The Art of Fashion: Chicago Designers Bring a Little Couture to the City

Chicago is famous for many things; one of those being the city's budding fashion scene. Nothing says fashion quite like Chicago's bi-annual runway show featuring the latest collections of a few of the city's hottest designers, The Art of Fashion hosted by StyleChicago.com. This season, fashion goers gathered at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago's River North community to preview the Autumn/Winter 2012 collections of some of the city's best established designers: SWABY, Barbara Bates, Lara Miller, Cettina, Borris Powell, ZAMRIE, Eva Pazola, Miriam Cecila, Nora del Busto and Nade Baer.

From 5 until 10 p.m., guests enjoyed the ultimate designer shopping event, FashionChicago, which spanned the second and third floor of the building and featured 30 of Chicago's top accessories, apparel and jewelry designers. During the shopping event, I bumped into Anna Hovet, one of my favorite emerging designers, selling a few of her signature tees and an eye-catching piece called the 'Convertible Sophia Tunic' ($79). The tunic was loose fitting, but it had a snap that could be changed to make it form fitting. The top also featured a transparent mesh yoke with hearts on it. I'm not just talking it up; check it out for yourself!

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The Style Suite: DailyCandy & Suave Bring "Fashion Stars" to Chicago

DailyCandy and Suave Professionals® joined forces to bring “The Style Suite,” a FREE VIP beauty and style lounge, to Chicago’s own fashion stars. The exclusive event featured hair styling with Suave Professionals® Keratin Infusion™ products. The city’s fashion set mixed and mingled over sweets and sips while enjoying a private viewing of NBC’s Fashion Star, along with two of my favorite Fashion Star designers, Orly Shani and Nzimiro Oputa.

Sidenote: I’ve used Suave products for years! I grew up washing my hair with Suave shampoo, and I still use Suave’s Cocoa & Shea Butter Body Wash. Suave’s commitment to offering professional-quality products and affordable prices has helped the brand remain a force in body care for over 70 years. The products often work as well as, if not better than, high-end salon and specialty brands. While I love Suave’s products, what I love most about the company is that it’s based in my hometown, Chicago.

In case you've been living under a rock and have completely missed Fashion Star, NBC’s new reality fashion competition series, let me give you the quick run down. Fashion luminaries and buyers from the nation’s top retailers, Macy’s, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue, decide the fate of 14 contestant’s designer brands. The host and fashion mentors of the show are some of the most iconic fashion figures of our time, including Elle Macpherson, Jessica Simpson, Nichole Richie and John Varvartos.

International Business Times has called Fashion Star "one of the biggest and most-commercially backed reality competitions yet." Each week, contestants are given the opportunity to be purchased by one of the three retailers. And at the show's conclusion, the winning contestant will be crowned the "Ultimate Fashion Star" and will receive $6 million in orders for capsule collections at all three stores.

with Nzimiro Oputa

with Orly Shani

Tuesday night’s Style Suite took place at Hotel Palomar, in the city's River North community. While DailyCandy's goodies were a delight, the highlight of the night was getting face time with Fashion Star contestants Orly Shani and Nzimiro Oputa.

In true Nzami-mi (as Nicole Richie would say) style, Nzimiro, a Detroit native who actually went to college for engineering, had lots to say! 

“No one would ever admit it, but Detroit is probably one of the most fashionable cities that exists on the planet. We got swag in Detroit.” And if I didn't get the gist the first time around, he wanted to make sure I understood: “Detroit has swag. We have a lot more swag than Chicago. No offense. I love Chicago, but I'm going to rep my city.”

Orly and Nzimiro were very candid, mingling with guests like we were the Fashion Stars and they were the fans. However, I learned that viewers almost didn't get a chance to see Nzimiro's designs on the screen — he originally did not want to be on the show.

“I didn’t want to do it. I thought it was like a Project Runway thing. I didn’t want to be this reality person. I wanted to build my brand organically," he said. “But, once I found out the background and premise of the show, I knew it was a healthy thing for me to do.”

Nzimiro also offered up one key piece of advice for future Fashion Stars and people trying to break into the fashion industry: “Stay true to yourself, and have confidence.”

For those of you outside of Chicago, there are still two more chances to experience the Style Suite and rub elbows with Fashion Stars. Get tickets to Miami's May 1st event or New York's May 15th event. Don't miss out!


Who's your favorite Fashion Star this season?

