Fast Cars and Hot Fashion Blend in One Roaring Houston Night — Porsche Joins The Army
Championing Upcycled Fashion Long Before It Became Trendy
BY Shelby Hodge // 02.21.25
Event chairs Donae Chramosta, Ann Ayre and Kaleta Blaffer Johnson powered the Salvation Army Auxiliary 'Reflections on Style' launch. (Photo by Priscilla Dickson)
Long before Hollywood made it oh-so-fashionable to shop vintage clothing and before the millions of tons of annual textile waste made headlines, the Houston Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary faithfully promoted upcycling clothing. The Reflections on Style luncheon fundraiser has been emptying the closets of Houston fashionistas for decades, creating a high-end resale experience that has raised millions for the Army.
The 2025 event, under the auspices of luncheon chair Ann Ayre, enjoyed a jump start on the fundraising featuring those previously loved fashions with a soirée at The Podium at Porsche River Oaks. The hot cars were in perfect sync with the theme of this year’s luncheon, “Fashion in the Fast Lane.” No small coincidence that Ayre is a member of the Porsche Club of America and admits to enjoying the thrill of driving fast cars.
The New York Times addressed vintage fashion in its Sunday style section with coverage of the return of fur fashions — those that are sourced from previous owners. It’s all part of today’s three R’s of fashion: Recycle, reuse and reduce. That inadvertently happens to be the end result of the annual Reflections on Style luncheon, helping it produce multiple benefits.
The Podium evening was co-chaired by Ayre, Kaleta Blaffer Johnson and Donae Chromasta, who owns the highly regarded Vintage Contessa & Times Past specializing in previously owned designer merchandise from watches to handbags.
Shopping the luncheon’s Chic Boutique has become quite the thing with the luncheon and fashion show of the best of the clothes received is already sold out. But it’s never too late to donate that once-loved Oscar de la Renta, Escada or Carolina Herrera. In fact, Ayre is working hard to unlock the best designer clothes from some of Houston’s most haute closets.
The luncheon is set for April 8 at River Oaks Country Club, but shopping opportunities continue. On April 9, the Chic Boutique, located at 3403 Richmond, will open to the public from 3 pm to 7 pm for a $20 entry fee. Admission will be free April 10 through April 12 when the boutique will be open from 10 am to 5 pm.
SHOP FOR MOM
Now that’s hot shopping.
PC Seen: Maureen Higdon, Linda McReynolds, Lilly Andress, Vicki West, Ann Bookout, Stick Delaup, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, Dr. Alice Mao Brams, Gracie Cavnar, Elia Gabbanelli, Marla Hurley, Zinat Ahmed, Debbie Festari, Heather Almond, Cheryl Byington, Crystal Robin, MariaMoncada Alaoui, Rob Dale, Carson Brown, and Heidi Turney.
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