Fashion Focus Chicago Features Local Designers and Wet Weather

Perhaps the theme of this year’s Fashion Focus Chicago should have been wet weather. The celebration kicked off Thursday night under a big white tent-turned umbrella in Millennium Park, with Macy’s Presents the Designers of Chicago as the first headlining show. As drops momentarily crept through the ceiling to our seats, models scrambled back stage to dry off clothes, shoes, hair and we were told the runway show would be running a bit late. Would spring 2010’s collection include rain boots and trench coats? We’d have to wait a bit longer to see.

According to our program, last year Macy’s launched 21 world-class women’s apparel and accessory collections, and 14 of those ‘next great American designers’ would be featured this evening. Last year’s collections of apparel, jewelry, handbags, accessories and neck wear are currently located on the 1st and 3rd floor of Macy’s on State Street. I thought about walking a couple of blocks down Madison or Randolph to get a preview, but alas, we were finally told that the show must go on!

Lara Miller’s line featured strap dresses, ruffle wrap dresses in hand-loomed bamboo, as well as mesh sweater and mesh sweater dresses both made with recycled and organic cotton in colors like burnt mauve and midnight blues. Blake Standard’s line began with a fitted Parisian feel of black and white stripes, red vests and continued with berets, brighter colors of red and orange and fitted leggings. J’adore his pocketed pencil skirts. 5P1T featured waist-cinched dresses in vibrant greens and flower patterns, while Tennille White’s fuller-figure wear included an elegant black and gold duster jacket and cream flutter sleeve dress with bud belt.

The evening continued with exciting collections by Lauren Lein, Lee Allison, Jermikko, Anna Hovet, Zamrie, Furio, Nora Del Busto, Cynthia Ryba and Audey. However, the crowd will probably make their first purchases from The Tiebar at Macy’s as that collection showcased half-naked men in small round hats, tie and a briefcase; cause that’s what we all want our men to wear to work or the bedroom for that matter. Women shopping for themselves will love Anna Hovet’s Kylie Minogue-esque inspirations, and I’ll look to Furio, because I look great in something fitted, short and white. As for right now though, my first purchases will be from designer Jermikko because his line included a trench coat, and designer Audey, because her spring petticoat dresses came complete with umbrellas.

Fashion Focus Chicago returns for the fifth year, from Thursday October 22 – Sunday, October 25 and celebrates with the city’s best designers. It includes around town trunk shows, shopping extravaganzas, educational seminars and my favorite: VIP receptions with posh accoutrements, h’or dourves, things like vintage cocktails, meet-and-greets with talented designers and post parties. Reservations are required, but you can still logon to www.chicagofashionresource.com for tickets, events and more information.

The Magnificent Mile: Victoria's Secret Grand Opening

I cannot think of a better time of the year for a Victoria’s Secret Grand Opening than during the week of Chicago’s 2009 Fashion Focus. And, in what better location than downtown’s Magnificent Mile? But you know what would be even better, given the spirit of Halloween? If an angel flew in from up above—wings and all—to celebrate with guests. Wait a minute. That did happen! Well, almost.

While Victoria’s Secret Angel, Supermodel Marisa Miller, wasn’t wearing her wings, but instead, a pair of tight black jeans, platform heels and a pink t-shirt with the words, “Victoria’s Secret Chicago,” it still felt like our prayers—whatever they may be—were answered. Despite the wet weather, both men and women lined-up around Michigan Avenue anxiously awaiting autographs, and decked out with the pink VS striped umbrellas the store provided.

At first, I was taken aback, annoyed even. Not just by the angry crowds, ‘He told us to wait out there, so why do they get to wait in here?’, but by the bodyguards wearing earpieces. ‘Surely Obama is not back for fashion week, and surely Marisa does not think she’s the president, does she?’ I thought. But, the moment Marisa floated out, everyone—myself included—praised the lord (or maybe cursed him).

Her nose was so perfect and tiny, her forearms so skinny and toned; even her dirty-blonde hair looked like a halo rose high above her head (someone must have handed her ten of those umbrellas this morning). The women wished they’d worn heels today and the men wished they’d either worn heels too or done 500 crunches. At least some of us remembered to wear our Body-By-Victoria’s Secret push-up bras (shhhh…it’s a secret).

As Marisa sat down to sign autographs and we all did back flips with each of her hair flips, there was too much Grand Opening action to ignore. Make-up artists not only painted faces but gave cheekbone consultations, sales women handed out gift cards in excess of $100, and orange juice in champagne glasses danced around waitresses’ heads. Hmmm…perhaps they were really mimosas – I never got my hands on one so I can’t be sure.

To continue the spirit of the season, the place was decorated like a scantily-clad Halloween—but better. Golden wings in the sky, flying bras, tassels, fringes, and translucent corsets. I even spotted baggy mom pajamas for the evening’s end; a perfect opposition to transition from hours of suffocating breast-pushing and stomach-squeezing.

