Chicago: Down-to-Earth Fashion Hub and Ideal Environment for Fledgling Designers

“My kind of town, Chicago is. My kind of people too. People who smile at you.” — Sammy Cahn & James Van Heusen

Song lyrics made famous by Frank Sinatra couldn’t be truer about this city in the heartland of America. Full of unpretentious, often talkative, citizens and world-class amenities (The Art Institute, the prestigious University of Chicago, The Chicago Symphony, The Loop Financial district with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange), this is a city that doesn’t trumpet its  sophistication, yet still manages to dazzle effortlessly.

Indeed, the bedrock values of hard work, integrity, and community describe this “city by the lake,” and also describe its modest fashion contingent.  Kristen Amato, former president of the Chicago Fashion Council and owner/designer of K. Amato Jewelry, pointed out that Chicago’s lesser status as a fashion hub is a big plus in multiple ways.  As she noted, “It’s a great place to launch a line.  You have that big city feel, but it’s not like New York City, where everyone works in the fashion world.  It’s a smaller community here, so it actually feels like we’re a community.  And the city really embraces the designers in Chicago.  Small boutiques are all over the city and people really enjoy having that personal local experience.”

What’s unique about Chicago designers?
“Chicago designers are savvy when it comes to launching their lines because there are not as many resources here as there are in fashion capitals like New York or Los Angeles.  It’s not as easy to find a seamstress or bead and jewelry store, so people who launch lines in Chicago have to figure out unique ways to find things.”

How does the Chicago Fashion Council support local designers?
“The Chicago Fashion Foundation was formed to support the education of local designers.  We’ve found that so many people can be creative and design amazing things, but the hardest part is getting it out there — how do you sell it, price it, and form a successful business out of your designs?  So, we do a lot of educational and networking events where we’ll have different panels of speakers talk to the designers. For example, we had the buyer for Macy’s come in and talk about how you sell at Macy’s, we had the window merchandiser for Coach, and we had Pantone come in and talk about how they pick the “color for the season.”  It’s the more tactical parts of the fashion business we’ve found to be the hardest elements.  We also give away three scholarships every year to local Chicago designers.  Twelve finalists are selected to compete in a runway show based on a predetermined theme and we’ll ask local businesses to help judge.”

Amato’s journey to being a jewelry designer started with a good old-fashioned creative urge: she graduated from college with a degree in chemistry, and then spent five years in corporate America before deciding to take her career (and life) in a completely different direction.  She launched K. Amato Jewelry in 2002 with the tagline “Every girl should have one” with the idea that women should have access to more costume jewelry options under $100.

How did you start out?
“I had no design background.  I was working in corporate America.  I didn’t like was I was doing, so I was looking to do something else.  I started making jewelry for myself and people started asking me about it.  I would be out at night or at dinner and people would stop and ask me where I got my necklace, so eventually I decided I would take a break from my job and try to make jewelry for one year and see if I could make it work.  I knew no one.  I had no connections, so I started going into boutiques to present my line to the owners, and then by the end of the year I was working with five stores.

And then it started growing organically through boutique owners who knew other boutique owners or who would see my designs.  After that, I hired a PR firm when I had enough cash flow, and that’s when things really started taking off.  We had had a lot of press and celebrities wearing my jewelry.  We started working with a showroom in New York and LA and they handle all the sales.  It’s grown a lot over the past ten years.

It’s really fun and it’s also really hard at the same time.  You can’t wear all the hats all the time but you’ll figure that out as you go.”

What do you love most about your job and what’s the hardest part?
“I love the flexibility.  That’s the best part about it.  I also love the creative aspect of it.  I really enjoy coming in and designing things.  It’s a team effort, but I also love to be able to see the results of my work.  But the hard part is motivating yourself every day.  It’s not like I have someone telling me to come to work every day.  You also need to stay current and you have to be able to adapt and focus on what is selling, and to be able to change your strategy.”

How do you stay competitive?
“Everything is made here in the USA.  A lot of people are embracing that “home-grown” concept, so people therefore embrace the line a little more.  We keep up with trends, but don’t “fall into them,” so to speak.  We stay true to what I like to wear and what people around me like to wear, and base the line on that.”

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs?

• • • Go for it.  I know that sounds really simple and easy and so many people have all these great ideas and they say, “I’d love to be able to do that,” but you can sit can talk about it all day —   the hardest part is actually just trying it and actually going out and just doing it.
    • Don’t be too hard on yourself.  You’ll learn as you go.  You can map out an amazing plan, but there’s always going to be little things thrown to you along the way, so you need to take it in stride.

“There’s not a magic key. You just have to be able to just do it, because you’ll never know until you try. It isreally rewarding and I’m very thankful everyday for having the opportunity to do this.” – Kristen Amato

Kristen Amato’s handmade “manufactured in Chicago” designs have been featured in Vogue, Lucky,  People and on countless celebrities, such as Eva Longoria, Rachael Ray and Gwyneth Paltrow.  They’re a great addition to your office attire. You can find her jewelry, under $100 price point, in local and international boutiques, on her website, and through NBC’s Home Shopping Channel.

A few other Chicago based designers:

• Archer Townsend – Launched in 2011 by Brandi Archer and James Townsend, this is a contemporary knitwear line with a strong focus on fit and quality of construction.   It’s designed and sewn in the heart of Chicago with the modern city girl — smart, sexy, confident, and spontaneous – as its muse.
  

SharpHeels Tip – Wear one of their unique knit tops under a blazer to take you from the office to a relaxed happy hour with your girlfriends, or to glam up one of their moto jackets.

• Lagi Nadeau – A Designer-In-Residence for the 2014 Chicago Fashion Incubator program, she merges high-end sophistication with a dash of edge to create high quality pieces for women who have a strong sense of self and style.

SharpHeels Tip – Mix in a couple of her bold pieces with your work staples to add some uniqueness to your office wardrobe.

• Peach Carr – You may remember her from Season 8 of Project Runway.  She creates bold, colorful designs that are made for fashion-forward women who like to be on-trend, yet comfortable & polished.

 SharpHeels Tip – The vivid print A-line skirts in her collection are a great combination with a tailored solid blouse and some power heels.

More ways that Chicago provides inspiration and assistance to its fashion community: 

• Chicago Couture Fashion Week:  This event annually hosts a high-end fashion showcase, and all year long exhibits a philanthropic bent towards the surrounding communities by providing at-risk youth with an apprentice program.  CCFW also heavily emphasizes the marketing and mechanics of getting a designer collection off the ground and gaining national exposure.