Houston Incubator Project

Events / Public Art

The Challenge

Supported through WOAH’s satellite program making underutilized retail space available to arts initiatives at no-to-low cost, the HIP (Houston Incubator Project) pop-up marked Houston’s first concept store dedicated to showcasing emerging designers. Through HIP’s physical presence, the not-for-profit promotes growing and sustaining the business of participating fashion designers by developing the skills needed to thrive and survive in a competitive industry.

The Solution

Animating a 500 sq ft. storefront, HIP displayed designer collections at no-cost in addition to providing mentoring and networking opportunities through workshops, seminars, and fashion shows. Accessible and professional, the HIP platform provided exposure to real-life retail challenges of reaching target-audiences and managing a store within a commercial center.

The Result

Under Founder and veteran Houston designer Toni Whitaker’s curation, HIP met a roster of support—landing segments on ABC, FOX, and various print features. Generating attention to the city’s next leading entrepreneurs through creating opportunities to test the ready-to-wear market, the HIP pop-up introduced audiences to the first iteration of the incubator project.