Fashionistas 'WOW' at Philanthropic Tootsies To-Do

Daniel Ortiz
Fashionistas 'WOW' at Philanthropic Tootsies To-Do

Karishma Asrani, Jay Lakhani, Courtney Harmon

ONE OF THE season’s most fashionably philanthropic events, the Women of Wardrobe’s (WOW) Summer Soiree returned to Tootsies last week, welcoming 300 guests who raised more than $15,000 for Dress for Success.


Touting fall collections from Love the Label and Deepa Gurnani, the gathering had guests wishing for cool weather — and catching up about where they spent the sizzling summer — while sipping Madame Zero Champagne and cocktails with Agavales tequila. Among the bites provided by local purveyors like Armandos, Kin Dee and Guard and Grace were cups of shrimp ceviche and bite-size empanadas; all was savored while a soundtrack of tunes spun by DJ Paul Paxton played in the background.

A swag bag was given to partygoers upon their departure, featuring items from Equinox, ALTO, Lemon Laine and more.

Next summer will mark the 20th Summer Soiree, which directly furthers WOW and Dress for Success Houston’s mission to empower women to achieve economic independence through networking, professional attire and developmental resources.

Mandy Bynum, Monica Guerra

Anna Kaplan, Trina Silva

Olivia Awo, Kaitlyn Dhindsa

Norman Lewis, Lauren Levicki Courville

Kristen Torrez, Catarina Bill

Annie Ghormley, Melanie Mabry

Jessica Arledge, Victoria Garcia, Hilary Baars

Caitlin Fleming, Katherine Orellana, Michael Vo

Parties
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

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How did you get to where you are today? My journey to where I am today is built on a foundation of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Every step along the way, I faced obstacles, but I approached each one with determination and a “never give up” mindset. Instead of being discouraged by challenges, I used them as opportunities to grow and improve. Consistency was key—I committed to showing up and giving my best effort every day. I also learned not to take “no” as a final answer. Instead, I saw it as a chance to push harder, adapt, and find another way forward. It’s this combination of persistence, resilience, and unwavering focus that has brought me to where I am today.

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