In a vibrant, festive demonstration of creativity and culture, the Houston Public Library and Rice University collaborated to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with the Ascend AAPI Spring Fashion Show. Attendees gathered to watch as models in an array of colorful garments made their way down the runway in Houston Public Library’s historic Julia Ideson Building downtown.
Three AAPI designers were featured in the show: Chloe Dao, Tina Zulu and Anthony Pabillano.
Chloe Dao, who first burst onto the scene as the Season 2 winner of Project Runway, is a well known Vietnamese-American designer and style expert based in Houston. Her brand is centered around trying to make every woman feel beautiful in her clothing and designs. Her latest Dao Chloe Dao Boutique can be found in the M-K-T Heights mixed-use development.
Tina Zulu, a Filipina-American designer, is the creative mind behind Kimono Zulu. She presented a collection of reimagined vintage Japanese kimonos and other garments inspired by Japanese clothing. Her work is also going to be featured in a kimono pop-up at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) from July 7 to July 9 to kick off the museum’s Summer Nights series. Zulu will be available to assist customers in kimono styling and selection.
Anthony Pabillano is a Filipino artist based in Houston who explores weaving in the style of the Philippine bayong, a traditional bag made from dried leaves. He redefines tradition by using unexpected materials and forms in his designs.
Many models strutted the runway wearing beautifully decorated headpieces resembling traditional rice hats. The garments drew on the heritage of the designers and the spirit of AAPI History Month with reimagined silhouettes of traditional Asian clothing like the kimono or hanfu.
One dress designed by Dao featured light, billowing pale pink fabric in the skirt, with a…
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