This past Thursday, the highly anticipated Spanish retailer Zara hit Michigan Avenue in a flurry of champagne, cementing its status as an envoy of chic, accessible, moderately priced clothing for men, women and children. The three-story venue is the first heart-of-Chicago outpost of the international favorite; until now, the only Zara in the Chicago area was in Skokie.

Crafted to give customers a more accessible shopping experience, Zara’s interior is certainly easy on the eyes. Granite tiles sparkle with the soft, flattering light from decorative floating orbs, while plentiful mirrors and even benches leave shoppers focused on their hunt for the perfect addition to their wardrobes, and less on their back pain. Decorated in a monochromatic palette of gray, black and white, the store is at once grand and demure, and like pricier upscale boutiques allows its clothes to take center stage. Read the rest of this entry »

For stylish low-priced clothing, Chicago women might shop at H&M or Forever 21 downtown. But discriminating value shoppers have a new option: DLR Clothing & Accessories in Lincoln Square. Owner Sandy Veder stocks his boutique with fashionable merchandise that he buys wholesale. “Inventory is held at the actual manufacturer, which is different from most retailers,” he says. With no distributor or large stockroom, the markup is low.

DLR’s reasonably priced brands include Pink Martini, Ark & Co, and Alythea. “We sell Lush—you’ll find it at Nordstrom’s, but ours is thirty percent cheaper,” Veder says. “We have Renee C. at thirty percent cheaper than Saks, and we get it three weeks before they do. Shop anywhere around and you’ll see that a jacket/coat costs $250, but we have it for $129.95.”

Another advantage is the limited quantity offered of each distinctive fashion. Read the rest of this entry »

4703 N. Lincoln, (773)561-5997 (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Goods: Stylish women’s fashions. Softly-draping sweaters, blouses and tops. Elegant cocktail dresses, tailored jackets/coats. Accessories include plaid scarves, knit berets and oversized handbags. Designers: Lush and Renee C., Pink Martini, Ark & Co., Toska, Alythea. Read the rest of this entry »

900 N. Michigan, Level 3, (312)944-0040 (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Men’s and women’s denim, shoes and accessories. Designers: The store houses thirty women’s denim brands and twenty men’s, including C.R.A.F.T. Denim, Hudson, G-Star, Rebecca Minkoff, House of Harlow, Naked & Famous, Nobody and Grace Sun to name a few. Read the rest of this entry »

1525 N. Milwaukee, (773)342-2623, g-star.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Menswear, womenswear and accessories. Designer: G-Star Raw Owner: New York-based Denimwall Inc. operates the New York, Boston, Miami  and Chicago stores of this European brand. Read the rest of this entry »

1539-41 N. Milwaukee, (773)772-1983, fluevog.com
Goods: Men’s and women’s shoes Designer: John Fluevog Owner: The Vancouver-based designer John Fluevog has a handful of stores in North America. Read the rest of this entry »

1478 N. Milwaukee, (773)227-9558; 2875 N. Broadway, (773)549-1999, buffaloexchange.com
Goods: Men’s and women’s gently used clothing, shoes and accessories. Designers: Varying—Buffalo houses anything from Express and Banana to hipster labels American Apparel and Cheap Monday. Read the rest of this entry »

1519 N. Milwaukee, (773)227-5300, 2711 N. Clark, (773)296-1000, 1730 Sherman, Evanston, (847)492-9400 crossroadstrading.com
Goods: Men’s and women’s gently used apparel, shoes and accessories. Designers: Marc Jacobs, Diesel, Express, Nine West, etc.—the stores stock all types of brands, as long as they’re contemporary and in good shape. Read the rest of this entry »

In the department of openings and closings, American Apparel has opened another Chicago location:

American Apparel
Belmont Central
929 W. Belmont Ave.
Tel. (773) 472-0500

Meanwhile, French housewares boutique Porte Rouge has announced it’s closing May 1.

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It may be the middle of December, but upscale London-based lingerie brand Agent Provocateur is steaming up the city with the launch of its first Chicago boutique. The shop has been here just one week but the brand has been at the pinnacle of the lingerie hierarchy for years. “Other lingerie companies often follow what we do and try to copy what we do,” says Danielle Boholst, United States training coordinator for the company. “[We] set the standard for the industry.”

Imported from London’s Soho district, the brand made its way to America in 2000 with a flagship store in Los Angeles. Hitting the Oak Street scene eight years later, the line’s reputation precedes it. Granted, this is not your everyday underwear—a single bra can set you back $110. Made from only the finest fabrics and lace, product quality is key. Boholst, for one, says you get what you pay for. “Initially, like at Victoria’s Secret, something may look the same as something of ours, but it will be falling apart within weeks whereas our threads hold together for years,” she says. “It’s the difference between buying from H&M and Barney’s. It may be cute and trendy, but overall you’re also buying for the quality and longevity.”

Store “agent” Helena Barber agrees. “I think it takes a lot of engineering to get these little details right,” she says of the largely English cuts and designs.

Featuring Dita Von Teese-esque tuxedo-style corsets and lace-infused brassieres, the line is one part nice and two parts naughty. Barber points out some of the store’s riskier pieces. “Masks, whips, latex stockings with a paddle,” she says with a laugh. “It’s tastefully done. Nothing trashy—we’re not in competition with those types of places,” she says. “Our clientele has always been more higher end.”

Which may explain why Agent Provocateur doesn’t seem to be receding with the economy. “The company will only open doors where it already has established clientele,” Boholst says. “Chicago showed a lot of interest.” (Nicole Briese)

Agent Provocateur, 47 E. Oak, (312)335-0229