Encore, Encore Sneakerphiles, you have a new mecca. The owners of West Loop lifestyle-and-footwear shop Self Conscious have opened Encore (3941 N. Sheridan Rd.; 773-477-4007), which co-owner LaVelle “V-Dot” Sykes says is more sneaker driven than the other store. Sykes, who has designed shoes for Nike for 13 years, says the store cultivates exclusivity with … Read more
My Glamorama experience, in a nutshell: Lots of cowboy hats and sparkly shirts—and a midget zooming by on a scooter.
(Actually, he might have been a dwarf. I’m sure someone will write in and correct me, so I’ll just say right now that I’m not sure which category he falls into. He was small. That much I know. He is part of the MusikMafia, the country supergroup fronted by Gretchen Wilson, Big and Rich, and the rappin’ Cowboy Troy, who all played at the main runway event. Who knew that Chicago people would lose their cool during the song “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy?”)
A roundup of this month’s sales, store openings, and shopping news
Keep your style dramatic and unimitable
When Laura Schoch launched Gray, she did it with black, white, navy, and brown in mind. Along the way, pops of color started creeping in.
Kiddie Kicks Seems kids aren’t excluded from the recent explosion of shoe stores in the city. Sole Babies (2033 W. Division St.; 773-342-7653) in Wicker Park carries cute and orthopedically correct shoes for kids from first walkers to youth size 5 (which fits an 8 to 10 year old). Baraka and Teresa Nevels, the husband-and-wife … Read more
Gwyneth Paltrow has a lovely light pink pedicure. This is all I can see. I’ve crowded into the press “pit,” which is kind of like a cattle corral. The reporters and photographers in front of me have mostly blocked my view. So after a few minutes, I squat down, and peek between Bill Zwecker’s legs. Finally, an unobstructed view of Gwyneth—her feet…
Dancing with the All-Stars Think of it as the Pro Bowl of Chicago dance—with extra calf muscle and a better cause. A selection of the city’s top troupes team up for the 16th annual Dance for Life benefiting HIV/AIDS organizations. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet, River North Chicago Dance Company, Giordano Jazz Dance … Read more
Exceptional Craftsmanship Rejoice, fans of the popular Renegade Craft Fair. The fair, which happens next month on September 15th and 16th along Division Street, in conjunction with the Do Division Street Fest, has spawned a permanent extension-a new store called Renegade Handmade (1924 W. Division St.; 773-227-2707) that carries high-style, handmade items from 60 designers, … Read more
Saving Grace Bolstering the recent trend of independent shoe retailers in the city, Grace (1917 N. Damen Ave.; 773-384-7223) in Bucktown opens on August 10th. The beautiful new minimalist space will carry 15 shoe brands and handbag lines, from both established and emerging (mainly European) labels. Owner Kristi Ryan, who recently shuttered her own recruiting … Read more
