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encouraged me to move to New Orleans, because there was a lot of film happening there. That was my introduction to working in film. How New Orleans inspired you to tell the story. I was wardrobe assisting on HBO's Treme, a show that captures the vibrant and authentic world of New Orleans post- Katrina. It made me think about how Houston isn't as good at celebrating its past and its unique institutions. I was already homesick for Houston and for Numbers, and I think it was working on Treme and being in these historic New Orleans music venues that gave me the spark to dive into the history of Numbers. An icon. When I discovered Numbers in 2003, I was 15 and a student at HSPVA. I immediately identified with the alternative '80s music and the accepting culture. Dancing at Numbers on Friday nights was total freedom of self-expression, especially being queer in a largely conservative Houston (at least at the time in 2003). The stories we can tell … I'm a fan of Hole/Courtney Love, so I always love the story of Courtney playing at the club on Halloween night 1994. She had lost her passport somewhere in Houston, and Numbers had to hire a passport agency to retake her photo on the Numbers patio. They unknowingly left several Polaroid photos on the ground, and the club kept one. The photo is amazing! She then escaped to the Eckerd drugstore on Montrose (she walked in the store barefoot) to buy black hair dye and arrived back to Numbers nearly two hours late with freshly dyed black hair. Amidst her classic train-wreck behavior, the show was apparently amazing. John Waters drag star Divine (who I love) played at the club a couple times in the early '80s. In particular, there was a 1981 Divine show that coincided with the rodeo, so the club made it a big jamboree with carnival games in the parking lot, and there was the mechanical bull from Gilley's for customers to ride. The night ended, of course, with a big performance from Divine — who apparently adored Numbers and Texas. Your work as narrator of the project. I want the audience to fall in love with Numbers the same way that I fell in love with it, so I thought my literal presence in the film as a narrator would be the most effective way to do that. Also, I discovered Numbers much later, well after the golden years of the '80s, so to speak, so I think my positioning as a younger and highly curious fan of Numbers is important in the telling of the story. Your thoughts about undertaking this. I feel some responsibility because I know Numbers means a great deal to the city, but mostly I feel deeply honored because I personally think the world of Numbers. So many people have expressed their excitement and gratitude at seeing their favorite place/ church/ home away from home documented … so that gives me fire to finish it. Trust the process. I've had to wait three years to get some interviews. I've always been very patient, but working on the project has forced me to practice a different level of patience and commitment I didn't know I had, and also to accept that big ideas need time to ferment before they're actualized. That being said, I've also missed out on opportunities to talk to people because I wasn't impulsive or aggressive enough. Biggest impressions. Nearly everyone I have spoken with, regardless of their age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, fashion choices, etc., has expressed to me that Numbers accepted them. That's certainly what I felt the first time I went there, and what I continue to feel today when I go there. On the theme of inclusivity and acceptance, I would argue that Numbers is one of the most progressive, forward-thinking places in the country. When do we see it. We'll do the film-festival circuit in 2019 but are hoping to have some kind of test screening in Houston in the spring of 2018. PRESTON BOYER Menswear designer; founder, Preston Douglas luxury clothing and lifestyle Project: Preston Douglas menswear collection, February 2018. Background. I went to St. John's School for 13 years and am now a senior business major at UH in the Honors College, double-majoring in marketing and entrepreneurship. Fell in love with … I fell in love with skateboarding and basketball at an early age. Both sports revolve heavily around footwear, which led me to the sneaker culture. I started collecting Nike and other sportswear sneakers, which then led me to luxury sneakers from Lanvin, Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin, and Ann Demeulemeester. My entrance to luxury menswear really began from the ground up. Excited about. It is amazing to be an active part of this industry and culture. When I first started collecting, I was attracted to really loud, bright, and colorful sneakers. My preferred color palette is constantly changing, and that can be seen in each of my menswear collections, but it has become much more refined overall. I usually limit myself to four main colors per collection, and each of the colors has meaning, which is definitely an extension from my early days of collecting sneakers. What excites me visually? A lot. I'm such a visual person, and now with the influence of social media, I feel bombarded with great content. Some things that never fail are Wes Anderson and independent '90s movies, Gerhard Richter, skate videos, Sterling Ruby, physical copies of fashion magazines, Highsnobiety website, and the recent Raf Simons and Rick Owens shows. I could keep going forever, but these have been my staples within the last year or two. First menswear collection. It was small but powerful. It took me about nine months to make it happen, since it was such a learning process, but it really started my momentum as a designer. Each collection has gotten bigger and better. I'm a menswear designer because that's what I'm passionate about and that's what I know. Showing the Saint John's Collection (Spring 2018) at … St. John's! It was quite a cathartic experience. I knew instantly when I set foot in the new Great Marcus Pontello Preston Boyer 38