Brad to the Bone: Book Signing and Fun Facts with Brad Goreski

Celebrity stylist Brad Goreski first encountered fashion as a 12-year-old boy, captivated by the images in Vogue magazine. Since then, Goreski has emerged from his small town roots, breaking into the fashion industry as the style director of Rachel Zoe Inc. and transforming into a pop icon as a cast member of Bravo TV's The Rachel Zoe Project. Now, on the heels of the first season of his own reality show, It's a Brad Brad World, Brad has released his debut book, Born To Be Brad: My Life and Style, So Far.

Chitown Fashionista's Gabriel Charles Tyler posing with Brad Goreski at Brooks Brothers

Saturday evening, Goreski partnered with Brooks Brothers for a signing of his book,  Born to be Brad, which features the memoir of his humble beginnings, the story behind becoming Brad Goreski, tips to making it in the fashion industry and a style Bible. The evening was very Brad — guests were given Brad-esque cookies in the shape of bow ties and oversized glasses frames, while they waited in a line that swung onto the streets of Michigan Avenue to connect with the celebrity stylist. 

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Swarovski Celebrates SAIC and THE WALK With Bling

This week, Swarovski let the students of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) take full control of the window display at their flagship on the Magnificent Mile. Under the mentorship of the world renowned Nick Cave (who is also chair of SAIC's Fashion Design Department), the students constructed flowers using Swarovksi jewelry, as images to create the fabric and physical pieces for embellishment.

To celebrate the window installation, Swarovski hosted an unforgettable in-store event. As if being surrounded by bling isn't enough to get you excited, there were also cocktails, passed hors d'oeuvres and a DJ added to the mix. Fashion, of course, was the topic of discussion throughout the room as Nick Cave and a few of the design students greeted guests and chatted about the upcoming benefit gala and runway show, THE WALK 2012.
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LAUNCH: Driving Fashion Forward in Chicago's North Shore

When you receive an invite to a charitable fashion event that includes a runway show featuring local boutiques and student designers at a Mercedes Benz dealership, curiosity alone will have you requesting to be added to the RSVP list. 

So, when I received a request for attendance to LAUNCH: Driving Fashion Forward, you know exactly what happened.  As part of my invite, I was also asked to be a judge for the student designer competition which would award the winning designer with a $5000 scholarship. Needless to say, I was most certainly looking forward to this event.

The Autohaus Edens dealership in Northbrook hosted the event. We all know Mercedes Benz vehicles practically sell themselves. But it was the warm personal welcome by the dealership's president, Michael Rosengarden, that impressed me and had me adding Autohaus to my list of best car dealers in the Chicagoland area.

While guests shopped local vendors and mingled over cocktails and light bites, I had a chance to meet some of the Columbia College student designers.  

Chloe Flora, Jessica Atkins, Agnes Hamerlik and Samm Mackin

After finding out that Columbia College's Melissa Gamble was their professor and mentor, I knew these students were quite talented and would present impressive designs on the runway. 

The North Shore boutiques were the first to be featured. The list of stores included Jolie Femme, Three Sisters, Shirise Shoes, Bett's and Frances Heffernan; all of which provided the audience with some of the best trends for Spring/Summer (eg. peplum, floral, graphic prints and colorblocking).

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Four Star Style: Chicago's Urban Fashion Showcase

A few days ago, Crown Royal presented Four Star Style, a fashion event showcasing the stars of Chicago's urban fashion life. Held at Gallery 1028, four fashion brands, including Iridium, Leaders 1354, Sir & Madame, and Modahnik, displayed their latest collections on the runway while DJ iLLA and DJ Legacy manned the 1's and 2's.

Before the runway show commenced, attendees got a chance to chomp down on bags of freshly made truffle oil popcorn (which I must admit tasted like heaven) and partake in the Crown Royal life by drinking some of the liquor brand's many mixtures. Can you say Crown Royal on ice?

Iridium had a lot of anime and cartoon prints in their collection for both ladies and gentlemen. Camouflage and other prints must really be in this season because I saw them in every single collection. If you're a girl with a passion for comic books and super heroes, Iridium's latest line is perfect for you. It's definitely a look I haven't seen before, but it can be interesting when styled correctly.

Leaders 1354 stuck to what they know best: men's wear. The brand has been in business for 9 years, and if it isn't broken, don't fix it. One thing I loved about Leaders' latest line were the political statements featured on the knit tops, such as a photo of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute. If you're looking to make a statement with your apparel, Leaders 1354 may be the look for you. Check out their latest Spring II collection online here.

