After five years away from Houston’s retail landscape, Elaine Turner is finally home. She’s standing in the middle of her new Tanglewood boutique, radiating joy, clearly in her element. With her Edit by Elaine Turner collection lining the shelves and messages of excitement from friends and fans pouring in, it’s clear Turner is exactly where she’s supposed to be. 

Turner gave Paper City the exclusive first look at her upscale, advanced contemporary boutique, walking us through the design choices for her new 1,400-square-foot store.  

Yes, there’s her signature pink, but this version is soft and soothing, inspired by the Santa Fe, New Mexico sunsets. It’s a throughline woven into all her designs, from the soaring arches in the boutique to the blush pink suede lining of her Edit collection.  

Elaine Turner was completely hands-on with the design process, collaborating with Kelie Mayfield of MaRS on the architectural vision of the space she dubbed “Adobe Glam.” 

“It’s really a reflection of who I am — earthy, but with touches of glam,” Turner tells PaperCity. “I wanted the space to be cozy elegant and the sitting area intimate but juxtaposed to the adobe wall. I wanted to bring elements of the inspiration and renewal I discovered in Santa Fe to the store.”

Turner chose White Oak Herringbone flooring and white marble tables to showcase the jewelry, including Etkie, a handcrafted jewelry collection from Navajo artists in New Mexico. She sourced the lines from a co-op that provides fair wages to the female artisans creating the pieces.

The gently curved Italian mid-century-inspired sofa mimics the soft flow of the arch alcoves lining the walls at this new store, while the Visual Comfort chandelier, designed by Aerin Lauder, illuminates the space with a gentle glow. 

“I wanted it to breathe, so there’s space to move around,” Turner says. “I intentionally opted not to add a lot of fixtures, so you can see the garments and the bags.”

Elaine Turner’s Santa Fe Refresh

The airiness of this new Houston store and flood of natural light add to the “outside/in” feel Turner embraced while in Santa Fe. The historic town was a place of rejuvenation and inspiration for Elaine and her husband Jim Turner during the fall of 2022.  

As the world continued to emerge from the pandemic, Turner was grappling with the same post-COVID world, coupled with the heaviness of real life — having a special needs child, a terminal illness diagnosis for both her parents and the dissolution of her namesake brand and retail concept in 2019 due to the changing retail landscape. 

Looking to push the reset button, Elaine and Jim found solace and transformation in Santa Fe. They spent time outdoors, hiking and soaking up the sunsets.  

It was a pivotal time for Elaine.  

“Things aren’t always perfect, but it doesn’t mean you can’t rediscover yourself,” Turner says. “It’s easy to forget your worth. But it’s always within us.

“We have to allow ourselves grace and patience to return to the parts of ourselves that get lost or forgotten.” 

This is the crux of Edit by Elaine Turner. Strip away the unnecessary, lean into the joy and embrace the beauty in life. She translated those ideas into a limited edition collection of bags — the Ali Tote, the Aerin Envelope Clutch and the Jackie Camera Bag. 

“I felt this internal nudge to find me again, and that’s when Edit popped into my heart,” Turner says.

As if she needed any extra motivation to get back to the design process, Elaine and Jim Turner were sitting at their favorite Santa Fe coffee shop Downtown Subscription, when she spotted her lifelong muse across the cafe— The Ali MacGraw.

Turner stayed composed and didn’t interrupt the legendary actress’ latte, but it was the ultimate sign it was time for her next chapter.

The Inspiration of Legendary Women 

The inaugural Edit by Elaine Turner collection is inspired by MacGraw, Aerin Lauder and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, three empowering women Turner admires. 

The Ali Tote is an everyday carry-all with a boho influence, the Aerin Envelope Clutch captures the essence of timeless elegance and the Jackie Camera Bag is inspired by Onassis who appreciated fashion, photography and traveling. Turner also created two small leather goods for the boutique: the Holley Card Holder and the Gigi Zip Pouch. Edit bags are manufactured in New York City with Italian-sourced leather. 

Turner applied the Edit perspective to the jewelry and apparel brands featured at the store, choosing global designers with a classic eye and flair for modern detailing. She wanted enduring apparel that simplified the art of dressing — versatile blazers and timeless dresses. It’s the “grab a clutch and go” mentality. 

She chose brands such as Dea Kudibal from Copenhagen and her custom printed silks are exclusively available at Turner’s new Houston store; Italian brand Beatrice B; Essentiel Antwerp from Belgium; artistic designs and silhouettes by Psophia from Spain; plus Cynthia Jones jewelry from Santa Fe.   

“This isn’t strictly trend-based fashion,” Turner says. “I want fashion that represents really being present. So you get dressed and feel good, but not overthink it. It’s the Edit philosophy.”  

Shoppers will find suiting options, tops, dresses, denim and accessories that complement the Edit collection—and the lives of those who shop with Turner. 

And Houstonians will indeed shop with Elaine Turner. She’s in her new Tanglewood store daily, connecting with customers but also doing the real work of owning a business.  

Much has changed since the first iteration of the Elaine Turner. Still, one holdover is her commitment to community and causes, and the Tanglewood boutique will become an event destination for classes, fundraisers, parties and a place to breathe. 

“The store is a Third Place for education, inspiration and empowerment. I want it to feel like home, soothing and comfortable,” Turner says. “That’s what the feeling I have in Santa Fe.” 

Like Turner herself, this new store is also fun, with plenty of glamorous touches. And it’s not overwhelming. When a bag sells out, it’s gone. Turner was intentional in every scrap of material, turning leftover Italian embossed python leather into Apple watch bands and applying that same mentality to her design process. 

While there will be holiday offerings, it’s a capsule collection of her beloved Bella clutch, updated for today. It’s a playful nod to the customers who supported her in the past and another exciting step into the shopping future. 

“A lot has happened in the past five years, and it has been unbearably hard at times, but I found myself again,” Turner tells PaperCity. “I am relishing these moments in time.

“There is joy in creating beautiful things and I’m thankful for the opportunity to do what I love.”  

Edit by Elaine Turner is located at 6539 Woodway, and is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 am until 6 pm.