Who are the most stylish men and women in Dallas? We intend to find out. We have once again partnered with the Plaza at Preston Center to present the third annual CultureMap Stylemaker Awards.
To get things started, we asked you, our devoted readers, to nominate those you deem our city’s arbiters of style. Then we convened a panel of judges — including yours truly and CultureMap editor-in-chief Jennifer Chininis, 2015 readers’ choice winner Javier Burkle, 2015 editors’ choice winner Nancy Koen, and 2015 finalist Julian Leaver — to narrow down the pool to 12 deserving semifinalists.
It was no easy task, but after carefully considering each and every nominee, we present a list of men and women who represent not only a diverse array of styles, but also a variety of industries. Some have made an impact on the fashion business; others have simply impressed with their ability to make a fashionable statement under any circumstance.
So take a look at this list, and then cast your vote. You can vote once a day, every day, until September 23, 11:59 pm. The six top vote-getters move into the final round on October 4 to determine the readers’ choice winner. That person, along with the editors’ choice winner, will be honored at the Stylemaker Awards party on October 20.
Your invitation to the party is coming soon; in the meantime, you can see how the celebration unfolded last year.
Meet the Stylemaker semifinalists (listed in alphabetical order by last name), then go ahead and vote for your favorite:
Name: Jerrod Ballard
Occupation: Group/rooms coordinator, Westin Dallas Downtown
Instagram: @jsquaredstyle
Why Jerrod deserves to be a Stylemaker: Jerrod isn’t afraid to take risks not commonly taken by your average man’s man. He became infatuated with fashion during his college years and eventually started playing around with patterns, prints, and textures, and his signature style was born.
Name: Mark Deuber
Occupation: Plastic surgeon
Instagram: @drmarkdeuber
Why Mark deserves to be a Stylemaker: Mark’s style embodies a casual elegance. He’s married to Cary Deuber of the Real Housewives of Dallas — for whom he shops — and he loves beautiful things, including fine clothes, Italian wools, suede shoes, and all things Brunello Cucinelli.
Name: Ellen Flowers
Occupation: Blogger, The Perennial Style
Instagram: @theperennialstyle
Why Ellen deserves to be a Stylemaker: In addition to traveling around the world photographing amazing pieces in unique settings, Ellen is recognized in the Dallas fashion scene. For her trendy, feminine style, she mixes luxury items with accessible pieces, making her looks relatable for any budget.
Name: Angelee Fortuna
Occupation: Senior account consultant, RewardStyle; co-founder His+Her
Instagram:@angelee
Why Angelee deserves to be a Stylemaker: In a sea of fashionable Dallas women, Angelee stands out. Says her nominator, “the clothes don’t make the (wo)man, the (wo)man makes the clothes.” She co-runs His+Her with husband Eddie Fortuna, himself a Stylemaker semifinalist from 2014. Together, they share views on fashion trends and their Dallas lifestyle.
Name: Shay Geyer
Occupation: Owner and designer, IBB Design Fine Furnishings
Instagram: @designershay
Why Shay deserves to be a Stylemaker: One of Dallas’ top interior designers, Shay believes that the right accessories can take an ensemble to a whole new level. The design expert for Good Morning Texas and social butterfly loves color and a classic aesthetic, and carefully edits accessories for her wardrobe.
Name: Chris Hite
Occupation: Stylist and senior managing partner, J. Hilburn
Website: chrishite.jhilburn.com
Why Chris deserves to be a Stylemaker: Whether it’s interiors, fashion, or entertaining, Chris always has a different take on traditional elements. His style is classic with an eclectic bent. He dresses sharp, but never in a stuffy or too buttoned-up way. After more than a decade at Neiman Marcus, he is now one of J. Hilburn’s leading personal stylists.
Name: Misty Burns Incontrera
Occupation: Jewelry designer and co-founder, B. Stellar
Website: B. Stellar
Why Misty deserves to be a Stylemaker: Throughout her career in retail business development and marketing, Misty pursued jewelry design and painting. In 2013, she launched the B. Stellar jewelry line with 2016 Stylemaker Nancy Koen. Misty can predict trends before they happen, and she chooses outfits based on mood, although there is always an element of art or muse inspiration.
Name: Ekaterina Kouznetsova
Occupation: Entrepreneur; founder, Our New Monarch
Instagram:@czarina_ekaterina
Why Ekaterina deserves to be a Stylemaker: This Moscow-born Dallasite is a modern-day Audrey Hepburn. She has an amazing eye for mixing vintage with modern pieces, which makes her style quirky, fun, and whimsical, setting her apart from others in her industry.
Name: Brittanie Buchanan Oleniczak
Occupation: Media sales director, Southwest Carol Orr & Co.
Instagram:@brittanieoleniczak
Why Brittanie deserves to be a Stylemaker: Brittanie loves fashion as much as she loves a good cocktail (which is a lot), and her marketing and advertising career began in fashion, at one of the largest modeling agencies in the world. In addition to her day job, she has served on the DIFFA/Dallas board of trustees for five years as the creative and marketing director, developing and launching the fabulous House of DIFFA brand and creative campaigns.
Name: Quinn Risdall
Occupation: Senior art director, Mary Kay
Instagram:@quinnrisdall
Why Quinn deserves to be a Stylemaker: Quinn’s style can only be described as “girly prep on acid,” with an emphasis on the color pink. She’s always been interested in fashion but truly got into it when she started working and traveling more regularly, meeting with photographers and stylists who inspire her and help her understand what style truly is.
Name: Al Tidwell
Occupation: Makeup artist and model
Website: Kim Dawson Agency
Why Al deserves to be a Stylemaker: Al has parlayed a 25-year career as a makeup artist into being a model himself. Recently featured as Captain Ahab in the Dallas Opera’s ad campaign, his amazing “mature hippie” vibe and long gray hair makes him striking even if he’s wearing flip-flops and love beads. He inspired a hashtag #altidwellsightings years before he succumbed to social media.
Name: Guillermo Tragant
Occupation: Creative director/principal, Richards Lerma
Instagram:@guilletragant
Why Guillermo deserves to be a Stylemaker: Guillermo is a renaissance man — designer, artist, entrepreneur — born in Argentina to an Italian family. As a designer, he has collaborated with brands such as Levis, Nike, and Benetton, as well as artists like Shakira. His bold, elegant style is representative of today’s contemporary global man.
Angelee Fortuna
Frontiers of Flight Museum store Thomas Garza 