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Fashion Sun Oct 21 2012
Fashion Focus Chicago Celebrates the Chicago Fashion Incubator
Fashion invaded Chicago in full force via "Fashion Focus Chicago," a week-long celebration of city's vibrant fashion industry. With a variety of runway shows, panel discussions, trunk shows and more, this showcase, now in its eighth year, supports and promotes local designers, boutique owners and other industry professionals.
In honor of Fashion Focus Chicago, several events were held all around the city, with Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) at Macy's on State Street, as one of the highlights. CFI, a program through Mayor Richard M. Daley's Fashion Initiative, was implemented "to bridge the gap between education and entrepreneurship" and to not only promote the city's fashion community, but also encourage patronage of local designers. The CFI was an electric runway show that featured the spring 2013 collections of LaTonya Williams, Sarah Church, Lagilelei Nadeau, Brooke Conrady, Christina Monley, and Rachel Frank, all Chicago-based designers who were selected as this year's "Designers In Residence" (DIR). In addition, fashion by CFI alumni designers including Crystal B Designs, Anna Hovet and Miriam Cecilia, was also featured.
Fashion Focus Chicago closes today with two runway shows, "Bridal Brunch: From Fabric to Fit" and "Fashion with a Purpose," as well as "Industry Day," a series of free panels and presentations at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., all centered on the business of the fashion industry.
For a full schedule of events and other information, visit Fashion Focus Chicago.
Photos by Charles Jackson.
