Chicago's varied shopping destinations lure visitors from distant lands and neighboring communities who crave the diversity in fashion and products they can’t find in their neck of the woods.
The evolution of Chicago's diverse fashion community has recently taken a giant step in the right direction. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed a Director of Fashion to his staff to morph the city into the fashion hub of the Midwest. This department works with local designers and shop owners to collaborate on programming that will help draw attention to the talented designers residing within the city and drive business to all of the neighborhood shopping, including those harder to find boutiques in Old Town, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village and Lakeview.
Fashion Focus Chicago, held annually in October, is a week-long fashion initiative featuring more than 100 Chicago fashion designers hosting five runway shows, shopping tours, student designer events, fashion installations and industry seminars. The Mayor believes these collaborations will bring attention to the fantastic talent and amazing merchandise that is made right here in Chicago and celebrate the talented designers and shop owners throughout the city.
From high-end retailers that target big spenders to discount merchandise for those who can’t resist a great sale, Chicago has it all! The Magnificent Mile offers hundreds of top retailers including four separate shopping centers. Oak Street is known for its upscale boutiques and specialty gift stores. State Street, located in the very heart of the city, provides a unique blend of department stores, discount chains and the Midwest's largest jewelry district is one block away on Wabash Ave. Lincoln Park’s Armitage Avenue provides boutique shopping along quaint tree-lined streets. Wicker Park/Bucktown delivers unique shopping adventures in a neighborhood that is known for its artsy-bohemian spirit.