Shop around the corner

Fashion goes local

The Dressing Room and Mint Boutique are two Chicago stores catering to the styles of local designers

By Paola Lastick

Stroll down Michigan Avenue on any given day, and you’re sure to see a parade of women — and men — sporting the latest fashion designs. Chicago is a city of around three million people, most of whom change clothes frequently, a phenomenon known as fashion.

People throughout the years have worn new clothes and jewelry seeking to either impress or frighten, and in an effort to accommodate them, fashion designers were born. Since the early start of fashion, about 5,000 years ago, designers have inspired, delighted and wowed the masses with their creative and outlandish creations.

But why is it that in a city home to the Magnificent Mile and millions of fashion enthusiasts, when its residents are asked what Chicago is famous for, the answers have nothing to do with fashion?

Sure, Chicago is known for hot dogs, the Sears Tower, deep dish pizza and Al Capone, but let us not forget that Chicago is also home to the Art Institute and the International Academy of Design. With fashion designers in New York taking over the East Coast and designers in Los Angeles claiming the West Coast, Chicago-born designers are rising to dominate the Midwest, and their fellow neighbors applaud their determination to stay and make an impact.

Boutiques that primarily sell items designed and crafted by local artists are springing up around Chicago. With rents in the low range, according to fashion standards — between $30-$150 per square foot higher in the Gold Coast — many aspiring designers are finding that area merchants can afford to give them the necessary rack space to display their wares. Shops like The Dressing Room and Mint Boutique are fitting in with the popular movement to shop local.

While The Dressing Room does not exclusively sell locally designed articles, they do have a large selection of hand-crafted jewelry and some clothing pieces made by local designers.

“Not everything in here is by Chicago artists,” says Sarah Sanchez, co-owner of The Dressing Room. “We have mainly accessories that are made by local artists, not as many clothing pieces.”

Opening just this past August, The Dressing Room has already become a favorite in the heart of Lincoln Square. The friendly and light atmosphere is welcoming to all women who not only seek to be fashionable, but also those who are looking to support the local fashion scene.

It offers a wide variety of colorful and chic women’s clothing. The trendy and hip styles are targeted at the confident, independent and experienced woman, like the neighborhood mom who’s not ready to trade in her look just yet. With the aisles wide enough to fit strollers and all jewelry placed high enough for little hands not to reach, The Dressing Room is definitely baby-friendly.

Another boutique that recently sprang up in Chicago is Mint, located on a quiet side street in Lincoln Park. Mint’s owner is determined to avoid putting anything on her shelves not designed or created by locals.

“We only sell items designed by local artists,” says Tammy Terwelp. “No clothing. More like handbags, jewelry, hats, things like that.”

In line with the trendy atmosphere of Lincoln Park, Mint opened its doors to the public just this past year and already features over 50 local designers.

“Tammy is very encouraging,” says Christine, a sales associate and local designer working at Mint who created a soon-to-be-released hand-made jewelry line. “I have a line of my own designs that Tammy keeps telling me to put together to sell here. I just have to get all the items ready.”

Mint has shelves full of jewelry, hats and purses — a real colorful array to choose from with styles as unique as our fellow Chicagoans. Everything the store has to offer sits in the front room, making it very easy to browse. Just be prepared to scoot over when other patrons stop in, as the place is a bit tight, fitting only a handful of people inside at a time. Finding time to peruse the goods may prove a bit difficult if you don’t live nearby because of the hours the store keeps, but know it’s definitely worth stopping by.

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