Houston is the fourth largest city in America with a continuously growing population. So why does it take a backseat in the fashion industry? Like the backseat of a bus. Maybe this topic wouldn’t be important if Houston were the 12^th largest city in the country, but it’s the fourth, which means that our city is a desirable location for innovators and creators.

A possible contributing factor to Houston’s lackluster fashion culture is our oil and gas industry. Unfortunately, the oil and gas industry dominates arts, culture and fashion in the city of Houston. It’s a direct link to the lack of emerging fashion talent here. For instance, aspiring designers may feel at a disadvantage building a fashion label in Houston because of the small media industry. So, naturally they feel inclined to relocate to New York or Los Angeles. The problem is that no one will stay where they feel doomed to fail. Since anyone desiring a successful fashion career often leaves Houston, the fashion industry never grows here. Can someone take one for the team, stay here and build a dominating fashion label and hopefully open doors for fashion culture in Houston? Is that too much to ask?

Houston has diversity and culture, but for some reason the city is still finding itself when it comes to honing fashion. What is Houston’s niche in the fashion industry? Until we figure that out, Houston will always be cast in the fashion industry’s shadow.

Maybe it’s simply not meant to be for Houston, although I find that implausible. This city is too big and filled with too much culture and talent to not become a dominating force in fashion. Houston designers must join together and break down crippling the barriers.