X+Y= A new generation of influencers is changing Houston and shopping at M PENNER. We re not talking about chromosomes here. These movers and shakers of Generation X and Generation Y are entrepreneurial, ambitious and ready to remake the world. One secret to their success? The fact that they re beautifully dressed. spring / summer 2013 41
Kelly Wolf General Manager of indigo Auto Group, which includes Porsche of North Houston, Lamborghini Houston and indigo Classic Cars At Porsche of North Houston and Lamborghini Houston we focus on consistently improving the customer experience not just the buying experience, but the ownership experience as well. M PENNER gives me the experience that my team and I strive to give our clients. The service that I receive, from Belinda in the sales department and Javier in the alterations department, makes the entire experience pleasurable. Most of the time, my work attire is business casual slacks, button-front shirt, sportcoat and no tie. The Eton shirt selection at M PENNER is the best in town, and you can t beat the selection of Zegna slacks and sportcoats that they have on hand. My clients time is very important to them, and I feel the same way about my own time. The team at M PENNER is very efficient, alterations are done quickly, accurately and on time, which translates into a great buying experience for me. With the time saved I can spend more time with my family or at work making money so I can shop at M PENNER! Kelly wears an Ermenegildo Zegna suit, dress shirt, tie and pocket square. 42 m penner
Cherie Schoppa Nurse anesthetist, Greater Houston Anesthesiology My husband and I discovered M PENNER when a friend of his bought him a shirt for a birthday gift. We d never heard of the store, so we stopped by after working out one day and it was like, wow, they have ladies clothes, too! I love having new clothes and being fashionable, but I ve never enjoyed shopping. I wear scrubs to work, so I am usually looking for casual wear and party dresses. But because I tend to be drawn to things that don t look good on my body type, I ve always found shopping very frustrating. M PENNER is a boutique store and not so overwhelming for my brain. Plus, Stephen makes it easy on me. He knows what I like, what will look good on me and we can tweak to look even better, and he never tries to make me buy things I shouldn t wear. It s very easy, comfortable and a very personalized experience. Cherie has on a Nicole Miller dress and Carol Lipworth necklace, earrings and bracelet. spring / summer 2013 43
Brett Riesenfeld Attorney, Vinson & Elkins It seems like every time I go to the mailbox, there s another invitation to a wedding or the occasional black-tie charity event. I got tired of renting tuxedos that never fit quite right (not to mention my nagging curiosity of who else had worn them before me) and I finally and thankfully invested in a great tuxedo. M PENNER offers everything from more contemporary tuxedos from John Varvatos to Made-toMeasure from Zegna. The one I m wearing here is from Samuelsohn. I love it! I m pretty much a regular at M PENNER; I like to pop in and see the new stuff before someone else snags my size. I particularly like how they have some high-end brands you can t find everywhere else as well as a good mix of clothing that s up to date but also classic. I ve worked with everyone at the store from Murry and Karen to Belinda and Butch, and I feel comfortable with all of them. My grandfather always said you should dress for the job you want and not the job you have, so from Day 1 as a rookie attorney, my goal has been to look as polished as a partner. People do notice, and when colleagues ask where I got my suit or shoes or tie, I love steering them to M PENNER. Brett wears a Samuelsohn tuxedo, Eton dress shirt, Carrot & Gibbs bow tie, Robert Talbott pocket square, and Tateossian cufflinks and studs. 44 m penner
Allie Herzog Danziger President and founder, Integrate PR I first went to M PENNER to buy something for my husband that s when I discovered that they sell women s clothes as well. I was excited to find so many pieces and accessories I really liked for wearing on a night out with girlfriends, or to work. As a young business owner, I dress professionally, but I m not trying to mask my age. I like clothes that are contemporary and trendy. My public relations agency, with a focus on social media, takes a more Gen Y approach to communications. In today s generation, our natural instinct is to shop online or go to Yelp or Facebook for information. My uniform is a nice blazer, skinny pants and a blouse. I m pretty small, so I m usually walking around in 5- or 6-inch heels. My feet aren t always comfortable, so my clothes have to be! I love that M PENNER carries Vince and has a great selection of AG jeans they fit perfectly into my wardrobe. I also discovered Yoga jeans there they re amazing and suit my personal style perfectly! And, speaking of Yoga jeans, that s another thing I love about their women s boutique. I always see brands I ve never seen anywhere else like Taylor and Tessier, Label + Thread, Sjobeck, George Gina & Lucy, Jamin Puech, 0039 Italy Allie wears a sweater by Autumn Cashmere, AG jeans, Only Hearts tank top, Taylor and Tessier necklace and Carol Lipworth earrings. spring / summer 2013 45
