06/30/09
It’s in the Bag
A few years ago, Debbie Jagel looked around at the bags and purses women were carrying and sensed opportunity—a need for purses that more deftly complemented women’s styles. And so she set about designing a line of purses and bags made of unique materials and equipped with interchangeable straps that could be swapped out to match different outfits. Last month she opened the boutique Ootra...
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06/23/09
Party On
Three years after working together as event planners at the Merchandise Mart (222 Merchandise Mart Plaza; 800-677-6278 mmart.com), Stephanie Hlinak and Myca Smith wanted to take consulting services to the next level. So the pair opened...
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06/16/09
A Milan Icon Comes to Town
Piazza Sempione (34 E. Oak St.; 312-280-1129, piazzasempione.com) recently opened on the Gold Coast, bringing more cachet to Oak Street’s prestigious shopping strip. Located in the former Sugar Magnolia space, the new boutique marks the Milan-based brand’s third stand-alone location in the United States. “We have a very loyal following in Chicago,” says Oriana VanSomeren, the shop’s general manager. “It just made sense to...
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06/09/09
Hair and Wake Up
Combining her love for style with her passion for going green, Jamie Bushman opened The Circle Salon (2135 W. Division St.; 773-715-1026, thecirclesalon.com), a new environmentally friendly shop in Wicker Park. “We go through so much waste as an industry because of our packaging,” says Bushman, who has been a hair and makeup stylist for more than 10 years. “It’s really important to be conscious of that and to make whatever effort you...
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06/02/09
Sofia So Good
After years of working in Los Angeles, Chicago native Ashley Zisook returned home to discover that she was unsatisfied with the city’s vintage shops. So, the veteran vintage sample sale organizer rented out an office space and, within three weeks, opened Sofia Vintage Boutique (1165 N. Clark St., Ste. 400; 312-640-0878). The new Gold Coast shop is named after the Academy Award-winning Italian actress Sophia Loren, who Zisook believes is the “true meaning of class and grace.” The shop carries men and women’s clothing and accessories from the 1920s through 1980s. Co-owning the shop with her sister, Allison Zisook Goldstein, Zisook personally selects every item from resale shops all over the country and will sometimes alter items; for example, she cut at least six inches off the sleeves on 1970s boho brown, pink, and...
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05/26/09
Loan Sharks
Chicago natives Teonna Ingram and Bree Lara understand how difficult it can be to stay fashionable without spending lots of money on designer clothing. Earlier this month, the pair opened BADC (3221 N. Sheffield Ave.; 773-904-8735, shopbadc.com), a designer dress–leasing boutique in Lake View. BADC, which stands for Borrow a Dress Couture, carries a range of seasonal designer dresses in sizes 0 to 18 and maternity clothing that women can rent for...
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05/19/09
Similar Style, Lower Prices
Marc Engel moved to Chicago in 1996 and within weeks of his arrival open Chasalla (106 E. Oak St.; 312-640-1940), a high-end designer boutique. Upon its opening, Engel still wanted to bring a second, trendy shop to a busier Chicago neighborhood. Staying true to his word, the German native opened CRAM Fashion (3331 N. Broadway St.; 773-477-1737) in Boystown earlier this month. While the boutique carries some of...
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05/12/09
Not the First, Not the Last
After years of gaining popularity across the United States through her designer sample sales, Colleen Schmidt opened the Midwest’s first permanent Thread Lounge (918 W. Armitage Ave.; 773-281-0011, threadlounge.com) last month. The new Lincoln Park shop offers up to 75 percent off wholesale clothing and accessories from more than 350 designers, including 2bfree, Gossip, and T-Bags. With two other permanent shops in...
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05/05/09
At Home with Ani Afshar
When the local jewelry designer Ani Afshar closed her eight-year-old Lincoln Park boutique in March, she already had a back-up plan in place: The collection would remain available online but, as an alternative to maintaining a costly retail storefront, Afshar would open her studio for appointments. Located in Logan Square, Afshar’s new...
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04/28/09
Less is More, She Says
Three months after moving from New York to Chicago last November, Texas native Jana Zacek opened her first-ever boutique in Wicker Park. Featuring mostly black, white, and gray dresses and tops with pops of color, Mulberry & Me (2019 W. Division St.; 773-952-7551) has items for work and play. “Being stylish isn’t about having a closet full of clothes. It’s about being able to use the same items in different ways,” Zacek says. Whether you need something for work or...
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