of the activities associated with winning and retaining loyal customers” (Prentice Hall). Advertising, on the other hand, is only one of the tools that must be used to achieve the goal of “delivering” the value to customers. Clearly, the term Marketing is the umbrella that includes Advertising as one of its useful tools.
Many of you who own or work for a small business know that Advertising can be costly. Those of you who are forced to make budget cuts may have asked yourselves, “Should we cut from Advertising?” The answer is simple: It depends. If you are thinking about cutting “conventional” ways of advertising such as TV, radio, newspaper ads,
then your answer is most likely, “yes.” However, the reality is that Advertising is one of the very few items in your financial statements that directly generates revenue for your business. What do you do?
First of all, you need the right people—the people who can think “outside the box” and do creative things. Don’t look too hard! This person may be you! Secondly, you need to give these people the time, flexibility, and most importantly, the patience to produce you something called a Guerrilla Marketing Plan. Guerrilla Marketing is the untraditional, low-cost (sometimes, no cost at all), and unique marketing techniques that will allow your business make the “most bang for your buck.” While this concept has been in existence for ages, only a few entrepreneurs today know it or use it well. The best example of Guerrilla
interested in being an
intern?
Marketing has been produced by a large office supply company— ironically communicated the “guerrilla” message through its TV advertisement. The ad opens with the desperate looks of small barbershop owner, Dan, towards his new large chain competition across the street, which now offers $6 haircuts. Dan, looking for a solution, goes to the office supply store, buys a large banner, and lettering for under $40, and hangs it in front of his barbershop. It reads, “We fix $6 haircuts.” The narrator of the ad says that the large chain closes within a few months. Dan knew from the beginning that his haircuts are almost twice as expensive as what the large chain was going to offer. Instead of dishing out thousands of his hard-earned dollars into new advertising techniques or lowering his own price—which would mean lowering his image as well as financially destroying his business—he decides to capitalize on his competitive advantage—barbering skills, expertise, service, and attention to detail—by choosing a very creative, unique, and low-cost method.
—are
beautifully displayed in the case of Dan and his Guerrilla Marketing Plan. If you trust that you developed a product (service) that creates value to your target customers, then try to further understand who they are, what they do, what they care for, and develop your Marketing Plan to accordingly deliver your product (service). Use your business’ marketing budget wisely! If you can carry your business logo, phone number, website on your car, then you will only spend less than $100 to buy magnets that easily go on and off of your car, and your ad will go everywhere you go; on the other hand, if you decide to purchase a high-profile billboard on a busy freeway, expect to pay $20,000 with very limited visibility.
Guerrilla? Traditional? Think twice.
4 Ps of Marketing— product (or service), place, price, promotion
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) Spring internship opportunities available for 2011. 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, Ingrid Furtado at Ingrid@fgihouston.org for more information. ISSUE 4, SPRING 2011
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The Vintage Advantage By Bridget Boggess of Dress Marie www.dressmarie.com As a professional shopper and lover of vintage clothing, I have come to realize how many of today’s fashions are borrowed from the past. It is recycling in its most fashionable form…designers today are greatly influenced by ideas and eras from long ago. Lucky for you… vintage clothing can be affordable, stylish, and one-of-a-kind. Being second hand pieces, no new resources were wasted to create these items. It can add to your wardrobe in a way that reflects your style without breaking the bank. Vintage clothing is typically defined as either used or new clothing originating from a previous era (typically more than 25 years ago). This type of clothing can be found anywhere from thrift stores to high-end consignment stores to ebay. The popularity of vintage clothing has grown tremendously as style-savvy search for the unique piece that represents their style statement and stands out as different. Make sure when looking for these distinctive items that they really speak to your style sense, fit well, and easily combine with existing pieces in your wardrobe. Done right, you will be that stylish fashionista you always wanted to be…who wouldn’t want that?
