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In Style in Houston

When Chloe Dao auditioned for the second season of "Project Runway" in 2005, she was an unknown Houston fashion designer with a tiny store near Rice University. By the time she was announced the winner, she was a bona-fide household name, earning kudos for her figure-flattering designs and gracious personality. Today, Dao still lives in Houston and owns the same store, but things have definitely changed-she is now the powerhouse behind her own fashion label (Lot 8 by Chloe Dao) as well as her own line of clothes for QVC (Simply. Chloe Dao), and she has even teamed up with Pacific Design to create a line of accessories for electronics.

But no matter how high her star rises, Dao says she'll never abandon the city that embraced her long before Heidi Klum did.

You've described your style as simple, clean and a little bit sexy; how would you describe Houstonian style?

"Ever-changing; we're hungry for fashion.
That's one of the reasons I decided to stay in Houston-people are very adventurous here. They want to develop their own personal style, because this is the New Frontier."

Tell us about your store, Lot 8.

"It's definitely grown over the years, but it's still very reasonably priced and down-to-earth. I named the store Lot 8 (www.lot8online.com) because I'm one of eight girls in my family; my sisters and my mom still work there with me. We carry my designs, and we also carry clothes by other local designers as much as we can."

What are some of your other favorite shops in the city?

"I love Kuhl-Linscomb (www.kuhl-linscomb.com). It has five buildings and more than 60,000 square feet of everything you could want for your home. They carry lots of unusual pieces-it's a great place to get decorating ideas. I also like Wear It Again Sam (www.wearitagainsamhouston.com), a vintage store in the Heights neighborhood, which is a very up-and-coming area. It's fun to go there and see how designers from the 1940s and '50s constructed their designs. In the old days, they did it right, so it's a great place to research and get affordable samples."

Where else do you go to get inspired?

"I love the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (www.camh.org) because it's about artists who are doing different things with shapes, color combinations and textures. I like to go there and remind myself that things don't have to be done just one way; being there helps twist my mind to think differently."

As a self-professed "eater," what are some of your favorite places to grab a bite in Houston?

"I love Thai Spice Asian Bistro (www.thaispice.com; 281-988-9666) on Bellaire. I was born in Laos, which is close to Thailand, and I think Thai Spice's cuisine is as authentic as you can get without flying overseas. It's also very reasonably priced. I'm a big fan of Chinese Café (713-621-2888); I grew up eating it, and to me, it's the best Chinese food in the city. I'm also addicted to the grilled chicken and pasta pesto deli salad at Café Express (www.cafe-express.com).

I eat it at least once a week and put tons of jalapeños and banana peppers in it. I love spicy food."

You travel a lot for work; what do you miss most when you're away from Houston?

"I miss the food-I really do.

My mom makes my sisters and me five-course Vietnamese meals all the time, and when I'm out of town, I miss her cooking. I also miss Houston's restaurants-we have such a great culinary scene."

What has been your greatest shopping "discovery" in Houston?

"It's hard to beat Domy Books (www.domystore.com). It's this cool little bookstore that carries great books you'd never expect to find.

They have crazy Japanese art books, a multimedia library, rare documentaries… I'm going to get a lot of local credibility for knowing about them!"

Have you ever considered leaving Houston, even after your success on "Project Runway"?

"Regardless of how much my business has grown, I've never thought of leaving. I like that this town is all about homey sophistication-it's very family-oriented, but it still has an international appeal."

TO LEARN more about what to do, where to eat and where to shop in Houston, turn to page 118 in the Go Guides.