Eric Lindsey Owner, Kharisma Hair Studio Eric has on a polo shirt, linen pants and scarf, all by John Varvatos. Moore & Giles tote, Maui Jim sunglasses and Chan Luu bracelet. 46 m penner In my business, you ve got to know how to dress. It s imperative to be up to date, know what s going on in the industry and have a bit of an edge to your look. Like many people, I used to think M PENNER was just a suit store. My style is definitely more casual, and I particularly like the hip, rock n roll style of John Varvatos. When I heard M PENNER carried Varvatos, I checked it out and have been shopping there ever since. They also carry other great casual brands like Vince, AG, Citizens and Mason s. For suits, I like Z Zegna, because they re trim and current. Between traveling around the world teaching, getting ready to open a second location in Aspen, and running my business here, I don t have a lot of spare time to shop and love the convenience and ease of parking at M PENNER. I believe fashion and hair go hand in hand. In both cases, you have to take into account what a client does for a living, his or her lifestyle and personality. By observing what a client wears and knowing what she does for a living, I can read what someone will need as far as her hair goes. Whitney does just that and is my go-to person at the store, but everyone is very knowledgeable and easy to work with. That s what I appreciate about M PENNER. They re not just trying to sell you stuff. They take the time to learn your personal style and how you spend your time, and then they show you things that will really work for you.
The Eatsie Boys Matt wears a Robert Talbott linen shirt, Maui Jim sunglasses, and bracelets by Chan Luu and Tateossian. Alex is in a LBM 1911 soft jacket, Eton plaid shirt, Gardeur pants, Phantasmagoria belt, Etro pocket square and Magnanni loafers. Ryan has on a John Varvatos jacket, vest, shirt, pants and shoes. Socks by VK Nagrani and bracelet by Tateossian. Eatsie Boys Café, Intergalactic Food Truck, 8th Wonder Brewery, Frozen Awesome ice cream Chef Matt Marcus Alex Vassilakidis Ryan Soroka As a large gentleman, I like to find clothes that I can bust a move in. And M PENNER knows just how to fit me. I mostly wear work clothes and stay pretty dirty, and I wrench on old motorcycles and hot rods when I m not at work; shopping is not part of my regular routine. My first experience at M PENNER was eye-opening. I expected to feel alienated and out of touch, but the staff is great and knows exactly how to make me feel comfortable and look great. I m more the front of the house guy in our businesses sales, marketing, public relations. I like to be comfortable but presentable. I really like the clothes at M PENNER and the John Varvatos jacket we chose for this shot. In terms of the goods they re offering and their service, M PENNER is top of the line! spring / summer 2013 47
Hunter Craft Owner and founder, Craft Law Firm, P.C. Over 10 years ago, I inquired about a colleague s shirt, and that s how I first learned about M PENNER. Soon after, I went into the store looking for a pair of shoes and Mr. Penner, the original owner, helped me pick them out. His passion was infectious as he talked to me and taught me about quality, construction, and value. Since then I ve hardly shopped anywhere else. Cody is my go-to guy; he knows my style to a tee and focuses only on what he knows I ll enjoy wearing. That being said, when he s not around, I don t hesitate to work with anyone else the staff works together like a well-oiled machine everyone is so nice, and they all know my beautiful wife, Kameron, and our two girls. M PENNER customers quickly become part of the family. I grew up a boots and jeans kind of guy, and still am a lot of the time. But I ve learned to appreciate looking nice as an important part of my profession. You can tell a lot about how a person operates by the way he or she dresses. When I walk into a room, I want to give the impression that I pay attention to details. I m a Zegna Made-to-Measure fan because I love selecting my fabrics and personalizing my suits with unique linings, buttons, etc. M PENNER really knows how to do MTM; in fact, they do more Zegna Made-to-Measure than just about anyone in the country impressive! Hunter is in a Samuelsohn sportcoat, Ermenegildo Zegna slacks and sport shirt, Etro pocket square, Martin Dingman belt and Tateossian bracelet. 48 m penner