Well, a piece of Central TX history
is sewn into the world of fashion.
Long ago, designers from all over
the world came to our little corner
to find this hidden gym they'd
heard of from a friend or two.
And maybe you remember it well.
Texas today reporter Meredith
Holmes has more on the story.
The story that is the rosebud.
Jasmine, the person you're about to meet,
has touched so many lives.
Her nephew is Tom Ford, yes,
the internationally recognized
fashion designer, and for 30 years,
Betty Thrasher made a name for
herself right here in Temple, TX.
As
you zoom past the exchange Plaza in Temple.
You wouldn't know it today,
but this used to be where designers would
gather to meet one woman, Betty Thrasher.
Designers that would come from
Europe and New York and California
and Canada and all kinds of places
and have trunk shows that are store.
She called it the Rosebud with a
capital BA clever name she and
her brother came up with together
to remember their hometown.
So it was like a magic charm,
that storm Rosebud.
But Temple wasn't its first home.
I opened the store in
Gatesville and it was 1970.
Then and reopened it with a cocktail party.
And my husband and the mayor of Rosebud.
I don't know how many carts they popped
on champagne bottles that night,
but we really had fun.
That opening night set a standard
that every day after in Betty
store would be an experience.
For over 30 years, Betty built a
reputation with the community.
She was revered as the woman
to go to for fashion advice.
We would try to teach people to buy
one good thing instead of three.
Before things that really weren't.
Is good for them, as it should be.
Some might call it bad business,
but Betty would turn you away and not
let you buy something just because she
didn't think you were ready for it.
I cannot tell you how much I could
have sold if I had let them buy it.
But that wasn't the point because listen,
when they walk out of my
store and someone says, Ohh,
where did you get that?
And they say the rosebud,
I want it to be positive.
See, Betty grew up in fashion.
Her father owned five department stores,
but when the depression hit,
they could only keep one.
Her clothes were always handmade,
so they were one-of-a-kind.
And that's what set her standards for beauty.
It all boils down to looking good.
Just makes you be a better person.
Decades would pass and Betty would hold
more fashion shows than one could count.
The shows helped raise money
for McLean Children's Hospital,
and she went on to have a day named
after her and win so many awards.
I've got the 1st. Honorary
award of Altrusa International
after a health scare, the Rosebud
would close in 2007, but one
thing would never fade with time.
But these kind of clothes you wear forever,
you don't ever give them up.
They never wear out.
They never get old.
They're always proper.
I mean, even today I'm wearing
things that I've had 20 years and
they're still my favorite things.
And if I could replace them,
I would, I would do the
same thing all over again.
What a fascinating story.
She was so amazing. Just like,
I spent three hours talking to her.
She was amazing to talk to.
And let me just tell you, Jasmine,
there's more than her there.
There's a lot more to come that we'll be
covering because it was her and a host
of women in this area that had a huge
just connection to this fashion industry.
I mean, and so it closed in 2007.
But she has her book I want to mention.
She has rosebud roses.
And I've read a little bit of it.
It's really fascinating.
It's just, it's great.
Well, tell you what,
next time we do a story on her,
I'm going to wear my best high fashion piece.
OK, because I know she's
probably watching like, ladies.
Yeah, she's like, what are these sweaters?
They're not high fashion.
Tom Ford would not approve
and come forth her nephew.
That's awesome.
It is.
Thanks for that story,
Meredith.