SET THE AGENDA

On her: Burberry Prorsum lace trench coat, $5,500, Burberry, 633 N. Michigan Ave. Robert Clergerie snakeskin and leather sandals, $695, Nordstrom, 520 N. Michigan Ave. Aurelie Bidermann 18-karat gold vermeil hoop earrings, $340, aureliebidermann.com.

On him: Seize sur Vingt cotton blazer, $720, cotton pants, $240, cotton shirt, $210, and silk tie, $120, Apartment Number 9, 1804 N. Damen Ave. Calfskin wingtips, $575, Emporio Armani, 25 E. Oak St.

GO IN FOR THE KILL

Nylon coat with nylon stocking jersey sleeves, $2,690, reedkrakoff.com

HOLD THE ELEVATOR, BOY

On her: Dries Van Noten wool jacket, $1,185, and skirt with embroidery and paillettes, $1,445, Blake, 212 W. Chicago Ave. Woven leather sandals, $795, Ralph Lauren, 750 N. Michigan Ave. Graziela zircon, onyx, and sterling silver earrings, $490, Enaz, 309 Happ Rd., Northfield, or 444 Central Ave., Highland Park. Satin minaudière, price upon request, Louis Vuitton, 919 N. Michigan Ave.

On him: Mykita Earl 2 acetate eyeglasses, $504, Contacts and Specs, 3144 N. Broadway.

NOW THIS IDEA HAS LEGS

Silk faille color-blocked top, $1,870, beaded skirt, $17,200, and printed lizard and neoprene pumps, $795, fendi.com. Graziela onyx, quartz, and sterling silver earrings, $440, Enaz.

IMPLEMENT TRANSPARENCY

Silk organza dress, $1,935, and Airtex jacket, $1,020, stellamccartney.com. Graziela quartz, zircon, and sterling silver earrings, $480, Enaz. Leather flap clutch, $1,595, valentino.com.

A BOLD INITIATIVE

Roksanda Ilincic wool georgette skirt, $1,392, and Christopher Kane wool crepe corseted bandeau, $875, Blake. Platform shoes, price upon request, Louis Vuitton. Shawn Warren ebony and diamond earrings, $15,500, Neiman Marcus, 737 N. Michigan Ave. Dana Rebecca amethyst and diamond ring, $1,235, Enaz.

CALL IT A DAY

On her: Silk dress with cutouts, $3,500, valentino.com. Gianvito Rossi suede sandals, $1,235, Barneys, 15 E. Oak St. Graziela blue and white sapphire bracelet, $12,600, Enaz. J/Hadley chalcedony and diamond earrings, $1,750, Ikram, 15 E. Huron St. Satin box clutch, $895, Tiffany & Co., 730 N. Michigan Ave.

On him: Silk blazer, $3,250, silk pants, $1,220, cotton shirt, $615, and silk tie, $375, Louis Vuitton. Mykita Quentin acetate eyeglasses, $504, Contacts and Specs.

Photograph: David Leslie Anthony; Stylist: Heiji Choy Black; Models: Vanessa Perron and Diego Villarreal/Ford Models; Hair: Michael Jacobson/Michael & Michael; Hair Assistant: Josh Hambly; Makeup: Carly Martin/Factor Artists using Face Atelier; Photographer Assistants: Neal Agustin, Michal Rzepecki Digital Tech: Neil Burger; Location: Baker & Mckenzie’s Chicago Offices, designed by Goettsch Partners

Photography: Anna Knott
 

If you follow modern art, you probably read the website Contemporary Art Daily. Founded by the precocious Forrest Nash, a native of Richmond, Virginia, five years ago as he was finishing his fine arts degree at the School of the Art Institute, the site now gets 1.25 million hits a month.

Each day, the 25-year-old introduces visitors to one new artist currently exhibiting somewhere in the world—an artist he cherry-picks from among the hundreds of people he gets pitched every week from under-the-radar galleries and big museums alike. “We try to strike a balance between promoting important shows and representing the diversity of what is going on in contemporary art,” he says.

