Event Alert: Chicago Sidewalk Sale

Chicago celebrates Chicago fashion with their annual sidewalk sale at Daley Plaza on July 20th and 21st! Just click on the image to see all of the participating designers. See you there!

CFF's LBD Event

What: CFF's Little Black Dress event at Casey Moran's Rooftop Deck.
When: Party starts at 7pm on Thursday, July 8th
Where: 3660 N. Clark Street.
Details: Tickets are $25 at the door but only $20 if you wear a little black dress...Tickets can ALSO be purchased online at chicagofashionfoundation.org. The first 75 people to arrive will receive gift bags!! Also- prizes will be given away to those with the HOTTEST LBD!

Chicago’s Good Glam Gala

Kate McLenaghan, Kristen Goede and Kate Coxworth of Kate Boggiano

The Good Glam Gala is part fashion show, part shopping event which benefited the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago hosted on Friday, August 7^th. With an artistic Pilsen warehouse as the backdrop, this years’ Gala included different events – a glam fashion show, the chance to shop the newest garments and jewelry (including Swarovski) and mingle with the show’s designers and other glam gals. Of course, there’s no party without stylish apps and for this event, Hearty Boys created the cuisine. As if all of this weren't enough, there were some amazing pieces that the stylish guests could win when they entered the raffle. A few examples of the impressive prizes: shirts by Kate Boggiano, Objets d’Envy jewelry, Hearty Boys cookbooks, Glamour Girl Boot Camp Party for 15 people, wine tastings, styling sessions, a James Purcell dress and much more. Enjoying the finer things in fashion, while supporting a local charity makes this the perfect event – Get Glam. Do Good. - Chloé van der Wel

Photos by Alicia Nieto

West Loop Sidewalk Sale This Weekend!

This weekend head out and support Chicago stores and designers by shopping! You'll be rewarded with deep discounts, and you could even pick up a new pet (the following stores will have animals available for adoption through PAWS)!

Stores include: Koros Art & Style (1039 W. Lake), Pivot (1101 W. Fulton Market), Tribeca (1035 W. Madison), 2 Sisters Boutique (1167 W. Madison), Smitten (1041 W. Madison), Erin Galagher Jewelry (1017 W. Lake), Bess & Loie (1015 W. Lake), Fig Tree (1037 W. Madison), The Oprah Store (37 N. Carpenter)!

A Video Story: Behind the Scenes with Diego Rocha

Ever wonder about the process of creating luxury handbags? Check out one of our favorite handbag designers in Chicago, Diego Rocha. This designer (originally from Brazil) creates some of the most beautiful handbags that we've ever seen. Go inside his studio and take a look.

Dresses, Dresses and More Dresses at Pivot

Lara Miller Tiered Dee Dress, $200, Pivot Boutique

Chicagoland acclaimed Eco-Smart Fashion Boutique, Pivot, has brought in spring with dresses, dresses, and more dresses. Dresses Week has arrived with 50 new styles from established and emerging designers, only to be accompanied by its best friends: shoes, accessories, and jewelry.

Mohop Shoes try-on and ordering specials will be featured, along with jewelry from local designers Julia Failey and Leaves of Glass. These special collections will be in-store until April 9, 2009. Get set with the perfect dress for all your upcoming summer weddings, graduations, and garden parties galore.

The event kicked-off with the Dress Week Launch Party April 2, 2009 from 5:30- 8:30p.m, where guests were invited to partake in organic wine tastings, that featured wine from Green Grocer and sweet treats from Bleeding Heart Bakery. Along with fabulous treats, guests were given the pleasure of trying on top eco lines.

Eco-friendly, designer duds and generous pricing, what more could you ask for? Pivot is located at 1101 W. Fulton Market in Chicago and online at www.pivotboutique.com.

-Jackie Medler and Katie Davidson

CFF Does Fashion in The White City

Just click the image to enlarge to see all of the details!

A local fashion student from Chicago will be the lucky recipient of a $5,000 scholarship from the Chicago Fashion Foundation!

The 2009 CFF Scholarship Event is on March 4, 2009 from 6-8pm at Macy's on State St.

Click here to view invite.

Click here to purchase tickets.

