September 29, 2010

Christina Fan of C/FAN Designs

On Monday, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chicago’s own, Christina Fan, of C/FAN designs. She truly is one of my favorite designers in Chicago and if you look at her collections, you’ll see why. She describes her aesthetic as effortless, luxurious and sexy. What more could you ask for? It’s perfection. Her designs are very wearable yet quite unique. She takes wardrobe staples and designs them her way, to create a beautiful C/FAN garment.

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I had the pleasure of meeting Christina at the Chicago Fashion Incubator Meet and Greet this past summer. She is part of this year’s CFI group along with 5 other designers. I had to ask her how her experience with the CFI has been going so far. She said it’s absolutely wonderful and it’s great to have a foundation for business (like financing, accounting, etc….all those things fashion people try to avoid). Because she was the only designer who already had her line going before she joined the CFI, she claims it has really helped her from a business standpoint.

Speaking of business, one of the most interesting things about Christina is that she has no formal training in design….she actually graduated with a degree in History from Northwestern University and had plans to go to law school. She even had a full ride to Chicago Kent. She traveled a lot and kept putting off law school, and that’s when she finally realized that she wanted to be a fashion designer.

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What’s so interesting about C/FAN is that because of Christina’s business/professional background, she wanted to design practical clothing. It’s difficult for a designer to go this route because sometimes it can be too practical where it’s boring. Christina has found that perfect balance of practicality and individuality.

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When I asked Christina, “who is the one celebrity you would love to see wear one of your designs?” she immediately responded, “Cate Blanchett.” Christina loves her style and her aesthetic and thinks Cate and C/FAN would be a great match.

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Christina has come a long way in the past few years. Starting C/FAN in 2008 with a line of outerwear sold at Akira, she is now in Sofia Vintage, Cerato, SHE Boutique and more. She is very happy where she is right now because she feels like her collection is being sold at places that fit her aesthetic.

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What’s next for C/FAN? Christina is showing her Spring 2011 collection at Chicago Fashion Focus next month. She also hopes to one day dabble in accessories, specifically handbags.

And of course the infamous ChiCityFashion question… “Why Chicago?” Christina was born and raised here so she knew it was at least a good place to start. Also, the Chicago Fashion Incubator program has provided her with a lot of support. Christina says, “If your product is good, you can be based anywhere.” So true….

For more C/FAN visit www.cfan-designs.com

September 24, 2010

Calvin Klein Pop-Up Shop in Chicago

Pop-up shops are all the craze now in the fashion world. It is such a great way to promote a new company and/or collection, especially because the store is only around for a limited time. I am very pleased to announce that Carson Pirie Scott and Calvin Klein have partnered to open the first ever Calvin Klein pop-up shop in Chicago.

Here are the details…

The pop-up shop will be open to the public for 7 days only—October 1 through October 8
The store will include both menswear and womenswear and offer an array of items like sportswear, dresses, jeans, underwear and accessories
Hours: Friday, October 1 11am-8pm / Saturday, October 2 11am-5pm / Monday, October 4 through Friday, October 8 11am-6pm
Location: 116 W. Hubbard (Chicago)

AND a portion of the sales will be donated to the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation and support National Breast Cancer Awareness month.

So, don’t forget to mark your calendars because the Calvin Klein pop-up shop is only open for a limited time!

August 28, 2010

Dana Rebecca Designs

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If you read magazines or watch TV, you have most likely come across a Dana Rebecca design. Gracing the ears, hands and necks of celebrities like Blake Lively, Faith Hill, and Anne Hathaway (just to name a few), Dana Levy’s jewelry line, Dana Rebecca Designs, is a celeb favorite. Why wouldn’t it be? Have you seen her jewelry? It’s incredible!

It’s difficult to find fine jewelry that is still unique and fun, but Dana Levy has really found her niche. Using colored gemstones and genuine diamonds, Dana creates immaculate jewelry, including one-of-a-kind pieces that sell out almost immediately on her website.

A new technique Dana has discovered is carving. This isn’t your normal carved stone…it’s actually carved underneath to get the same design-effect with a smooth top. The result is gorgeous!

What’s so meaningful about Dana’s jewelry is that she draws inspiration from the people around her. She does not design a Fall and Spring collection like most designers. She truly creates pieces based on her friends and family by using their first and middle names to name each piece of jewelry.

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When I sat down to interview Dana, I was pleasantly surprised by how young she was. Graduating college only four years ago, she has built a very reputable business and designs stunning pieces created with thought and care. I couldn’t help but be extremely impressed! Being the successful entrepreneur she is, Dana is quite humble with her great accomplishments. When I asked her how she feels about major celebrities wearing her designs, she says she gets excited but she cannot dwell on it; her entrepreneurial spirit tells her to move onto the next. She also claims, “press is fun, but I still want the average person to want to buy my jewelry too.”

I asked Dana who she’s dying to see have a DRD moment on the red carpet. Blake Lively was her first response. She’s young, she’s gorgeous and she has great taste…it’s the perfect match! Blake has worn DRD on the set of Gossip Girl but still has yet to do so on the red carpet. Sandra Bullock is another celebrity Dana would like to see wear her designs. “I want relatable celebrities to wear my jewelry.” Dana claims. So does that mean Lindsay Lohan is out of the question? 🙂

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So how did Dana Levy from the ‘burbs of Chicago get to where she’s at today? Growing up with a father who has been in the jewelry manufacturing business her whole life, jewelry was in Dana’s blood. At age 15, Dana traveled to India with her father on a business trip. She was interrupting his meeting so he sent her out. She wandered into a store where she began creating her own jewelry, which is where she really found her passion. Before Dana Rebecca Designs came to be in ’07, people called her jewelry ITSADANA. When people would ask her friends and family who designed the jewelry they wore, they would respond, “it’s a Dana!” and it just stuck. After four years the University of Texas in Austin and 6 months at the Gemological Institute of America, Dana Rebecca Designs was born.

As for the “ChiCityFashion” question I must ask everyone…Why Chicago? Dana claims, “It’s my home.” And why blend in somewhere where there’s hundreds of jewelry designers trying to make it? It’s better to stand out than blend in, right? Right.