Reagan Josephine on the Frida Kahlo fashion event at Museum of Fine Arts Houston.  

The tenth anniversary of Fashion Fusion at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston premiered a Frida Kahlo inspired couture show. For the last decade, Fashion Fusion has served to show the work of up and coming fashion designers in the Houston Community College fashion degree program. Previous shows have showcased looks inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, Oscar De LaRenta, and Arts of Asia. This year, the designs were inspired by the work of Frida Kahlo.

Frida: The Making of an Icon went on display at the MFAH in January. The exhibition showcased Frida’s work and the art she inspired. Curator Mari Carmen Ramírez spoke of Kahlo’s legacy not just as a body of work but as a creative force, one that “stimulates in people a desire to embody her… people don’t just want to see Frida, but they want to be Frida,” capturing the very spirit that many designers sought to channel on the Fashion Fusion runway. 

Frida spent her life as a disabled, anti-capitalist Mexican woman, who did a range of work showcasing grief, married life, love, and the pain that comes with severe illness and disability. Her work has become a cultural icon, and her signature paintings are renowned worldwide.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Fashion Fusion show with my partner on Friday, January 30th. We arrived about thirty minutes early and the museum was already packed. 

As the show began, I was struck by how deeply talented these designers were and how they were inspired by Frida. They drew from her visual language, cultural motifs, and truly captured her soul. 

There were four main categories: Reimagine, Regenerate, Reengineer, and Reveal. Traditional Mexican textiles, corseted designs, hand painted garments, floral crowns, as well as tear away outfits, detachable human hearts, and red strings attaching two models all showcased Frida’s legacy. Together, these designs truly captured and embodied the legacy of Frida Kahlo and her lifetime of work. 

What lingered after the final walk was not just the craftsmanship, but the sense of artists and models alike inhabiting something larger than themselves. Frida Kahlo’s legacy, rooted in honesty, pain, and radical selfhood, found new life on the runway through garments that asked to be felt, recognized, respected, not just seen. It showcased the legacy of a woman who poured her heart and soul into her work, and did her justice. Fashion Fusion did not merely reference Frida; it allowed her spirit to move, breathe, and exist in the present tense.

LATELY IN HOUSTON

Mochi likes truffles! Houston chef Ryan Pera is training Mochi, his Lagotto Romagnolo pup, to sniff out truffles despite Texas only having "pecan truffles." The curly-furred Italian breed was born for this. Mochi's mastering scent drills in Montrose, learning to nose out fungi worth thousands per pound. Next stop: burying truffle boxes, then maybe Oregon. Houston's truffle-hunting game just got adorable.

Houston Public Library isn't just silence… Stream movies, borrow metal detectors, record podcasts, research ancestors, fix your car with Chilton manuals, all free with a library card. HPL's 38 branches serve millions with 2.8 million items. Most-requested 2025 book? A romance novel called “The Women.” Turns out librarians handle everything from genealogy to engine trouble. No shushing required.

Texas inmate Sonya Reed is out of solitary confinement. Her daughter started a GoFundMe for a sick prison cat (Orange Julius, naturally) triggered an investigation. Reed's back in regular housing, though officials won't explain why she was isolated in the first place. The fundraiser raised $11K for vet care. Solitary for cat charity? Absolutely disproportionate.

Houston's getting "adult dorms?” Residents can now live in 10-bedroom coliving townhomes where renters pay $1,000/month for private rooms in shared homes. PIN Group built 33 properties through PadSplit across Third Ward, East End, and Near Northside. No credit checks, low move-in fees, utilities included. It's cheaper than traditional apartments once you factor in furniture and deposits. Communal living meets affordability.

WEEKEND EVENTS

All Weekend:

• Massive art sale at Reeves Art Gallery

• $30 fill-a-bag sale at Oh Goodie A Book

• Live mini portraits by Rocio

• Plantcon at Houston Home + Garden Show

Thursday, 2/5

4:45pm and 9:30pm, Cinema | Watch In The Mood For Love (2001) at River Oaks Theatre. $16.

5pm-9pm, Art | “The Art of the Ride” opening reception at Avant-Art Gallery by Steve Wrubel. “Known for his striking, motion-filled images of the American West, Wrubel returns with a powerful new body of work exploring the energy, form, and tradition of rodeo culture.”

8pm-11pm, Live Music | Celebrating Bob Marley and Dennis Brown with The Vibe Theory at Echoes.

9pm, Nightlife | Love$ick: A Night of Don Toliver & Kali Uchis at Prauper Studios. RSVP.

Friday, 2/6

5pm-8pm, Art | “The Black Experience: Past, Present and Future” opening reception at Bisong Art Gallery.

6:30pm-9:30pm, Live Music | Indiara Saxophone at The Kennedy.

7pm and 9:30pm, Live Music | “The Music from Cowboy Bebop” with Woody Witt Big Band at Doc’z Jazz Club. $45 and up. Almost sold out.

Saturday, 2/7

11am-3pm, Crafts | Hands-on Houston: Bolo Ties at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. “Design and sculpt your bolo slide using polymer clay, and add beads for flair. You’ll leave with a fun and festive bolo, ready to celebrate the Houston Rodeo in style!”

12pm, Sports | Weiner Dog Races at Sam Houston Race Park. $7.

2pm, Community | Show & Tell “Holding Our Stories” with Jiya Pinder at The Reading Room.

2pm-8pm, Fashion | Collection Preview Event with Petra Stellam at Onli.

9pm-2am, Nightlife | Noche de salsa y Timba at Room 8o8. Salsa classes at 9-10pm and live percussion.

Sunday, 2/8

10am-3pm, Pop-up | Amor Benito Galentine’s Day Pop-up. There’ll be a Bad Bunny look-alike contest!

3pm, Sports | Puppy Bowl & Half-time Watch Party at Axelrad.

4pm-6pm, Art | “norMAL and unreMARKable” closing reception at Throughline Collective.

ON THE HOU(S)E Concierge

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