Chicago may have lost out on its bid for the Olympics, but its fashion scene is getting just as much attention as any gold medal athlete. For that they can thank, in part, First Lady Michelle Obama, whose long standing relationship with boutiques like Ikram has earned The Windy City fashion credibility and inspired a thorough article about its style in a recent issue of The New Yorker.
But it's the city's independent designers who are truly trailblazing a sartorial path—those emerging names whose work you might see on the rack at major department stores in the future. In celebration of LBDs (that's Little Black Dresses, for you non-fashion followers), elegant draping, and everything else Chicago has to offer on-and-off the catwalk, Fashion Focus Chicago (October 22-25) will dedicate four full days to shopping events, industry seminars, and runway shows from designers like Horacio Nieto and Michael Alan Stein. ]]>