Bring Down the House!

Out-of-this-world Houston designer debuts first new collection in five years.

enid
enid

This weekend, for the first time in five years, Houston designer Enid Almanza unveils a new collection of his avant-garde clothing and accessories. This Saturday’s “Creation” fashion show at Sabine Street Studios includes 27 one-of-a-kind looks comprised of nearly 100 pieces.


Almanza’s House of Enid brand, which garnered national attention in 2013 when Lady Gaga wore a pair of his Coke-can glasses during a televised special, utilizes unexpected objects and textiles — think neoprene, vinyl and crystals galore — to create dresses, jewelry, headpieces and more. His 2014 debut fashion show, just months after Gaga’s endorsement, sparked a new chapter in his career. “My success in Houston happened very fast and very quick,” says Almanza, who’s now 27. “I was very young, and I had a hard time trying to understand everything that was happening to me. I’m also very hard on myself, and I had a hard time believing in me and my work.”

Almanza decided to leave Houston, for the time being, and travel the world. He lived in Europe — Milan, Paris, Germany — for three years, and also returned to his native Mexico for six months. “I used to think that I was successful because my work was so differentin Houston,” he says, “but once I got to the big fashion capitals and couldn’t find anything that resembled what I was doing at the time, it made me believe more in myself.”

So much so, in fact, that he desired to return to Houston to launch his new collection. “I wanted to submerge myself in the fashion meccas, and experience where it all comes from, and then come back and apply it to Houston,” he says, “to help our fashion scene grow as much as possible.”

The Creation line includes out-of-this-world leotards, corsets and coordinating accessories — one orb-like headpiece has bedazzled stars attached, creating a truly out-of-this-world look — and aims not only to inspire those who view Almanza’s work, but to grant permission for creative expression in general.

“If they feel free,” says Almanza of his audience, “that’ll be more than enough for me. House of Enid’s shows are a sanctuary for love, creativity and freedom.”

Dispatches
Thrive & Inspire: ‘Results for Clients’ in Oil and Gas Drives Michelman & Robinson’s Varnado

Lauren Varnado, Houston Office Managing Partner at Michelman & Robinson, LLP and sought-after oil and gas lawyer

WHAT WAS THE highlight of 2022 at your business? That’s easy, launching Michelman & Robinson in Houston was, for me, the absolute high point of 2022 — and that’s in a year that included so many highlights. Without question, being named the firm’s Houston Office Managing Partner is and was a professional milestone that I’m so very proud of. That I’ve already been able to expand the office to 10 of us (and growing) and significantly move the needle in terms of the firm’s reach within the energy space is icing on the cake.

Keep Reading Show less

David Cordua

FOODIES WITH BIG hearts were in heaven at the annual Signature Chefs restaurants expo and fundraising dinner benefitting the March of Dimes. Held at The Revaire and chaired by Kristen J. Cannon and Mignon Gill, the event took in some $425,000 in support of healthier mothers and children.

Keep Reading Show less

LeBrina Jackson

AS WE GET into the holiday season, we’re reminded of what we have, what we want and what might be lacking. As Sheryl Crow says in her song, Soak up the Sun, “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you've got.” We caught up with LeBrina Jackson, owner of Escape Spa in Cypress, Texas, and learned how she tackles the holiday season with hope, love and most importantly, gratitude.

Keep Reading Show less