Apartment # 9– Amy and Sarah Blessing

This all-men’s retail boutique in Bucktown offers mid to high-end apparel and accessories. Giving Chicago men a sense of style, the boutique carries labels such as John Varvatos, Marc Jacobs, and Michael Kors. Casual looks are key, but each piece manages to create a polished look. With a variety of products and labels from grooming products to footwear, any man can find something he enjoys.

Sisters, Amy and Sarah Blessing named their store after a Tammy Wynette song. The pair has another Apartment #9 boutique in Los Angeles. The Chicago boutique opened in November 2001. Through Apartment # 9, Amy and Sarah give men a unique sense of style that is hard to come by in the Midwest.

The boutique is located in Bucktown on Damen Avenue. Customers can find pieces that are stylish and polished, yet are still able to retain a masculine look.

Apartment #9
1804 North Damen Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60622
773/395-2999

Ikram – Ikram Goldman

One of Chicago’s top luxury, fashion boutiques, Ikram supplies the city’s well-heeled clientele with today’s top styles. Ikram offers women creations from established designers such as Zac Posen, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Proenza Schouler. Located in Chicago’s Gold Coast, the store itself provides a soothing experience as owner Ikram Goldman adds a personal touch to every aspect of the store. Customers are drawn to Ikram when searching for that perfect evening gown, sophisticated work-wear, or glamorous cocktail dress.

Ikram is named after its owner, who’s work has put her in the forefront of luxury in Chicago. It’s been said that she has a second sense for selecting the best pieces to be sold in her store. Ikram also collects fine, vintage pieces to sell at her boutique. Her selected pieces are normally hard to come by, giving her a unique niche in the Chicago luxury market. Success has followed Ikram with coverage in publications such as Vogue, the New York Times, and Chicago Business Magazine.

Ikram sells luxury women’s apparel, jewelry, accessories, and shoes. The store is open Monday through Saturday until 6:00 pm or by appointment.

Ikram
873 North Rush Street
Chicago, Illinois 60611
(312) 587-1000

www.ikramonline.com

p45 – Tricia Tunstall

p45 offers trendy apparel and accessories for women. Styles run across the board, from sophisticated to sexy. Each piece, however, has a unique common quality – it is created by an emerging designer. p45’s mission is to provide an outlet for young designers to begin selling their collections. No designer included in the store is mainstream. This goes beyond just the clothes, featuring designer’s biographies on the website and occasionally hosting events to support the fashion industry.

Tricia brought her dream into reality when she partnered with Jessica Darrow and opened p45 in October 1997. Both Jessica and Tricia worked at the Body Shop Skin and Hair Care Company, admiring founder Anita Roddick’s sense of business ethics. Although Jessica has left to pursue non-profit work, p45 continues to be an innovative source for Chicago fashion. Featuring local, emerging designers, Tricia goes out of her way to support the Chicago fashion community.

The boutique is located in Wicker Park on Damen Avenue. Pieces are also for sale online at www.p45.com.

p.45
1643 North Damen Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
773-862-4523

www.p45.com

She Beads– Sandy Rueve

Handmade doesn’t even go far enough to describe the work and craftsmanship that’s put into each and every bead in Sandy’s jewelry designs. Made up of hand rolled clay beads, her pieces are high in quality and exotic in style. Each colorful bracelet, necklace, earring, etc is part of either her couture, one-of-a-kind, or seasonal collections. As a philanthropic effort, Sandy creates specialized lines for her Charity Bead Collection.

Sandy’s inspiration for her designs spawned from her love of gardening. Many of her designs correlate with the colors and palettes of the seasons. After being certified in Radiology, a stay-at-home mother of two, and working as an x-ray technician for the Chicago Bulls, Sandy put her creative efforts towards She Beads beginning in 1993. Since then, Sandy has gone from basement production to 30 plus employees and a 4,000 square foot production studio. She Beads represents more than just jewelry. It’s an artisan craft that represents hard work and creativity.

She Beads can be bought online at www.sbstore.com or at stores across the US, which are listed on the website. Sandy also holds home parties and has a storefront location.

She Beads Boutique
729 Ridge Road
Wilmette, IL 60091

www.sbstore.com

Akira – Erikka Wang, Jon Cotay, Eric Hsueh

2002 marked the opening of the first Akira store, a women’s boutique, on North Avenue in Bucktown. Just five years later the company has expanded into six locations and includes full-lines of womenswear, menswear, footwear, and accessories. The pieces are fashion forward and trendy, bringing fresh clothing and accessories to Chicago. Customers can find something for every occasion from casual daywear to elegant eveningwear, plus find some shoes and accessories to go with it. Even better, everything is budget-friendly, perfect for its core audience of 20-35 urbanites.

The three owners have meant to keep Akira a local institution, showcasing local designers and highlighting Chicago as a fashion capital. The owners love meeting new people and take pride in their customers’ support. The stores’ growth has proven Akira to be a success. The company also sponsors local events and fundraisers, and puts on fashion shows featuring their pieces.

Menswear, Footwear, and Accessories boutiques can be found near the womenwear location along North Avenue in Bucktown. There is a shoe store on State Street downtown and women’s store in Lincoln Park.

1814 W. North Ave. (women’s)
Chicago, IL 60622
773-489-0818

www.akirachicago.com

TK Men – Lindsay McKay

As one of the only true “men’s” boutiques in Chicago, TK Men is more than just a place to buy clothing. Shoppers are encouraged to play xBox, watch TV, and down a PBR while shopping. The store is a collection of labels that cater toward the modern man. With pictures of Playboy magazine adorning the walls, this men’s boutique gives its customers what they really want.

Growing up close to her brother, Lindsay McKay is no stranger to the “boys’ world.” Interested in fashion, she studied fashion marketing in Milan. After learning from different parts of the world, she landed jobs as a stylist for TV shows in New York City and Los Angeles. Eventually she set her sights on opening TK Men in Chicago. The boutique has recently been featured in such publications as Time Out Chicago, Chicago Magazine, and the Chicago Sun Times.

The boutique targets men who like to play, but look nice while doing it. Items include specialty ties, blazers, and boots. There’s also a collection of casual t-shirts, jackets, and belt-buckles.

1909 W. North Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
773-342-9800

www.tkmen.com

K. Amato Designs – Kristen Amato

With a tagline “every girl should have one,” K. Amato Designs capture the femininity and modernity of jewelry today. Made with gold or silver, her up-to-date designs are detailed but light, adding elegance to those who wear them. Kristen’s earrings and necklaces are also reasonably priced, adding to their attractiveness. She does, however, offer a tailor-made wedding design service where she creates one-of-a-kind pieces for a bride’s special day. Also, this summer, she is releasing a couture line. Truly jewelry that every girl can appreciate, K. Amato Designs are expertly-created, beautiful pieces.

Kristen went to college planning on becoming a chemist. Eventually, she worked in human resources, but began designing jewelry in 2002. Her inspiration was creating affordable, trendy jewelry, which is exactly what she has done. Her designs are now in over 50 boutiques, 32 of them in Chicago. K. Amato Designs have been featured in national publications such as Women’s Wear Daily, US Magazine, and Lucky. Most importantly, she is a Chicago jewelry-design success story, finding her market and knowing how to sell her pieces to them.

K.Amato Designs
1229 W. Diversey
Chicago, IL 60614
312-882-1366

www.k-amato.com