Sole Mates
Think shoes obsess you? You’ve got nothing on these store owners and buyers, who can sum up your style in a glance. Their choices will always be right on trend, and they insist that comfort is as important as style
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LORI ANDRE
THE OWNER OF LORI'S DESIGNER SHOES
824 West Armitage Avenue, 773-281-5655, and other locations;
lorisshoes.com.
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Nothing will keep women away from Lori's Designer Shoes; in fact, a blast of bad weather-or good-is always great for a new season, and for the business of one of Chicago's true retail phenomena. Andre now has six shops in the city and the suburbs.
IN THE BEGINNING "When I opened 24 years ago, Armitage Avenue wasn't a fashion mecca. Across the street from our first location was a shack where you could get your tires changed. I felt like we needed a guard dog then! It was seedy and unsafe, but we brought in pretty, unusual shoes that had not been seen in Chicago. The concept of the styles, the shoes out on the floor, and do-it-yourself service really appealed to people." PUMPING IT UP "We have always sold a working-girl pump. The style changes ever so slightly each season, with a kitten heel or a thicker, straighter heel. Girls used to come in asking for navy shoes to go with their navy suits, and now we have trained them to wear black patent or brown with their navy." ON THE TRENDS "It's never good to be too early with the trends, but we'll get the edgiest styles that we think will sell. This season, purple and gray are colors we think will do it." WINTER WONDER "I love it when people try on $400 leather boots and ask if they can wear them in bad weather. I tell them to find winter boots that are waterproof-we carry Aquatalia and La Canadienne, which are fashionable and functional." PERSONAL FAVORITE "Riding boots; stylistically they have such sophisticated elegance. Typically they are flat, with a rounded toe and a clean shaft [the leg]. Pair them with a great jacket, a white blouse, tuck in your pant legs, and throw them on with everything." MORE FAVORITES "I love high-heel, pointy-toe slingback pumps. This season I am buying a nutmeg-colored patent Mary Jane version, that and a basic black." ON THE LOW DOWN "People are still digging flats; some people still want a loafer or a driving moccasin, but this season is strong on dresses, and as long as there are dresses, people will want ballet flats." WHAT'S THE BEST A SHOE CAN DO FOR YOU? "Make you feel great and worry less about your weight."
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