This selective approach (as well as his site’s spare design) is mirrored in Nash’s minimalist South Loop apartment. To see the bare essentials that fulfill his aesthetic needs, see below.

10 Things He Loves

FRESH ORCHIDS ($19 to $25 a stem, A New Leaf, 312 S. Dearborn St.)
“I like flowers that are unusual without being fussy.”

COMME DES GARÇONS 2 MAN COLOGNE ($120, Barneys, 15 E. Oak St.)
“The bottle itself looks like art.”

JANE COOPERMAN VELVET QUILT ($1,000, by special order, jcooperman6@hotmail.com)
“Its intensity stands out because everything else in my apartment is so stripped-down.”

BREVILLE ONE-TOUCH TEA MAKER ($249, Williams-Sonoma, 4999 Old Orchard Center, Skokie)
“The form is nothing special, but it makes the exact, canonical version of any given kind of tea—and I love tea.”

PAINTING BY THOMAS JULIER
“This abstraction of a soccer ball is by an of-the-moment Swiss artist. I like how it floats on the wall.”

CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ BY FELIX GONZALEZ-TORRES ($554, amazon.com)
“This gorgeous two-volume set shows the complete sum of this artist’s public life.”

UNIQLO +J MILITARY JACKET ($50 for similar styles, uniqlo.com)
“Designed by Jil Sander, this works as a spring jacket but also as a winter layer.”

PAINTING BY GAYLEN GERBER (Gerber is represented by Wallspace gallery in New York)
“This is one of my favorite pieces. It’s from a key moment in Gerber’s career, when he applied a layer of gray to a finished work by another artist.”

CASE STUDY DAYBED ($1,698, Design Within Reach, 10 E. Ohio St.)
“Its simple lines make it blend perfectly with the architecture of my space.”

UNCUT TOPAZ
“I found this stone when I was a little kid. I get pleasure from holding and looking at it.”

Photograph: Anna Knott
 

When you were raised by parents as stylish and urbane as the late John and Eunice Johnson, founders of Ebony and Jet magazines, it’s no surprise that those qualities rub off on you. Which explains a lot about the savvy Linda Johnson Rice, 54, chairwoman of the Johnson Publishing Company. “My mother always said that whatever you buy, it should be of the highest possible quality,” says Rice.

Eunice Johnson took her young daughter along to Paris couture shows, and from 1959 to 2009 she brought high fashion to African American women around the country as the creative force behind the Ebony Fashion Fair. That touring fashion show is now the focus of an exhibition at the Chicago History Museum. Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair (through January 5, 2014) includes 68 garments by the greatest designers of the 20th century, such as Bill Blass, Christian Lacroix, and Yves Saint Laurent.

Her mother’s taste is also on display at the Gold Coast condo where Rice (divorced) grew up and raised her daughter, Alexa, now 24. But Rice’s own bold style shines through. To see a few of her favorite things from past and present, see below.

10 Things She Loves

SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND EARRINGS (Similar style, Trabert & Hoeffer, 111 E. Oak St.)
“I gave these to my daughter for her 21st birthday. They’re beautiful and a great investment.”

LONG WALK TO FREEDOM BY NELSON MANDELA ($18, Seminary Co-op Bookstore, 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave.)
“Along with my father, Mandela is my hero. He signed this copy.”

FIRE HOSE ART BY THEASTER GATES (Similar pieces, Kavi Gupta Gallery, kavigupta.com)
“It represents the civil rights movement, how horribly African Americans were treated.”

FLOATING GARDENIAS ($110 for six flowers, Henry Hampton Floral, 1335 S. State St.)
“They complete a room without a lot of fuss.”

HERMÈS EQUESTRIAN GEAR (Bridles start at $1,150, reins start at $370; Hermès, 25 E. Oak St.)
“I’ve been riding since I was seven. If I were a horse, I would want an Hermès halter.”

