WHAT: ASCEND AAPI Spring Fashion Show

Join the Houston Public Library and Rice University on May 20th as we amplify the voices of the AsianAmerican Pacific Islander community. Ascend AAPI Spring Fashion Show will transform the Houston Public Library’s Historic Julia Ideson Building into a beautiful and festive runway. The event is free and open to the public. Online registration required.

This immersive experience celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month from the Rice University Chao Center of Asian Studies, HAAA in the exhibit, “Our Vibrant AAPI Community: Selections from the Houston Asian American Archive” are on display at the JIB Gallery from January 19, 2023 -June 3, 2023.

WHO: Houston Public Library is a dynamic organization that serves one of the largest areas – both population and area – in the country. HPL is committed to equitable access to information and programs in an increasingly digital age. Rice University’s Houston Asian American Archive (HAAA) began in 2010 and it continues to grow as a repository of materials documenting the lives and contributions of immigrants and their descendants from all corners of Asia: from East, to Southeast, to South Asia.

The Chao Center for Asian Studies is the premier research hub for faculty, students and post-doctoral scholars working in Asian studies at Rice. The mission of the Chao Center includes outreach to Asian and Asian American populations in Houston and beyond, promoting scholarly community building and broader understanding.

DESIGNERS:

Chloe Dao is a Vietnamese-American, born in Laos, fashion designer and style expert based in Houston. She was catapulted to international fame after winning Project Runway Season 2 in 2006 with a collection of women’s evening wear. She has been featured on the cover of Forbes, Elle Magazine, as well as CNN, The View and numerous media outlets both national and international.

Chloe’s signature flair, as noted on Project Runway, demonstrates her expert understanding of women’s bodies. Her garments are carefully constructed to flatter every body type and give every woman a wardrobe that’s as one of a kind as she is. Chloe’s mission is to make everyone feel beautiful.

Kimono Zulu, a creative exploration led by Tina Zulu, a Filipina-American will present a collection of reimagined vintage Japanese kimonos. Kimono Zulu draws upon the rich history of traditional Japanese attire, mainly the kimono, and its influence on other cultures throughout Asia and the West. Through artist collaborations, Tina Zulu inspires and initiates the visual conversation for artists to incorporate their own design sensibilities into the vision for the brand, bringing new life to vintage kimonos in a thoughtful, beautiful and often playful way.

Anthony Pabillano, a Houston-based Filipino artist and accessories designer, currently explores weaving in the style of the Philippine bayong, a traditional bag made from dried leaves but redefined today through his use of unexpected materials and forms. Grounded on the human form and empowered by reconciliation of present with past experiences, Anthony Pabillano creates pieces that serve as vessels of memories and emotions traversing over distances and time, woven into objects centering around matters of the self and of the collective.

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 2:00-5:00 pm

WHERE: Houston Public Library- Julia Ideson Building, Tudor Galler 550 McKinney Street Houston, TX 77002

TiCKETS LINK: ASCEND AAPI SPRING FASHION SHOW

MEDIA CONTACTS: Dilsia Hernandez [email protected] 713.568.6203; Tina Zulu [email protected] 713.581.4788