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Designers’ Collective in Pilsen

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Come Together

The new design collective No Coast (1500 W. 17th St.; 312-636-0971, no-coast.org) features both local and international artists in a retail space that brings together one-of-a-kind creations, most selling for less than $50. The store’s inventory is curated on a rotating basis by six to eight members of the collective, who also work full-time from the in-house studios. The space also includes a small performance area frequented by visiting lecturers and musicians. Among the goods, you’ll find…

On a New York Buying Appointment with Heiji Choy Black

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The days following a fashion show are a relief for the designer and
his or her runway production team, but the busiest time for retailers
and sales reps. After all, the clothes would never make it past
editorial spreads if someone didn’t work hard to bring them to local
fashion emporiums. Curious to see fashion week from a different angle,
the retailer’s point of view, I tagged along with Heiji Choy Black of
Hejfina on a buying appointment for…

Spiffy Salvage in Bucktown

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Antique Appeal

Two of the city’s salvage experts— Architectural Artifacts and Urban Remains—have joined in a newly opened retail venture, Mongo Home (1753 N. Damen Ave.; 773-486-6200) in Bucktown. The resulting home décor boutique takes goods from the two parent stores and shines them up for consumers who may not want to refinish antiques themselves.  “We have free rein with their items,” says Marisa Swystun, a design consultant who works at the shop. Unlike many of the items at the parent stores that are untouched treasures, the…

Maria Pinto Opens in West Loop

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Political Style

Most designers hope against hope that one day their designs will appear on a red carpet and launch their brand into the stratosphere. Well, it seems as though the killer combination of a purple dress, fist bump, and a political stage that announces the Democratic nominee does the job just as well. Maria Pinto (135 N. Jefferson St.; 312-648-1380), a beautiful new boutique in the West Loop, is the retail home of the designer behind Michelle Obama’s purple dress. Pinto is hardly a secret to Chicago’s socialite set, for whom she has been designing since 1991; but with a little help from Obama (who, when…

Two Chicago Models Dish

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Every year, models from the Midwest try to make it in the international fashion scene, walking in shows in Milan and Paris and then they go back to … swimming practice and SAT prep courses. That’s right, most runway models, especially the neophytes, are barely old enough to drive. With the fashion show cycle over for this season, I decided to check in with two new girls, both Chicago residents who signed with Ford Models and are doing well. Keep your eye out for their faces next time you’re flipping through your favorite fashion glossy…

Modlife Moves House

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Modern Love

Four-year-old Modlife (3061 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-868-0844, modlifehome.com) has relocated to new digs with twice the space and inventory. Owner Robert Zizzo said he had so much furniture in storage that half of it never made the display, so now he has more room to display his Danish Modern, Hollywood Regency, and other American works into vignettes. The store, which has become a must-stop for prop designers for movies, television, and local playhouses, stocks an incredible array of…

October 2008 Table of Contents

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Cover Story The Best for Less edited by Jennifer Tanaka In a recession, the old adage "Time is money" gets flipped on its head in favor of the other, more useful mantra: "Why pay more?" Why, indeed? Read our comprehensive guide for getting top-notch stuff at dramatic savings. Features Real Estate: Where to Buy Now … Read more