Congratulations to the 2009 Finalists:

Tara Reich- Columbia
Anna Gaukel- Columbia
Randy Rusnadi- Harper College
Arushi Kumar- SAIC
Sandra X. Hanley- IADT

For more details, visit www.chicagofashionfoundation.com

Lisa Kingsley's Tulum Series

Chicago designer Lisa Kingsley knows a thing or two about travel for inspiration, not to mention, that sought after celeb following from Madonna to Angelina Jolie. The designer, who splits her time between Tulum, Mexico and Chicago, is opening a store in San Miguel de Allende at the end of March called "Be Here Now." Lisa is in Chicago now for her trunk show at Aberle (1101 W. Webster) Wednesday, February 18th from 5 - 8 p.m. featuring the Tulum Series. Enjoy a wine tasting by Vision Chicago and Sweet Mandy B Treats while you browse her newest collection!

We caught up with the designer to discuss how Mexico inspires her designs, how she's inspired as a designer and what she's designing now.

RUNWAY TO RETAIL: Tell us how Mexico inspires you as a designer.
LISA KINGSLEY: Mexico inspires my lifestyle in general. What people may not realize about Mexico is that it's a vastly hip, fresh, stylistic country with tons of amazing cities and people. Mexico City is like Paris in a sense. Chic and rustic. Tulum is my home away from home. It's easy to soak up the great energy there on the beach with the super sleepy styled hotels, cabanas & nature which influence my designs. Then I travel over to San Miguel where I have a 1920's colonial house and work with generations of leather artisans that are now like family to me because we work hand in hand to make the collection.

RTR: How are you inspired as a designer?
LK: For me, it's about working with people, not mass-producing and keeping my brand fresh and yet classic, while not following trends.

RTR: What are your go-to styles for handbags?
LK: My go-to styles right now are an oversized clutch called the "ASHLAND" and a sac called the "ASHLAND."

RTR: What kind of materials are you working with now?

LK: I'm working with cobra, python, ostrich and lizard these days. Also, I work with one farm that releases three eggs into the wild for every egg incubated!

For more information about Lisa Kingsley, visit www.lisakingsley.com.

Bejeweled Headbands

If you're looking for something to send your style up a notch, bejeweled headbands are the way to go! Rock this trend to the fullest with designer K.Amato's newest accessories! This fashionista with a degree in chemistry created her own unique niche in the fashion world with her coveted jewelry collections under the name K.Amato with fans like Eva Longoria-Parker and Rachel Ray. The tag line for the stylish accessories company is “Every Girl Should Have One,” and the woman behind the reasonably priced line of earrings, bracelets and necklaces has found a new accessory to expand her jewelry empire. K.Amato's line of headbands are similar to her other jewelry pieces and yes, we are as excited as you are! Look at it as a stylish interpretation of the tiara. Take a closer look and shop at www.k-amato.com.
-Chloé van der Wel

Ashton- Thin gold headband in black topped off with a filigree in gold or silver, $38, Buy it
Altgeld - Thin headband in black with a filigree to top it off! Filigree can come in gold or silver, $38, Buy it

Bexton-Thin headband in black topped off with a filigree in gold or silver, $38, Buy it

Win it!
We're giving away a gorgeous pair of pants (worth $279)!
Sign up here

Alice Berry

Chicago designer, Alice Berry, has been doing her thing for nearly 20 years now and knows how to put on a good show. This year her runway show was set in the baroque interior of the Chicago Cultural Center, where Berry staged a performance piece merging fashion, politics, and poetry.

Models sashayed down the stage in various shapes and sizes to acoustic music, while poems and images were projected on a floor to ceiling screen behind the models.

Her collection included cinched hand-tied jackets, wrap halter dresses, and skirts in varying colors. What makes Berry's designs a step ahead the rest, is the way she is able to blend contrasting patterns and textures together. This year she paired paisley and lace, suede and chiffon, and silk and micro fiber to create a one-of-a-kind collection.

www.aliceberry.com

-Katherine Mingey

Chicago Fashion on the Rise

The Chicago Fashion Incubator Event

New York and L.A. watch out, because your middle-man is about to go solo. Chicago is rapidly expanding its fashion wings and coming into its own as a fashion destination. Macy’s is ready to launch Chicago fashion by making Chicago designers bigger than ever.