Tip:
My favorite site of affordable vintage pieces: www.vintagemartini.com
Factoid:
Vintage clothing is healthier for you and for the planet. The dyes, chemicals, and processes used to produce wrinkle resistant, colorfast, soft, unshrinkable clothing are not what anyone would call eco-friendly. Photo Credit- Catwalk Queen
Announcement We want to hear
your special annoucement
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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
SPRING MAKEUP FASHION
SPRING
MAKEUP FASHION by ANDREA SCHUTTER of Fabulous and Flawless www.fabulousandflawless.com
Spring is upon us – time for change and cleaning out! While giving your house its annual spring clean, don’t forget to update your makeup collection too. This year’s colors are bright and alive, with the primary focus being on fabulous, runway eyes and sheer glosses. Go ahead; pamper yourself with these new spring looks. Rummage around for red...lipstick that is. Red lips continue to be classy for spring. A red color can come in just about any shade from a gloss or stain to a full blown gorgeous deep or clear red. Just remember to keep your eye makeup light. 1
Goodbye, smoky winter eyes! Hello, brilliant spring colors! This Spring, high fashion eyes everywhere are sporting brilliant jewel tones. Rich emerald and turquoise greens will be sitting alongside warm citrine and gold. Lilac will be making a big splash as well as more lively floral pinks which is in contrast to winter’s soft mauves and deep burgundies. Ordinary black eye liners will be taking a back seat to their vibrant blue and green cousins. Mascara will also be making a break out of its normal confines with bright blue and purple highlighting spring lashes. This season’s most vibrant colors will also be found in the form of cream eyeliners, which can serve triple duty as eyeliner, all over color, or add shimmer and glimmer under powdered colors. 2
Step 2: Pull the wand up and through lashes, wiggling as you go. The wiggling part is key because it separates lashes. Step 3: In this final step (which I always skip), close the eye and place the mascara wand on top of lashes at the base and pull through to remove any clumps. Don’t overbronze. Fake tanned skin is in again, but don’t go overboard ala George Hamilton on “Dancing With the Stars.” Instead, try layering your fake tan with a light tanning creme set with a tinted moisturizer or a bronzing powder. The best thing about bronzed skin is that you can go light on the rest of your makeup. Bronzed skin paired with a pink lip gloss and mascara is a key look for the season. 4
Coral is not just for Floridian retirees. We are sure this comment is going to result in hate mail flooding our inbox, but isn’t it true that when you think about coral lipstick you picture a tanned, wrinkly retiree? The deal with coral is to stay away from mattes for women of all ages. If pink and red feels cliché, opt instead for glosses and lipsticks that you apply with your finger (the stick itself can make the color too heavy). Coral looks especially great with a tan and try it on your toes too! 5
HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SPRING!!
Long lashes are huge this season so layer on the mascara. Several coats should do you fine. Don’t believe the old beauty adage that you should only apply 2 coats of mascara. You just can’t get lush, thick lashes with only two coats. 3
How to Properly Apply Mascara Ace your mascara application with a three-step process: Step 1: Wiggle the wand left to right at the base of lashes. It’s the mascara placed near the roots -- not the tips -- that gives the illusion of length. ISSUE 4, SPRING 2011
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member spotlight
GardnerLandry FGI Houston is proud to have such a star in our midst! Gardner Landry has been involved in the branding and marketing communications business since the late 80s. He has worked on projects as big as the re-branding of the surviving divisions of Enron after the company’s disintegration to creating identity and brand feel for small start up ventures, and has a few gold and silver Addy awards to show for it. His foray into the world of men’s casual resort wear started with an idea he first had nearly 20 years ago – which was to put a tie-dyed pocket on a men’s dress shirt. He made several for himself and friends who liked the unusual shirts and began to spread the word. Gardner’s friend Carolyn Farb was also a key early advocate in strongly encouraging him to pursue this project. O.J. Glover from Studio l’Uomo and Gardner agreed that a summer shirt would be interesting, so Gardner found a favorite shirt from his grandfather’s 1960s wardrobe as the model, and O.J. put his sewing staff to work making a prototype. The shirt on which the current casual shirt is modeled is a Dolce Vita-era classic camp shirt from Italy that has been updated to reflect contemporary tastes. The 100 percent handkerchief-weight white linen Sessanta Camp Shirt hearkens back to an era of sophisticated Mediterranean ease - each sporting the added gesture of its own, one-of-akind, stunningly colorful hand-dyed pocket. Gardner is thrilled to be working with seasoned industry veteran Jessica Zapatero, founder of If Clothing of Los Angeles, as his National Sales Director and pocket design diva extraordinaire Kit Gwin (who also happens to be a Screen Actors’ Guild Award-Winning Actress) as his Director of Design.
