Fashion often has a nostalgic quality. It seems keen on repeating itself every 20 years or so. Right now, for example, we are somehow back at the early aughts. Nothing against it—after all, there’s always a way of making anything work, and it can be fun to bring back certain styles. But it’s also very […]
Author Archives: Isa Giallorenzo
Posted inArts & Culture
Here, now, and everything in between
Planted in the woods like an extraterrestrial monolith, both completely alien and perfectly at home in its environment, lies Image Continuous, a mirrored, eight-foot-tall cube with a sky-reflective circle in the middle. On view at the Edith Farnsworth House in Plano and part of David Wallace Haskins’s “Landscape + Light” exhibition, Image Continuous was conceived […]
Posted inCity Life
A handmade tale
“Thrifting is huge right now—being able to go pick out your materials and put things together like Frankenstein; mixing a lot of elements to make something special,” says Cole Glover, 19, a student of designed objects at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Glover perfectly embodies what’s going on in fashion right now: […]
Posted inCity Life
Seeing red
I was sitting at the window table at the Bongo Room in Wicker Park, having a lazy Valentine’s Day brunch with my husband, when I saw a pop of red walk by on the other side of the street. Even though it was a bit of a sacrifice to abandon my pear and dried cherry […]
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best supporter of local fashion talent
“The CFI played a pivotal role in my transition from aspiring designer to working designer,” says Anna Brown, a Chicago Fashion Incubator alum. “Some of my most meaningful professional relationships were formed through the CFI, and my time there provided me with fundamental industry knowledge that I still rely on.” Brown is one of the […]
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best place to buy luxurious menswear created by local Black designers
“To each their own, and Agriculture to all” could be the motto of Christopher Brackenridge, 43, and Milton Latrell, 42, the owners of Agriculture menswear boutique, which offers custom-made suits, personalized styling services, and a wide range of ready-to-wear garments at every price point. “We cater to different people and body types,” says Latrell. “When […]
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best boutique that started on the back of a truck
The cat sign on the shop window says everything. “I have two cats [Sweet Pea and Naomi] that I bring to the shop when I’m in,” says Adrianne Hawthorne, 36, the owner of Ponnopozz Studio and Store in Ravenswood (4839 N. Damen). “The shop has a sign in the window indicating if a kitty is […]
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best hot chocolate mix to sprinkle on everything
Sometimes you just need some hot chocolate, and sometimes that’s at 2 AM when all you’ve got is an expired Swiss Miss packet hidden in the depths of your pantry. What a sad state of affairs. Avoid that tragedy by always having hot chocolate mix by Katherine Anne Confections, proudly made in Logan Square. In […]
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best stand-alone tomato soup
Until now tomato soup served mostly as a kind of dip for grilled cheese. (RIP Bite Cafe and their grilled cheese, by the way. A moment of silence.) But that is not the case with Protein Bar & Kitchen’s tomato soup, which is a complete dish in its own right—not that it can’t be followed […]
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best Girl Scout cookie spin-off
“It is important for us to have craveable and approachable treats executed at a high level that will make you a little bit happier than when you walked into the door,” says pastry chef Aya Fukai, 38, understating the sublime experience of savoring her scrumptious Samoa cakes—one of her most popular creations. Made with a […]
Posted inCity Life
And then there’s mauve
With all the snow we’ve been having, it’s hard not to look around and be inspired by beautiful shades of neutral colors. That was the case with Christian Zamarriego, 31, who was photographed at the Garfield Park Conservatory during a particularly snowy day. “I felt inspired to wear neutral colors that matched the weather. We […]
Posted inCity Life
A needle in a haystack
Who knew finding all the materials to make one cross-stitch pattern for a kid’s room would be so hard? Lauren Venell, 41, learned it the hard way—she almost gave up on the project given how difficult her search was. And that’s a lot to say since Venell does not seem easily intimidated by a challenge. […]
Posted inCity Life
More is more
“I will go to a place and prefer to be overdressed. It’s just nice to have fun with things like that,” says 23-year-old Ari Scott, a cello player who’s finishing her master’s degree in music performance at DePaul. “I love to dress up for recitals. It’s a great excuse to go all out and wear […]
Posted inCity Life
From Serbia to Albany Park
Tucked in a side room during September’s Taste of Serbia Festival (an annual event at Old Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Church in Logan Square), Milena Tatic Bajich, 57, and her mom, Ljubica Tatic, 86, were simultaneously showcasing their passions (respectively, Nikola Tesla and textiles). Milena is the director of the Chicago chapter of the Tesla […]
Posted inCity Life
Tickled pink
“When I walk outside and I’m wearing something pink I feel very girly, which I really like,” says Cheyenne Williams, 19, an early childhood education student at DePaul. “Cutesy and pink, that’s my motto,” she says, while sporting an impeccable Lolita-like ensemble. “I always put my outfit together the night before, no matter where I’m […]