But, as with all of Victoria’s Secrets, the experience is never quite complete without the creepy guy. Typically, he’s someone else’s boyfriend sitting in the only chair that happens to be right outside YOUR dressing room. It was my cue to leave when I asked creepy guy, ‘Here with the wife, ha?’ and he naively responded with, ‘Yea. Shopping with my wife and daughter.’ Gross. I’ve never ever gone underwear shopping with my dad. Not even while running errands at Wal-Mart as he’s in the automotive section.

Although the spirit of this holiday was over for me, I long to use my gift card another day, but mostly, for smaller forearms and a nose that does not move left to right while making facial expressions.

Meals On Wheels 2009 Celebrity Chef Ball

If you didn’t make it to the Meals on Wheels 2009 Celebrity Chef Ball Friday night, then too bad so sad. The real celebrities of the evening were the guests; my girlfriends and I felt honored as the best chefs of Chicago’s premier restaurants cooked for a cause while serving us their sexiest dishes and delicious desserts. Celebrity chef hosts included Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven), Stephanie Izard (Drunken Goat) and Tony Priolo (Piccolo Sogno). The annual event, held at Macy’s on State Street, benefits Meals on Wheels “to ensure Chicago’s seniors and disabled population retain a lifestyle of independence and dignity.” DSC00462

While tickets to the Chef’s Table sold out before Friday night, most guests came afterward for four hours of the fabulous Chef Tasting Party. Cocktails, gambling and music ensued on the seventh floor of Macy’s, and I spotted dresses and suits covered in guacamole, pork rib and lobster bisque soup before the night’s end. Favorites dribbling down my dress included the pequeno peppers stuffed with goat cheese from Tizi Melloul, butternut squash ravioli from Socca, sushi from Sunda, and ceviche from Adobo Grill.

Other featured restaurants included Boka, Vermillion, Lockwood at the Palmer House Hilton, Osteria Via Stato, Terragusto and the Gage. If you missed Friday night though, The Local Tourist says you’re in luck: there’s another, smaller ball in Ravenswood tonight, benefiting the Scleroderma Foundation.

What Do You Take Home From Your Travels?

Below: me in Santa Margherita Ligure in a scarf I got in Rome, a hat I got in Chicago, sitting in Villa Durazzo, a 16th-century castle, in a 17th-century park.


The detriment of travel is trying to figure out how to take home the experience with you. Instead of savoring the journey, you often waste time locating the finest wine, coffee, stamps, antiques, perhaps even some cheese—-despite the fact that you may have to learn how to say silly things like “air-tight seal,” or “put a cork in it,” in another language. Over the excruciating years of tearing myself away from a destination, I’ve found my favorite accoutrements to purchase are the ones that will stay with me forever: boots, shoes, a scarf, a jacket, a sweater.

Purchasing clothing goods may seem like an obvious choice for a traveling gal, so I’d like to state—-for the record—-that I do not own name brands, nor do I have a stash of Louis Vuitton and Prada handbags. My purpose for purchasing clothing goods has more to do with being a hopeless romantic and desperately yearning for a specific time and place. Simply smelling the fabric of a wool sweater from a foreign outdoor market recalls quite a few memories and brings about many questions other than the destination: who was I when I bought this? Was I happy Desiree or sad Desiree that day? What happened that year and was that the month that changed my life, or was I just having the time of my life?

Mostly, I find myself defining character moments in these clothes. It is October in Chicago and last night, just before going out, I found a brown sweater jacket with loosely-knit fabric. I threw it on and while warm in its somewhat itchy fur, I thought about December in Torino and the street I’d picked it up from, Via Roma. It was dark, cold and wet, just like last night in Chicago. Although a year later and an ocean over, one very important thing came to mind: last year I began struggling back and forth about a very difficult life decision I had to make. I remember, that despite my umbrella, walking through the cobble-stoned alleyways of Torino left my gray boots and tired feet soaking wet. Yet, while frustrated that I had to continue sloshing through the city for another couple hours before I could return to the hotel and change, I remember being even more frustrated about this decision I could not make.

Almost one year has passed and last month, I finally made that decision. It is difficult. I’m subjected to terrible advice from loving friends and family, like, change is the only constant. Think positively and positive things will happen. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, blah, blah, blah. Often, this advice is not fitting, and I sometimes respond to them with, “Boo” or “Poo.”

But it is fitting, that in another time, in another destination, the weather is the same, and the old Desiree meets the new Desiree, and all because a sweater coat still fits. I get to think about happier things: that trip was the trip I learned about Bicerin, an 18th-century espresso made with chocolate and milk. And it was one of the first times I thought about Gal about the Globe. I visited the Olympic Alps of Piemonte and learned that to make polenta perfectly, you have to stir it slowly for an hour; I learned that polenta and sausage is awesome while dining at Eataly, an amazing food emporium endorsed by Slow Food. I also learned never to buy disposable cameras from airports, and also, I learned that you can find imitation Ugg boots so that when they get soaking wet you don’t feel guilty about throwing away $100.

I still do not like flying. I still do not like flying.