Yes, we can!

A long-awaited fashion show brings hope to Chicago’s fashion designers.

By ISA GIALLORENZO

Awelcome jolt of enthusiasm was infused into the local fashion scene during “A Celebration of Chicago Style,” a fashion show presented by the Curio and 21c Museum Hotel Chicago at the end of May. The celebration, hosted by Barrington-born fashion designer Cynthia Rowley and British photographer Nigel Barker (previously a panel judge on the show America’s Next Top Model), honored acclaimed designer Maria Pinto and featured local designers Sheila Rashid, Lola Osire of Lola Élan, Jamie Hayes of Production Mode, and Adreain Guillory of Ajovang. “A Celebration of Chicago Style” also showcased shoes by Il Fratellino, jewelry by Viviana Langho , and bags by Laudi Vidni. Designs throughout the evening were styled by Sal Yvat of Look Authority Studio.

The event started with Rowley and Barker charmingly twirling on the runway before their introductions of the evening program. Ten days prior, Rowley had received an honorary doctorate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where she studied painting as an undergrad. After receiving a bachelor of fi ne arts degree in 1981, she immediately packed a U-Haul and moved to New York to start her eponymous clothing line—which is also the backstory of so many other designers who started here in Chicago.

Maria Pinto, the honoree of the evening, has weathered the ups and downs of running a fashion label in Chicago since 1991. “What’s nice about being out of New York is that Chicago has been like my incubator. I work in a very siloed kind of way. I don’t need to be surrounded by a lot of noise from the industry. But at the same time, in order to be part of the industry, you do have to have one foot in it. So I go to New York, whether it be for press or supplies or manufacturers,” she said.

Pinto was a felicitous choice to headline the event since no other established fashion designer has had such an intrinsic and enduring connection to Chicago. Born on the south side to a large working-class family who then moved to the suburbs, Pinto built her business from the ground up. She’s gone through many iterations of her brand and o erings.

Pinto’s story is one of resilience and success. Some of the highlights of her career include dressing luminaries such as First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, receiving the Legend of Fashion Award and an honorary doctorate from SAIC (her alma mater), and becoming a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), an arduous and invitation-only process that includes being voted in by current members.

A retrospective of Pinto’s designs was showcased on the runway during “A Celebration of Chicago Style,” highlighting the clear evolution of Pinto’s work. “What [my brand is] doing now is very minimalistic, architectural, washable, functional—very lifestyle driven. And what I was doing before was ultra luxury. I was selling to Bergdorf [Goodman] and Barneys,” remarked Pinto. “One of the gowns [displayed at the show] is composed of 30 yards of chi on, all handcut, all handsewn,” Pinto continued. “It was the right time [for that kind of fashion] then, but it’s not the right time for that now.”

After surviving two major recessions, Pinto launched M2057 in 2013, and pivoted to a more functional, minimal, and a ordable line, without sacrificing quality and taste. On July 7, the M2057 boutique will be relocating to River North near the Magnificent Mile, in a space designed by Pinto herself.

Each of the local designers featured at “A Celebration of Chicago Style” presented distinctive collections that catered to di erent facets of the same modern and fashion-savvy consumer. Ajovang kicked o the show with dramatic yet uncluttered gowns featuring statement-making details and volumes. “Everything is really easy to put on, but there’s still this level of elegance, whimsy, and fantasy,” says Ajovang’s designer Guillory, who’s mostly inspired by fairy tales. Osire of Lola Élan showed a collection fi lled with covetable pieces in beautiful abstract patterns (some of which were African wax prints). An easy glamour was also present in her designs, complemented by the feathery charm of Il

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Fratellino shoes (created by brothers Zak Rodriguez and Brian Atwood).

With a more down-to-earth bent, Rashid seems to have carved up a whole niche of her own, something that could be defined as “couture workwear.” She usually favors practical textiles such as denim, gabardine, and canvas, but her attention to detail while working with these humble materials is impressive. Strategic pockets, unexpected cuts, and eye-catching prints make her outfits pop. Vogue has noticed, and cited her as an American designer to watch. Her last look, an impeccably cut utilitarian pantsuit covered in flowers, was hands down one of the highlights of the show.

Another show highlight was provided by Hayes from Production Mode with her midnight-blue trench coat made in an Italian high-tech fabric. Surprisingly washable, it is composed of 100 percent cotton coated with a kind of leathery metallic foil—perfect for some of Hayes’s mod-style pieces. Hayes’s work is very textile-oriented; her asymmetrical knits were also remarkable, as well as a delightful velvet pantsuit reminiscent of the glorious Tom Ford at Gucci era.

Off the runway there was also plenty to dazzle the eye. Guests were dressed to impress in all kinds of attire, from the ultra glam, such as fashion stylist Ray Jeremiah, to the casual chic sported by content creator Brenda Levesque. “I like to support young, local, and independent designers, especially women of color,” Levesque said, while donning a much-praised set by Eiram Knitwear and a bright bag by local brand the Butterfly Villa.

Many guests were wearing their own designs. Stephane St. Jaymes made his patchwork jacket from an 18th-century pattern, and former Project Runway contestant Veronica Shea er had a gorgeous see-through jacket from her own “bridal-for-party-girls” line. Hopefully in a not-too-distant future we’ll be able to see these designers thrive without having to leave Chicago. v

See more photos and read interviews with Rowley and Pinto at chicagoreader.com.

@chicagolooks