04/29/08
Something Old, Something New In four short years, Jil Alberts’s jewelry pieces have graced the pages of style magazines and become a favorite of celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Heidi Klum. Although she sells around the world and domestically at places such as Bergdorf Goodman, she has opened her own studio on the North Shore—Jill Alberts Jewelry (469 Roger Williams Ave., Highland Park; 847-681-1630, jillalberts.com)—to offer Chicagoans a chance to see her creations in one space. The store is a mash-up of new pieces, untouched vintage and estate jewelry, but her signature design gesture is turning flea market finds into modern pieces. For instance...
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04/22/08
At First Blush
Anyone who has ever walked away from a makeup counter looking like Baby Jane will appreciate Colorlab Custom Cosmetics (857 W. Armitage Ave.; 773-525-9086), which operates under the philosophy that "makeup isn't one size fits all." The recently opened Lincoln Park arm of the Rockford-based company creates lipstick, foundation, powder, blush, and eye shadow according to each woman's specifications. Choose a product, have a chat with a technician, and watch it come to life...
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04/08/08
Let the Green Times Roll
A new Roscoe Village addition A Cooler Planet (2211 W. Roscoe St.; 773-248-1110, itsacoolerplanet.com) makes it easy to live green. Sisters Heidi Bailey and Krista White, self-taught green experts who went organic in their own life, opened the store to help others do the same. “People can get overwhelmed and we wanted to open a place to make it easier to take the first step,” Bailey says. “Anything you buy in here we have already researched,” White says. The lifestyle shop, the duo says, is designed to take care of everything from morning to night, from the U.S.D.A. certified organic skincare line Terressentials down to organic mattresses. For the home, the store stocks...
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04/01/08
The Home Is Always Greener. . . It’s much easier to pay lip service to being green than to seek out the products, but Green Home Experts (823 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park; 708-937-5403, ghexperts.com) has made it a little bit easier. The new shop specializes in eco-friendly building supplies, cleaning products, and other day-to-day goods, essentially a “green alternative to...
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03/25/08
Need an Outlet?
The owners of Madison and Friends (43 E. Oak St., 312-642-6403; 720 Waukegan Rd., Deerfield, 847-236-4131) and The Denim Lounge (2004 W. Roscoe St., 773-935-2820; 43 E. Oak St., 312-642-6403) have replaced the standalone Tween store in Lincoln Park with a new Madison and Friends Outlet (1963 N. Halsted St.; 312-943-0436). Co-owner David Shelist says out-of-town customers, who were less willing to make the trip up north, were disappointed that the tween...
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03/18/08
See More, Spend More? SeeMore Shopping Chicago Boutique (175 W. Jackson Blvd.; 312-360-1344)—the event organizer, shopping tour operator, and shopping site dedicated to promoting Chicago shopping—has opened a “pop-up” boutique exclusively featuring Chicago-based designers in the atrium lobby of the office building. The mix ranges from clothes and jewelry to specialty food items, with prices ranging from $7 to $550. Find items from designer Cyndi Chan, whose clothing line Ori’en was featured in the Macy’s Fashion show in October; beautiful silver...
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03/11/08
Ladies and Gents The Lincoln Park men’s store Guise has moved, expanded, and let the ladies in on the fun. Guise Chic (2128 N. Halsted St.; 773-929-6130), the new joint store, offers clothing, accessories, and a salon for both sexes, under one roof. “We offer styling from head to toe,” says owner Brad Habansky. The 3,800-square-foot store is housed in a former police station. The men’s side has a more contemporary look with minimal décor and stainless steel accents, while the women’s side is warmer, with exposed brick and chandeliers. Habansky, who still...
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03/04/08
Ciao, Bella The Italian sportswear brand Dismero (50 E. Oak St.; 312-380-6590, www.dismero.com), opened its United States flagship store in Chicago (the other locations are in Munich, Germany and Verona, Italy) after its owner and designer Andy D’Auria fell in love with the city on a recent trip. The white, refined space creates a neutral backdrop for the luxury line, which is known throughout Europe for a fit that keeps a woman’s curves in mind, particularly in its stretch jeans. The color palette sticks to basics such as navy, taupe, white, and black, with an infusion of...
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02/26/08
A Good Pair Two suburban stores have opened a shared space in Bucktown at 1858 North Damen Avenue: Kinga European Children’s Shoes (1858 N. Damen Ave., 773-342-7724; 777 N. York Rd., Hinsdale, 630-321-1399; 1891 Tower Dr., Glenview, 847-724-1049, kingashoes.com) and Babydreams (1858 N. Damen Ave., 773-486-9445; 448 Central Ave., Highland Park, 847-432-4704). Kinga, which first opened in Hinsdale seven years ago, has opened its first city boutique in the former Red 21 space. “We had a lot of clients in the city who wanted us to open...
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02/12/08
Set the Table For nearly 14 years, Lincoln Park tabletop boutique Tabula Tua (1015 W. Armitage Ave.; 773-525-3500) has carried all the essentials for a well-appointed table. The shop has now doubled its space (expanding into the next-door spot that formerly housed the shop Faded Rose), and added fine china and formal dining flatware to its selection of everyday goods. The new space has been transformed into a wedding studio, carrying modern and colorful options from well-known brands such as Raynaud, Meissen, and Royal Copenhagen for a selection that is far less staid than a department store’s.
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