Sir & Madame presented a more urban hipster take on street style. Their pieces for men and women featured prints, which as I said before seemed to be the theme of the night. A peacock skirt from Sir & Madame hit the runway paired with a sheer orange blouse and cheetah print wedge heels; it's sure to be a winner among the ladies. For men, the brand offered bags and really hipster shirts. There was a camouflage shirt that I particularly loved because it was two-toned and featured elbow patches. Every man should have a least one shirt, sweater or sport coat with elbow patches.

Honestly, I've never heard of Modahnik and I'm disappointed that it's taken me so long to come across the line. I love tribal prints, and Modahnik presented a take on tribal prints that was more chic than overbearing. Sometimes when an entire look is based on prints, it can be overkill, but there wasn't one look that I didn't love.

Overall, the event was a celebration of urban style, which we don't see often enough in the fashion industry. The featured trend was prints for men and women, including tribal, floral, animal and camouflage.

Can you get with all the prints this season?


Photo Credit: Crown Life Chicago

Project Runway's Viktor Luna helps Macy's Create a little MAGIC

Project Runway Season 9 designer, Viktor Luna, and Macy's teamed up on Thursday, March 8 to bring a little magic into Chicago's fashion scene. I don't know about you, but I'm usually glued to my seat during every season of Project Runway! I love the show, and when I heard that Luna, one of my favorite contestants from season 9 was going to be at the Macy's on State Street, I couldn't pass up the chance.

Viktor Luna is a fashion designer born in Guadalajara, Mexico. A third generation seamster, he learned from his mother at a young age about construction and tailoring. In 2003, Viktor moved to New York City to study fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. His work has garnered him positive reviews and attention from a number of fashion publications, which led to him being a finalist on Project Runway season 9, where he showed at New York Fashion Week in September 2011 (pictured above).

At Macy's, contestants from the audience got the chance to style models for different scenarios. Those who styled the best looks won $100 Macy's gift cards. As you can see, the venue was packed with women excited to create a little magic. 

Viktor outlined a few trends for the upcoming season, including color blocking, bright colors, flowers and prints. My favorite look (pictured below) featured bright, bold colors and the current hot trend, color blocking. Bold color combinations make for a eye-catching, confident look that's perfect for the Spring season. When you've been wrapped up all winter, there's no better way to make a coming out statement than to splash a little color into your outfit.

What's your favorite Springtime trend?



*Project Runway photo courtesy of ViktorLuna.com

Click You're It: Attend the Smashbox Photo Event

If you haven't heard, Nordstrom Michigan Avenue has teamed up with Smashbox to host fashion and celebrity photographer Steven Khan for a photo event on Saturday, April 28. Yes, it's perfectly fine for you to get excited.

I, like many other men, don't know the first thing about cosmetics. I've always considered beauty products to be a woman thing. However, that all changed when I was introduced to Smashbox after receiving the brand's Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer as a perk from Klout. While I will still never wear makeup or make cosmetic adjustments to my face, I think primer is safe for every man to use.

Let's be clear. Primer is not makeup. So, it's cool for men to use without feeling effeminate. In a city like Chicago, where the everchanging weather tends to cause dehydrated skin, the hydrating primer is perfect to have a fresh, healthy look throughout the day. I wouldn't lie. I swear I can almost feel my skin getting nourished as I spread a little of the primer on my face in the morning. The key to it is Hydraplex, an extract derived from desert plants that restores skin and prevents dryness. And this is just one of the many products the company has to offer.

If I haven't already convinced you that Smashbox is the answer and that you should attend their photo event, here's a few more reasons you should go. Steven Khan's work has appeared in countless magazines for years, and attending the event gives you the opportunity to get a mini photo shoot with him. For me, that alone is worth it. Every person who spends $100 or more, gets to experience the photo session and will receive a CD of photos to take home.

So far, 3 of my friends have booked an appointment with me. There are no gimmicks — all you have to do is call for a free appointment and buy a few products. To book an appointment today call (312) 464-1515 ext. 1083, and ask for Claire Latronica. Tell her Gabriel sent you. Hurry before all the slots are filled.

Are you ready for your close-up?

*photo credit - Smashbox

Street Style: Chicago Fashion through Chicago Communities

Last week, ten emerging fashion designers showcased their talent during the Chicago Fashion Foundation’s 5th annual Future of Chicago fashion show event at the Chicago Cultural Center. This year's theme, "Street Style: Chicago Fashion through Chicago Communities," challenged the fashion students to create looks inspired by Chicago.

One of the night's highlights was the host Corri McFadden, founder of eDrop-Off and star of Vh1's new reality show "House of Consignment." I was also pleased to see Chicago's luminary fashionistas, including Chicago Tribune social columnist Candace Jordan, former Project Runway contestant Peach Carr, and Akira owner Erikka Wang, judging the show.