In a joint venture with the city, Macy’s has allowed the Chicago Fashion Incubator to be born. This project focuses on keeping local designers in the windy city and making-a-go of business here, instead of fleeing to the coasts. So far, the Incubator has allowed six local designers to promote and enhance their clothing lines, after being given design space and proper lessons to improve their work.

All six designers were featured at the Chicago Fashion Incubator’s first party last night, August 26, 2008, at the Devon Seafood Grill in Chicago. Guests happily sipped their cocktails and munched their delectable hors d’oeuvres and incredibly delicious desserts, while previewing garments from each designer. Important Incubator Board members such as Ralph Hughes, Jason Felger, and Macy’s Media Relations Officer Andrea Schwartz were all in attendance and very excited to finally get their operation off the ground. The three explained how they want to fuel fashion beginnings in Chicago, hence the name “incubator,” and that they want to keep taking in local designers and blending them into the Macy’s name. All proceeds from the night went to the Chicago Fashion Incubator funds.
-Jackie Medler

Kristin Rosynek Hassan of Organik Revolution

Lidia Wachowska of Evil Kitty
photos by Alyssa Blanchard

Check out the six talented designers and their web-sites….

Agga B. Raya www.aggab.com

Glenn Mallory www.glennmallory.com

Kate Coxworth www.kateboggiano.com

Kristin Rosynek Hassan www.organikrevolution.com

Lidia Wachowska www.evilkitty.net

Yana German www.yanacollection.com

Support the Chicago Fashion Incubator

Come out and support our Chicago designers on April 25th from 6-9 p.m. The Chicago Fashion Incubator is a non-profit that helps our young designers make it in this city, so come on out, enjoy hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, check out a creative fashion display and must-have auction items, not to mention, meet the designers behind the up-and-coming brands. Designers on hand will include Glenn Mallory, Agga B. Raya, Lidia Wachowska, Yana German, Kristin Hassan and Kate Coxworth. We'd like to thank you in advance for your tremendous support to our industry!

Help Designer Lara Miller Win 10K in Funding!

Lara Miller fall 2008

Help Chicago designer Lara Miller win 10K in funding!!! All you need to do is click here and register and then vote for her! After you have signed up you may have to do a quick search (just type in Lara Miller). Track her success here.

Lara Miller’s sophisticated and playful woven knitwear collections celebrate the feminine spirit and encourage you to be you. “Lara Miller’s convertible knits never cease to impress me. She’s always finding new ways to flip one piece into three or four looks, each one chic and sophisticated, each one comfortable and easy to wear,” says Wendy Donahue, style writer for the Chicago Tribune.

While tearing pages from her mother’s magazines at a young age, Lara drew inspiration from the designs of Rei Kawakubo for Comme Des Garçons, before even knowing the name. “My style is definitely very architecturally based; I had a huge obsession growing up with units and multiples,” the designer said.

She has established a clientele that shatters the mold and contains no age barriers. “Women in their forties and even sixties and seventies are purchasing items and lean toward sweaters, while the younger women buy articles such as halter tops,” the
designer said.
Visit www.laramiller.net

Shop Chicago Designers at Daley Plaza Today

It's a good time for fashion in Chicago. Designers paired up with the city for a 2-day shopping extravaganza at Daley Plaza, which started yesterday and goes on until 3:00 p.m. today! All of you downtown fashionistas might just have to take that extra long lunch break in order to catch all the deals. Our team was there yesterday and are bringing you a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion show that went on! Happy shopping. For more information click here.

Designers featured include: K. Amato Designs, Dollybird Design, Nubian Creation and Pretty Afrika, She Beads, Objets d'Envy, Veronica Riley Martens, Tonya Gross millinery, Kate Boggiano, Lee Allison Company, Sojourn, The Tie Bar, Elysabeth Alfano, Bead Designs By Dana, LuDia Couture Designs, VZuniga Designs, Cristy Ann Jewelry, Liquid Couture, rach b jewelry, Soledad Designs, Phizzaz Designs, Anna Fong, and Heidi Hess Designs.

Boutiques featured include: 1154 LILL Studio, Genesis (Kreative Soul), Florodora, House of Sole, five Accessories, Eco-Series by E.G. Jewelry, Plein Aire, Habit, and Dynamic Studio featuring M.Go.

Photos by Alyssa Blanchard