The Trib reports that Michael Kors is coming to 900 N. Michigan, taking over the Stuart Weitzman Shoes space, as well as part of Club Monaco’s space. Also noted is that Club Monaco’s opening a 3,500 square foot store in Bucktown next month.
Meanwhile, Original Penguin is opening a store at 901 N. Rush, formerly the site of Johnny Rockets, the faux diner.
The four-year anniversary shindig last Saturday at Pump Shoes and Accessories was like most days at the popular Division Street boutique: Friendly service made shoppers feel welcome and comfy, and pretty sandals in a slew of colors and styles tempted guests, too. But a more-festive-than-usual vibe was pumpin’ throughout the store. With margaritas flowing and colorful balloons hanging inside and outside Pump, shoppers took advantage of discounts on everything in the shop, including Michael Kors sandals, Betsey Johnson heels and espadrilles from Spain-based designer Eric Michael.
Kelly Kang, 27, has been shopping at Pump for three years. “[Owner] Maureen [Longua] has really good taste in shoes,” she says. Kang likes that the goods are reasonably priced and fashionable but still comfortable. In fact, she has bought so many pairs of shoes at Pump, “It’s doubled my shoe closet!” Jenny Parker, 28, doesn’t mind making the trip to Wicker Park from her Forest Park home. “I like the service, and she has a lot of shoes that you don’t see anywhere else.” Also, Parker adds, “It’s a fun store to shop in.”
So what motivated Longua to open Pump four years ago? “I just really love shoes,” she says. “I felt there was a void of feminine and fabulous shoes at moderate prices in this neighborhood.” As for the big looks for this spring, Longua points to “lots of fun color, but a nude, heeled sandal is a must for your wardrobe this season. When it comes to flats, pick a tan or brown gladiator that can be worn with everything from flat-front shorts to patterned sundresses.”
Part of the fun of running Pump is the location. “My customers are my neighbors, and that is what I love about this Wicker Park area,” Longua says. “Despite the growth, it hasn’t lost that community-neighborhood feel that keeps Wicker Park a true jewel of this city for shopping, eating, playing and raising a family.” (Mary Susan Littlepage)
Pump, 1659 West Division, (773)384-6750, pumpshoeschicago.com
114 E. Oak, (312)787-1171, ultimo.com 
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Goods: Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. Designers: Stella McCartney, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Roberto Cavalli, Nancy Gonzalez, Christian Lacroix and Josef Statkus. Shoes? Almost entirely Manolo Blahnik. Owner: Sara Albrecht—artist, designer and Hubbard Street Dance Company director—continues the thirty-year tradition of one of Chicago’s most established high-end boutiques, originally owned by Joan Weinstein. Vibe: From the rich colors to the plush carpets, the soft lighting to the metal sculptures, this store is lux-u-ri-ous. But don’t let the impeccably dressed staff fool you—they’re welcoming, attentive and willing to go the extra mile. Price Range: Luxury. The Look: The society pages. Flip through In Style and see your new shoes on the red carpet. Shopper’s Perks: Best selection of Manolos in the city. The boutique’s four hand-drawn sketches, made by Blahnik himself, demonstrate the close relationship Ultimo has with the designer. The Thing for Spring: The soft pastel colors in Blumarine’s collection.
1659 W. Division, (773)384-6750, pumpshoeschicago.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Shoes and accessories for women. Designers: Jeffrey Campbell, Betsey Johnson, Miss Sixty, Michael Kors and Fornarina. Owner: Maureen Longua, who adores hard-to-find heels from sultry locales like Spain and Argentina. Vibe: Pink ribbons climb the walls, a crystal chandelier sparkles overhead and a round ottoman is strewn with shoeboxes as shoppers fancy up their feet. Longua showers visitors with friendly energy and accessorizing-savvy. Price Range: Mostly moderate, with a few expensive items. The Look: A girly-girl who knows how to dress adorably without spending a fortune. Shopper’s Perks: Fabulous sales and on-site cocktail parties. The Thing for Spring: “You can’t miss the gladiator sandal,” says Longua, who hopes that this season’s influx of feminine flat sandals will lead to the demise of the plastic flip-flop.
