Houston Design Favorite, Rubin Singer Jets into Town for Passion for Fashion Luncheon

        Suzzette Brimmer, Courtney Hobson, Julie Roberts, Rubin Singer, Melissa Mafrige Mithoff, Elizabeth Petersen and Neil HamilDesigner Rubin Singer flew into town from NYC for a special appearance for the Annual Passion for Fashion Luncheon and Runway Show where he showcased his stunning Fall 2017 Collection at the event honoring Fashion Icon, Melissa Mithoff.  Also featured above are HCC’Suzette Brimmer, Courtney Hopson, Elizabeth Anthony’s Julie Roberts, Rubin,  Melissa, Elizabeth Peterson and  MC, Neal Hamil

One of Houston’s most fashionable events of the year is the Passion for Fashion Luncheon and Fashion Show benefiting the fashion and interior design departments of the Houston Community College. This year was one of the most special for me as it showcased two people for which I have been long time fans……designer Rubin Singer and fashion icon honoree, Melissa Mithoff.

The crowd of 220 stylish attendees were loving the man and his collection. Rubin Singer, forever charming and down to earth was here for the Luncheon and was sponsored by Elizabeth Anthony, where he was available for an in-store to visit with many of his clientele for the two days following the show.

I always make a point to see and visit with Rubin when he’s in town and catch up with his latest adventures.  The new news with this designer, who has always taken great pride in pushing the fashion boundaries, shared the tale of his unique NYFW presentation this year that kicked off NYFW for all.  The designer presented his collection on board a regularly scheduled Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to NYC, where many of the passengers, that were headed to NYC for Fashion Week were able to share this unique experience.  The stories he told of how easy,  it was not,  to make this work at 30,000 ft. over the Atlantic, a task that had never been done before,  and how he dressed his models and improvised on the second level of a 747 was hilarious! It makes you wonder, just what’s next for Mr. Singer?!  What will this designer who will shortly be showing Resort 2018 in New York and Paris do next? We will all have to wait and see, which will be even harder if he truly begins to show soon only in Paris?!

His evening driven collection was what we have learned to expect from this “couture-minded” designer, who has taken his legacy from his grandfather and father, both couturiers in their time and under whom he trained.  It is his attention to detail that has become his signature….draping, beautiful fabrics in prints which he designs, bold color and corsetry. All exquisitely designed and produced under Rubin’s watchful eye.

The following are some of my favorite looks of the day…..

*Rubin Singer Design 4My very favorite gown of the day….grey and white print (actually it was the print that won me over as I loved it both long and short)

whitedressThe grey and white short caplet dress, worn also by honoree Melissa Mithoff was my favorite dress of the collection; The winner on the right for me was the fabulous bold cobalt color with the awesome and very flattering neckline

*RUbin Singer Design 3Lots of RED pieces in the collection….this separate RED skirt and graphic printed top made for a very modern approach to evening separates

pff1Striking black ballgown with touches of RED layered throughout and on the right a classic RED gown with matelassé-like detailing around the hemline…understated elegance

*Rubin Singer Design 6A taste of hot neon in this green evening gown 

IMG_1356This year’s fashion icon honoree, Melissa Mafrige Mithoff, wore the dress I loved and certainly wore it well. She looked so magnificent in it that she had to strike a pose for me and my IPhone!

About Fashion Society Icon Honoree:  Melissa Mithoff became interested in the HCC program when she co-chaired the event with Roseanne Johnson in 2012. Introduced by co-chairs and long time pals, Courtney Hopson and Elizabeth Peterson, Melissa was truly moved by their heartfelt intro of their friend and of the video that highlighted her interest and involvement with the students. Melissa, just being Melissa, was genuinely moved when she received her award from and MC, Style Expert, Neil Hamil and also when Suzette Brimmer and HCC announced a study trip to NYC that  will be awarded in Mithoff’s name. “I love supporting our future and knowing that those students today are going to be the trendsetters and style setters of our future,”  Mithoff said.

12345Ally Shell, Passion for Fashion Founder Julia Frankel and Jeff Shell;  Co-chair Courtney Hopson, Designer Rubin Singer, Fashion Icon Melissa Mithoff and Co-chair Elizabeth Peterson

123Elizabeth Anthony’s Julie Roberts and Rubin Singer;  Phoebe Tudor, Kelli Fein, Gina Gaston and Julie Roberts

lastoneLori Sarofim and Susan Sarofim; Suzette Brimmer, Ceron and Jeanne Ruberti

*Clifford Pugh and Rubin SingerThe tradition continues…..Culture Map Editor-in-Chief Clifford Pugh sits with Rubin Singer at show closure for a casual Q & A with the designer.

For any of you that have not chatted or read about Rubin Singer, his life is very interesting. He shared with Clifford and the audience, stories of his background. I love when he chats about his grandfather (his namesake) and the amazing story of his life in Nazis Poland and how he began sewing, only to become a leading couturier for the Soviet Union, which included tailoring a suit for Stalin! Rubin’s father was trained by his grandfather and became the head costume director for the Bolshoi Ballet and both of these men had a great influence on Rubin and it is from them that he has learned his craft and his high skill level.

However, it was designing for Beyoncé for her 2013 Super Bowl half time performance that gave Rubin Singer a rise in commercial success. He had made some things for her as well as other celebrities like Glen Close, Heidi Klum, Lucy Liu, Alicia Keys and others. However, it was not until she visited and saw a leather jumpsuit in his collection that they both knew that that was the design for her……and the rest is history!

photos courtesy of Daniel Ortiz, with a few IPhone shots by yours truly!

About Roz Pactor

I am a fashion and marketing consultant and blogger based in Houston, Texas. With more than three decades of experience in fashion retailing that has spanned Foley’s, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s NYC, I have earned a reputation for delivering expertise, energy and enthusiasm to my roster of clients. I have remained closely connected with designer women’s fashion as well as the misses, teens, men’s and children’s apparel and accessories markets from coast to coast.

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