Controversial Houston-based fashion line now on sale
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- You paid for it: Houston's tourism agency spent hundreds of thousands of tax dollars on a fashion line to lure international visitors to Houston.
We told you about that months ago.
Thursday, that line debuted in Houston.
"It's here selling in Houston," designer Vivienne Tam said. "It's amazing!"
Tam's collection full of Houston logos is exclusively available at Baanou, a boutique in Houston's River Oaks District. The pieces on display are a few hundred dollars each.
RELATED: Vivienne Tam launches Houston-inspired (and taxpayer funded) fashion line
"I want people to see the beauty of Houston," Tam said.
Tam and the boutique were eager to show off her collection, but the PR team at the River Oaks District shopping center were not so eager.
The mall's marketing director kicked the ABC13 crew out of the event.
RELATED: Controversial Houston-inspired fashion line now on sale
We'd been told about the event by Visit Houston, the city's tourism agency.
As we first reported months ago, Visit Houston paid Tam nearly $450,000 (that's taxpayer money) to design the collection.
They paid another $10,000 to help pay for Thursday's event.
"It's not about money, it's about creativity," Tam said.
Tam points out she has done larger projects for larger budgets with larger partners.
The Houston collection is available through the summer.
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