For Budding Fashionistas

Hadleigh's rocks the holidays with luxury pop-up shop for stylish tots

There’s a new store for tots in town, and it’s just for the holidays. Hadleigh’s Bespoke, one of the high-end retailers at Highland Park Village, has opened a pop-up shop to top all pop-ups.

Hadleigh’s Baby, open through January 4, 2014, offers only the most luxurious children’s wear. Seems the fashionable apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Located near its parent at 53 Highland Park Village, Hadleigh’s Baby follows the same quality standards shoppers have come to expect from the original, which has a relationship with big-name retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman in New York and Neiman Marcus. Hadleigh’s Baby is no different.

“We have always wanted to have a baby shop,” say Gable and Ed Shaikh, co-founders of Hadleigh’s. “With three little girls, it is the next step to expand our business.”

The Shaikhs will introduce their brand to the younger set with original designs for girls’ dresses handmade in Italy with Italian textiles. They also will offer unique specialty gifts for the holidays, including Hadleigh’s baby slippers and gorgeous Italian cashmere baby blankets.

Hadleigh’s Baby also will feature collections from Little Bean, Milly Minis, Smocked Auctions and Baby Bespoke. As far as its closing date of January 4, don’t fret too much about it. If you know this power couple, you have probably guessed that if this little venture is a success, it may become permanent.

“They do not have anything like Hadleigh’s Baby,” say the Shaikhs. “We would like to open up a permanent baby shop, as we think it’s a great addition to Highland Park Village.”

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COUNTRY CACHET

Cirque du Soleil in Dallas boasts Western costumes by Beyonce stylist

Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

Songblazers will be in Houston through August 11.

Entertainment circus tour Cirque du Soleil has mounted a new US tour, one that represents its first foray into an unlikely milieu: country music. CalledSongblazers, it comes to Dallas during the State Fair of Texas with a celebrity behind the scenes: famed stylist Zerina Rosette Akers who created the costumes for the show.

This marks Akers' Cirque du Soleil debut, but she has years of experience in the fashion world. She was Beyonce's personal stylist for nearly a decade and has styled other big names in the entertainment industry, including Houston native Megan Thee Stallion, Chloe and Halle Bailey, and more.

Western influences have taken over mainstream fashion over the past few seasons. Icons in the fashion industry, including Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Dior, and Chloé, have created entire collections around Western style. With Songblazers, Akers had the opportunity to do the same.

"I was inspired by country fashion and country music past and present. I really dug into a ton of different musicians and artists, but also runway style and fashion and how it's incorporated to have the best of both worlds of fashion and music meet," Akers says.

Cirque de Soleil Akers added to Songblazers by telling the story of country songs and music through her designs. Sketch courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

Cirque costumes are famously flexible and versatile, allowing the performers to move freely during their performances. According to Akers, she worked with the commonly known aspects of country fashion, adding a Cirque du Soleil essence paired with modern Western-influenced fashion. And, of course, spandex. "Everything has to be spandex 'cause we gotta move," she says.

One of Akers' favorite creations for the show was the famed nudie suit. For those unfamiliar with nostalgic country fashion, a nudie suit is a highly embellished stage costume that became a status symbol of country music performers dating back to the 1950s.

Cirque de Soleil Western Akers designed her version of the famous country music nudie suit. Sketch courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

For many, it became a symbol of the American Dream. Akers created her own version for Songblazers.

"My favorite style piece of the country aesthetic is the nudie suit. It's so glam and rooted in culture and performance; it's just gorgeous," she says.

To complement the costumes, Vanessa Ashley, makeup specialist for Cirque du Soleil, says the color palette for the show is vibrant and happy. She pulled from the colors of the costumes to create a palette of blues, oranges, pinks, and purples. The makeup team teaches the artists how to do their makeup and hair by giving them lessons so they can complete their looks on their own weeks prior to the show.

Songblazers runs September 25-October 11 at the Music Hall at Fair Park. Tickets to the show include admission to the State Fair of Texas for the day of the show only, parking not included (does not include September 25-26).

Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

Songblazers will be in Houston through August 11.

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