Ross Burton brings his makeup to Glamorama
By Jennifer Berg
Paris Hilton is one of Ross Burton’s most laid-back clients. “I was doing her makeup [for an event] and I asked her what she wanted me to do,” the celebrity makeup artist recalls. “She said, ‘I don’t know. What do you think? I just want to look beautiful.’” To a true artiste—and, as Lâncome’s National Artistic Director, Burton is just that—those words are license for a whole lot of fun. “I was like ‘I LOVE this woman!’” he exclaims.
A Michigan native, Burton moved to New York City (now his home base) upon graduating the University of Michigan circa “yearrrrs ago.” His mission: to become an actor. While studying at HB Studio, Burton enrolled in a class on theatrical makeup. “And of course,” he says, “makeup for the theater is very different from makeup for reality.” Suddenly, Burton understood makeup as “illusion, art and magic.”
Armed with his newfound interest, Burton “wandered into a little store called Macy’s Herald Square” and found work at the Lâncome counter. “I urge [blossoming] artists to venture into department stores and really learn their craft,” he says. “[At Macy’s,] I learned how to work with all skin tones, from chocolate to vanilla. I think if you can only work with fair skin, you’re not a real makeup artist.”
Needless to say, Burton hasn’t put down the makeup brush since the day he ventured into Herald Square, and he says that he’ll “always have a soft spot for Macy’s; it’s in my DNA.” So when he was approached about two months ago to develop a look for the models in this week’s Glamorama, his answer was “Absolutely.”
After accepting his glamorous mission, Burton met with Laura Schara (producer of Glamorama’s fashion segment) to discuss the looks that will be trotting down the runway on Friday. The fully choreographed show provides a peek at fall fashions from designers like Marc Jacobs, Moschino, Temperley London, Just Cavalli, Michael Kors and Alberta Ferretti. Models don’t have their makeup changed to go with each outfit, so Burton says he purposely created a look that “can look good with everything, from jeans to basic black to winter wear.”
The look Burton cooked up starts with the skin. But “not dewy skin,” he’s quick to say. “Matte skin is the perfect backdrop for the rich, beautiful fall trends. That way, there’s no competition between the skin and the textures.” Burton identifies those trendy textures as, “Creamy, wet blushes, metallic eyes, outrageous lashes” and, for lipsticks, both nude and red. On the runway, he says, “lips will be nude, nude, nude—then pop! Red!”
Though Glamorama is all about fantasy and spectacle, Burton had the “real woman” in mind when he designed the models’ makeup look. He says that “every woman can aspire to create” the faces they’ll see at Glamorama, and he has a few tips on the right products to pick up:
First, find a nude, creamy lipstick (or gloss) that lets the natural lip-color shine through. When it comes to swiping on that show-stopping red, Burton knows some women will be shy. On that, he says confidently, “There is a red for every woman. I tell women to let their fingers be their guide. Dip your finger into lipstick, trace it onto your lips, and use [the red] as a kind of stain at first.” After women have adorned themselves with that “burst of color,” Burton says they inevitably get compliments that have them applying straight from the tube in no time. (For those who want to get the exact Glamorama look, some of the products Burton will be using include Lâncome’s Le Khôl Liner in Black Ebony; Deep Black Hypnôse Mascara, nude Color Fervor Gloss in Engaging and Juicy Tube Smoothie in Cherry Burst.)
Beyond scoping out the Chicago Theatre’s runway for inspiration, Burton recommends looking through magazines. “Tear out the pages of looks that you like,” he advises. “Once you see something in print that you relate to, you can elevate yourself to that. Bring the pages into a store and work with a makeup artist one-on-one. It can be intimidating at first, but women should never be afraid to ask for help.”
Glamorama hits the Chicago Theatre, 175 North State, (312)902-1500, August 24, at 8pm. $50-$1000.