Following a very successful launch party at Marion Cage Gallery on Magazine Street in New Orleans last June, the shirts sold briskly throughout the warm weather months and into the holiday season. The first production run of shirts for 2011 is complete and his team is gearing up for the next run immediately. With the help of a rock star team of accomplished industry professionals, Gardner is applying his background in branding to the creation of a new look and feel for the upscale men’s warm weather and resort clothing marketplace. The Sessanta Linen Camp Shirt is currently on offer at Norton Ditto on West Alabama in Houston and will be more widely available later this spring. Learn more at www.gardnerlandry.com.
Nominate Nominate
SOMEONE TO be featured
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Would you like to nominate someone to be featured in our next member spotlight? Email us at andrea@hautehouston.org
Mayor Parker Announces
$25 Million Partnership with Goldman Sachs
10,000 Small Businesses Initiative in Houston - Program to Help to Area Businesses to Grow, Create Jobs Mayor Annise Parker today announced that Houston has been selected to join the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative. The initiative, already in place in several other cities, comes with a $20 million commitment to provide loans to help local small businesses and $5 million in program and capacitybuilding grants to local partner organizations. Additional grants will be provided to subsidize business education for current small business owners. “Small businesses play a vital role in job creation for our city’s economy,” said Mayor Parker. “However, due to the lack of a support network, they often struggle more than their larger competitors and lose out on opportunities to grow and create more jobs. The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative will have a real effect on the owners of these businesses, the working Houstonians whose livelihoods depend on them and our overall economy. It can help keep more of our local dollars here at home.” “Goldman Sachs has a long-standing partnership with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and we are proud that our national president, Javier Palomarez, sits on the national Advisory Council for 10,000 Small Businesses,” said Laura Murillo, President of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “The Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will work to identify and recruit high potential small business owners, while we spearhead the delivery of business advising and support services, including holding topical economic development and capital clinics for local small business owners.” Mayor Parker is convening a number of local organizations to manage the program in Houston. Houston Community College (HCC) will provide business basics at the classroom level and the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) will help facilitate access to lending within the community. The University of Houston Small Business Development Center Network will provide technical assistance to small business owners applying for loans and will be the key organization to package the financial assistance. The Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC) and Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC) will host clinics focusing on the most pressing economic development issues for local small businesses. “Houston plays a vital economic role in the United States,” said Lloyd C. Blankfein, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs. “At its heart is a community of thousands of small business owners who, through 10,000 Small Businesses, will be able to access new resources from local and national experts to help them grow.” The 10,000 Small Businesses initiative will offer the following assistance: • Business and Management Education: Small business owners will have access to a practical business education developed in partnership with Babson College, one of the nation’s leading schools for entrepreneurs, and delivered by HCC, one of the nation’s largest community colleges. Small business owners will develop a business growth plan to help them increase revenues and hire new employees. Classes are free to business owners accepted through a competitive application process. Applications are currently available online. Classes will begin on May 13. • Access to Capital: Goldman Sachs is committing $20 million of lending capital to Houston area small businesses. The loans will be managed and distributed by regional and national Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) loan funds. These CDFIs will partner with local organizations to award the loans and build future lending capacity in Houston. CDFI loan funds provide loans and technical assistance to businesses that often cannot access traditional sources of capital and are partners in 10,000 Small Businesses nationwide. • Business Support Services: Business advice, technical assistance and networking will be offered to participating small business owners through partnerships with