This year's design student contestants were the School of the Art Institute students Kara Fenoglietto, Elaine Hoang, Tosha Sherman, Michelle Castellano, Kendel Kennedy and Crystale Crubaugh; Illinois Institute of Art students Elizabeth Leukuma, Raven Norman and Stacie Randall, as well as Elena Bobysheva of Columbia College.

While I was excited about seeing the pieces the young designers created, I was really captivated by the beautiful design of the venue. The Chicago Cultural Center never disappoints! Given the event's theme, I believe it was quite fitting to have the showcase at a location where the city's cultures converge.

 

The participating fashion design students created innovative pieces that brought street wear to the runway. I was amazed at the maturity in terms of overall look and construction that some of the designers displayed. The students presented looks representative of the signature street style of local Chicago neighborhoods such as Rogers Park, Chinatown, Andersonville and Ukrainian Village.

Congratulations to Columbia College student Elena Bobysheva for winning the 1st place $5,000 prize for her winning look inspired by Ukrainian Village (pictured above). Everything about Bobysheva's design was right! From the midnight black deep v-neck blouse to the cobalt blue thigh-high split, the entire looked worked and illustrated the cultural vibe of Ukrainian Village. I loved it!

So, what do you think? Would you wear the winning look?


*photo credit - Chicago Fashion Foundation

[GIVEAWAY] Win Tickets to Launch: Driving Fashion Forward

When some of the North Shore's best boutiques partner with Mercedes Benz dealership Autohaus on Edens for a fashion event, you can pretty much guarantee it's going to be a good time.

Launch: Driving Fashion Forward is a fashion event that will include a runway show as well as a Columbia College student designer competition.  Held at Autohaus on Edens, this North Shore event will also benefit the Party Dress Project, which is an organization that resells donated party dresses and then distributes all of its proceeds to local charities. For complete event details, visit dogoodersdodah.com.

I've got my tickets to the event. And now I'm looking for one lucky reader, and their guest, to join me this Sunday!

To enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets ($90 value), simply fill out the entry form below.*

Best of luck to each of you!

[winner announcement]

Congratulations to Quinarra! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.


*The giveaway ends Thursday, March 15 at 11:59PM (CST). Winner will be selected at random.

Get the Look: Sorel and Columbia Outfits Handpicked by Daily Candy Editors and Us!

SOREL footwear has protected feet from snow and rain since 1962. However, the brand has not always been considered the fashion force we know it to be today. In the past few years, SOREL has recreated itself from head-to-toe, featuring a new look that marked the brand's descent from the mountain peak and into the fashion world. Last week, the footwear brand partnered with Daily Candy to introduce its new winter collection to the Windy City.

SOREL's transformation has been swift due to the brand's strategic press campaign and a fresh look. As a part of its transformation, SOREL created new looks that appealed to women and men who had to brave extremely cold weather conditions but didn't want to sacrifice style for practicality. It's no surprise that the footwear company would team up with Daily Candy, the online resource of editors across the globe delivering the scoop on choice online finds including fashion, food, home décor and must-have accessories, to push their new look to the masses.

SOREL and Daily Candy familiarized Chicagoans with the SOREL winter collection over finger food, sparkling wine, sweet candy and baked treats. The "Step Out in Style" event, which occurred at the Columbia Sportswear store on North Michigan Avenue, was the perfect blend of social and style.

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The Art of Fashion: Chicago Designers Up the Ante

The finale headlining show for Fashion Focus was The Art of Fashion hosted by StyleChicago.com and it was certainly impressive!  The sold out crowd descended upon Millennium Park to preview the Spring 2012 collections of some of Chicago's best established designers: SWABY, Squasht by Les, Lara Miller, Borris Powell, RÜCH, Zamrie, Eva Pazola, Nora del Busto, Sylwia W., Nade Baer.

Sidenote: I must admit, I had the highest expectation and anticipation for SWABY.  Designer, and former Project Runway Canada contestant,  Shernett Swaby has been on my radar for over 2 years. I own one of her handbags and truly appreciate the level of detail she incorporates in every piece. Even though she's been in Chicago for over awhile, it was her first fashion show here. So, I couldn't wait to see her looks walk the runway.

These designers did not disappoint! There was at least one item in each collection that I would be willing to purchase right off the runway.  The show represented the versatility of the Chicago fashion scene. From the practical every day wear by Lara Miller and Zamrie to the avant garde looks presented by SWABY and Nora Del Busto, there was something for every woman.

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Trendevous at Carson's: An unexpectedly great shopping experience for the department store skeptic

With Autumn in full swing, everyone is looking to update their wardrobes with items that keep them warm while maintaining their sense of style.

