At Dress for Success and Women of Wardrobe's annual Summer Soiree, generously hosted by Tootises, fashion-forward attendees dressed in pretty pastels, bold patterns and lots of ruffles — many designed by Houston's Hunter Bell, who showed off her fall line alongside jewelry by Claudia Lobao. Chairs Karishma Asrani, Courtney Campo, Allie Danziger and Melissa Sugulas welcomed guests to the event, which toasted the 20th anniversary of Dress for Success, and raised more than $20,000 for the org.
‘Embrace Changes,’ Says Valobra, Whose Namesake Jewelry Store Has Become a Houston Institution
Jun. 16, 2022
How did you get to where you are today? I had little choice in the matter; I grew up being trained to become the fourth-generation jewelry designer behind my great grandfather, grandfather, and father. It was my duty to carry on the family business and continue the hard work and success they built from nothing, beginning in Torino, Italy in 1905. I was surrounded by jewelry and its craftmanship as a young child and was taught the business from a very young age.
Whom do you credit? As I stand squarely on the shoulders of three great men that ran the company before me, my main motivation is to carry the torch to the next generation by carefully expanding the business, protecting the brand, and maintaining the highest level of ethics and professionality while doing it.
What lessons have you learned that might enlighten and inspire others? Passion and conviction for what you do are going to be of paramount importance for your success. Passion for success may not bring you success, but passion for your work will undoubtedly bring you success.
- Take great care of your client. A relentlessly fanatical approach to customer service is another great key to success.
- Never cease to learn about your business and ways to improve it.
- Don’t fear changes; embrace them and try to anticipate them.
What’s more important in a successful business: seeking the highest profitability or to striving to purvey your clientele with the best values? It is like health and happiness, the two do not exist without the other.
What’s new in your life or work that you’re excited about? The steady progression of custom designed jewelry creations for an ever more sophisticated clientele excites me. It challenges my staff and continues to refine our skills and knowledge. In terms of preparing for the future, my long-term goal is to instill the principles and business values to my next generations that were instilled to me.
What’s your biggest accomplishment as a business owner? Opening successful jewelry boutiques in America thousands of miles away from my comfort zone and making them highly successful. Creating a working environment that is both fun and efficient, cultivating long-term loyalty from clients and staff alike. Continuously curating a sterling reputation and an unequivocally ethical stance.
What’s one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner? Successfully adapting to my business’ ever-changing trends, competing ethically and efficiently in the world of digital content, and constantly creating new designs while delivering value and exclusivity to our clientele.
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BEGINNING AUG. 1 THROUGH Aug. 10, the Houston Shakespeare Festival, the professional arm of the University of Houston’s School of Theater and Dance, takes the stage at Miller Outdoor Theatre for its 50th iteration. The milestone event includes productions of Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, plus "Bard talks," all at no cost to viewers.
"The excitement for our 50th anniversary season pulses through our shops and rehearsal studios where nationally-acclaimed artists, including some UH alumni, and current students create imaginative and passionate productions of two of the world’s most beloved plays,” said Jack Young, HSF artistic director and acting professor at UH’s School of Theater & Dance, in a statement.
The classic lineup is the perfect way to celebrate 50 years of the Houston Shakespeare Festival, which has entertained more than 1 million Houstonians since Sidney Berger launched it in 1975. While the longtime director of the UH School of Theater and Dance passed away in 2013, his legacy lives on each summer. The festival is a professional equity company that incorporates a select group of UH students to bring its productions to completion.
The show schedule alternates A Midsummer Night's Dream (Aug. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9) and Romeo & Juliet (Aug. 2, 6, 8, 10), with a pre-performance Bard Talk at 7:45pm and a curtain time of 8:15pm. All shows are free to attend, but a complimentary ticket is required to enjoy the covered seating. Ticket information is found here.
Romeo & Juliet
Titiana in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
Costume sketches for 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
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THE SOUTHERN SMOKE Foundation, established by chef Chris Shepherd, has only been around for seven years — but that's long enough to have helped hospitality workers through hurricanes, freezes, a pandemic, and countless other personal situations requiring emergency relief.
The group says that food and beverage workers lose an average of $1,175 in income during a natural disaster; its goal is to provide assistance in the form of grants to those affected. This time around, it's getting a big assist from Pappas Restaurants, which donated $75,000 in the wake of Beryl and has plans to give more via a continued partnership.
Additionally, the Houston Hospitality Alliance gave $25,000, and an anonymous donor pledged to match $25,000. And DoorDash stepped up, offering grant recipients "community credits" to ensure that meals and essential groceries and household items can be delivered at no cost.
After the derecho in May, SSF granted $330,600 in funds to 372 food and beverage workers. The deadline to apply for Beryl-related assistance is Aug. 16, and turnaround time from application receipt to release of funds is around two weeks. The nonprofit issued its first grants a couple weeks ago to workers at Dandelion Cafe; a touching segment aired on Good Morning America.
“We are so grateful to our partners,” said Lindsey Brown, SSF executive director. “As of July 1, 2024, we’ve distributed more than $1 million in emergency relief grants to food and beverage workers in crisis nationwide. We distributed $1 million in grants during the entirety of 2023 and are on pace to more than double our grants to F+B workers this year. The generous support from our partners like Pappas Restaurants, the Houston Hospitality Alliance, and DoorDash help us to be a safety net for such a fragile industry, and we welcome support from anyone else who loves food and beverage and wants to not only see the industry survive but thrive.”
To make a donation to SSF, click here.
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