the community colleges and national and local business organizations, as well as the people of Goldman Sachs. “Houston Community College has a history of partnering with the local business community and promoting entrepreneurship and we are proud to continue this by participating in the 10,000 Small Businesses initiative,” said HCC Chancellor Mary Spangler. “The participants of the program will receive an education that will help them access resources and grow their businesses.” “The Greater Houston Partnership is pleased to be a part of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses initiative,” said GHP President and CEO Jeff Moseley. “The program’s focus to take emerging small businesses and elevate them to next level will create jobs and paychecks to grow the Houston economy and secure our region’s prosperity for the future.” “Every month hundreds of small business owners come through our doors. Many of them come in for help accessing the financing they need to expand or sustain their business,” said Roberta Skebo, Director of Business Services at the University of Houston Small Business Development Center. “Through 10,000 Small Businesses, we will help local business owners understand their financing needs, identify the right potential lender, and put together their loan application.” “Minority-owned businesses are the fastest growing within our community, and this program will help them realize their full potential,” said Dick Huebner President of the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council. “We will work closely with Houston Community College to hold procurement and certification clinics for local small business owners and work closely to identify and recruit high-potential small business owners.” Program Background 10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million initiative that will unlock the growth and job-creation potential of 10,000 small businesses across the United States through greater access to business education, financial capital and business support services. It is based on the broadly held view of leading experts that a combination of education, capital and support services best addresses the barriers to growth for small businesses. In addition to Houston, it is now operating in New Orleans, New York, and the Greater Los Angeles area and will continue to expand to communities across the country. Strategy and guidance is provided by the 10,000 Small Businesses Advisory Council, chaired by Lloyd Blankfein, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett and Harvard Business School Professor Dr. Michael Porter. 10,000 Small Businesses is modeled on the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative, which creates partnerships between academic institutions and non-profit entities to provide a business and management education to women around the world. 10,000 Women is currently operating in 22 countries, where it is helping women entrepreneurs create jobs and growth in their communities. Who Should Apply The program is designed for owners of small businesses with limited financial resources, and with few opportunities to otherwise access a business education designed to enhance small business success. Broad characteristics of business owners targeted to participate include, but are not limited to: ownership or coownership of a business; business revenues between $150,000 and $4 million in 2010; business in operation for at least two years; at least four employees; operations in economically underserved areas; and a business model that could scale to create more jobs.
Businesses interested in the business portion of the program can apply at: www.hccs.edu/10KSB To express interest in a 10,000 Small Businesses loan, please send an email with your name, title, company, and full contact information to 10KSB@sbdcnet.uh.edu
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2011 Calendar
OF EVENTS
January At Your Service: Business Building Event for Service Professionals February 17 Spring/Summer Trends: Runway to Reality March Career Day APRIL 16 Downtown Home Tour with Downtown Alliance May 10 Little Black Dress MAY 21 Haute Town, Summer in the City with the Downtown Alliance JUNE 15 Men’s Night Out July Retail Revolution: Maximizing Your In-Store Event July Summer Soiree August Fall Trends: Runway to Reality September Beauty Tips for Brides to Be October Inaugural Rising Star Gala December Annual Meeting/ Holiday Cocktail Party
If you are interested in working on any of the committees to held plan and run these events, please contact our Program Director Alexia McWhinney at alexia@fgihouston.org 12
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pring Trends
Photos by Roswitha Vogler – www.photosbyrovo.com
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Career
r Day
Photos by Michelle P. Cabigon
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Career
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r Day
Photos by Michelle P. Cabigon
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Career
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Photos by Michelle P. Cabigon
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2010 Holid
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day Party
Photos by Victor Quinteros – www.gopro2.com
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CarmenMarcValvo Photos by Roswitha Vogler – www.photosbyrovo.com
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Who We Are
The 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 Do
The 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 Member
How We Began
by Jeanette Coon
Founded 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.
Publications: 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. ISSUE 4, SPRING 2011
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