So, when Carson's in Yorktown Mall (Lombard, IL) invited me to Trendezvous, their Fall trend show, I was certainly curious to see what this department store had to offer this season.  As a shopper that tends to avoid department stores like the plague, I was highly impressed with the fashion show.  

I already expected the show to consist of items by designers such as Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole, John Bartlett, Victor Alfaro, and the store's newest addition, Vince Camuto. But it was the use of Ford models and the coveted looks created by the Carson's styling team that pleasantly surprised me. The mixing of patterns, the execution of layering and subtle styling choices - like the fur infinity scarf worn off the shoulder - provided the audience with ideas on how to wear the trends this season.

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Dress Code: Student Designers Continue to Shine at Fashion Focus

Nicole Paprusky (Illinois Institute of Art)

Every time Fashion Focus rolls around, I look forward to the Dress Code runway show. Featuring students from the city's top four design schools - International Academy of Design and Art (IADT), Columbia College, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and Illinois Institute of Art -  Dress Code usually ends up being the most innovative and creative show of the week. And this year was no different.

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The GROW HERE WORKSHOP: Guess Who's on the Blogging Panel?

This Saturday, as part of the Fashion Focus festivities, Laundry Magazine is hosting the Grow Here Workshop. It is a day-long fashion workshop that includes sessions with some of the best local fashion industry insiders - designers, bloggers, retailers and more!

As you can see, I will be on the "Wide World of Blogging" panel at 2pm, along with Kelly of Idols and Egos, Dana of Possessionista and Nicki of Fashionista Chicago. I'm excited to share my insight on the fashion blogging industry with my cohorts.

Come out and support this inaugural event! It is a great opportunity for knowledge sharing and networking. I'm quite sure you won't be disappointed.

Click HERE to purchase tickets (Use code: ALWAYSLEARNING to receive 20% off a non-student pass).

I hope to see you there!

NYFW Chronicles: A day at Lincoln Center with Nicole Miller and Concept Korea

My first Lincoln Center experience was indeed a great one! To be able to attend the Nicole Miller runway show during my first visit to Fashion Week was insane!

When I arrived at Lincoln Center, I just stood there to soak it all in. The energy in Lincoln Center is electric. Street style photographers canvassing the area looking for well-dressed subjects while show goers are either chatting it up with their fashion cohorts or darting across the plaza to catch the next show or presentation.

Upon my arrival, I ran into Gabriel who was actually enjoying a day off from his action-packed, behind-the-scenes Fashion Week internship. ChiTown Fashionista was definitely representing Chicago well.

Then, it was time to catch the Nicole Miller show. As I was heading in, I was stopped several times by street style photographers and interviewed briefly regarding Fashion Week and my personal style (more to come on that). For my style to be appreciated at THE epicenter of fashion was surreal and certainly unforgettable.

Then, it was time for the show.

In the front row, I spotted Jennifer and Ashley Tisdale, Alexis Biedel as well as ELLE's Joe Zee and Keith Pollock.

I loved seeing Joe Zee capture moments with his cell phone.

I enjoyed the collection, filled with stripes and bursts of neon (click HERE to view the slideshow). I can't wait to see Nicole Miller's journey and hear more about the inspiration for the collection on the upcoming season of All On the Line.

After the show, I headed back to the main area to relish in the moment. Inside the "tents" was even more glorious. Prominent fashion figures, from editors to stylists, were reuniting with one another, recapping the shows and synchronizing schedules. The blogging community was also represented quite well. I felt right at home.

I had an opportunity to chat with celebrity stylist, June Ambrose.

When I asked how to get a petition started for her to have her own reality show (have you seen her YouTube videos?), she informed me that it is actually in the works and filming has already started. Move over, Rachel Zoe!

After pinching myself, I headed across the plaza to the Concept Korea presentation where 5 of the best emerging Korean designers were being showcased.

After seeing J. Alexander (a.k.a. Miss J) run past me like a flash of lightning, I headed up the stairs where I was welcomed by a sea of innovative designs. The Concept Korea collective consisted of Doho, Lie Sang Bong, RESURRECTION, SON JUNG WAN and Steve J & Yoni P.

Here are some of my favorite looks:

Lie Sang Bong

Steve J & Yoni P

Talk about a fun-filled day! As you can see, so much happened within a 2-hour time frame. And my one day in Lincoln Center was only scratching the surface. I can't wait to get back to New York Fashion Week to spend more time at Lincoln Center and attend more runway shows.

Onward and upwards!