VINTAGE PHOTO OF SAMMY DAVIS JR.
“It’s a wonderful photo, but aside from that, he was a great family friend and sang at my wedding.”

BARBARA BATES LEATHER DRESS ($1,000, by special order at barbarabatesdesigns.com)
“Bates does custom designs in all fabrics. But I happen to like her leather pieces.”

MARINO MARINI SCULPTURE
“The horse is my favorite animal. My mom bought this. It’s a really strong piece, and I grew up with and then inherited it.”

VINTAGE YSL BELT
“Yves Saint Laurent has a special place in my heart because he was my mother’s favorite designer. This belt was hers.”

CHRISTIAN LACROIX DRESS
“This ensemble from Lacroix’s fall 1987 collection is one of the greats from the Ebony Fashion Fair. It’s at the Chicago History Museum now.”

Eric McKissack, 59, is known for his financial savvy: He runs an investment management firm. But he also gets kudos for being one of the best-dressed men in Chicago. Whether it’s a bespoke three-piece suit for a board meeting or a cashmere Brunello Cucinelli tux for a gala at the Art Institute (he’s a trustee), McKissack appreciates exquisite fabrics and tailoring. “You wear well-made clothes; they don’t wear you,” he says.

He learned that lesson early in life. Growing up an only child in Nashville, he was influenced by a family of natty dressers, including an architect grandfather (who cofounded the country’s first registered African American architecture firm) and an art-collector uncle. Today, the Gold Coast 19th-century rowhouse that he shares with his wife, Cheryl, a marketing consultant, reveals his love of the finer things. For examples of art, objects, and apparel he loves, see below.

10 Things He Loves

BRUNELLO CUCINELLI TUXEDO ($6,895 for similar style, Brunello Cucinelli, 939 N. Rush St.)
“Navy makes you look a little—but not too—different.”

VALEXTRA BRIEFCASE ($3,419, Barneys New York, 15 E. Oak St.)
“It’s old Italian craftsmanship with contemporary design.”

CANDELABRA
“We go to Seattle often—my wife is from there. We bought this piece by an artist in residence at the Pilchuck Glass School.”

CIRE TRUDON CANDLE ($85, Jayson Home, 1885 N. Clybourn Ave.)
“I love this French candle maker’s scents and history.”

VINTAGE SAARINEN CHAIR ($3,447 for similar style, Design Within Reach, 1574 N. Kingsbury St.)
“It has the comfort of a wing chair, with a modern profile.”

BROADWOOD & SONS PIANO ($18,000 for similar style, antiquepianoshop.com)
“I was lucky to find it at an antique piano store in New York.”

JAEGER-LECOULTRE REVERSO WATCH ($15,400 for similar style, Marshall Pierce, 29 E. Madison St.)
“I’m a modest watch collector, and the Reverso is an icon. I like that it has an international time feature.”

GOLD & WOOD FRAMES ($825 for similar style, Glasses Ltd., 50 E. Oak St.)
“One side is horn; one side is wood. They are very comfortable.”

CHAKAIA BOOKER SCULPTURE (Prices for similar pieces by request, marlboroughgallery.com)
“Booker created an amazing sculpture out of rubber tires. It’s at the MCA now.”

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE SEDAN ($98,000 for 2013 model, Maserati Chicago, 834 N. Rush St.)
“This car is totally impractical for Chicago, but I love it.”

Photography: (Maserati) Courtesy of Maserati; (tuxedo, booker sculpture) Ratko Radojcic; (all others) Anna Knott

SET THE AGENDA

On her: Burberry Prorsum lace trench coat, $5,500, Burberry, 633 N. Michigan Ave. Robert Clergerie snakeskin and leather sandals, $695, Nordstrom, 520 N. Michigan Ave. Aurelie Bidermann 18-karat gold vermeil hoop earrings, $340, aureliebidermann.com.

On him: Seize sur Vingt cotton blazer, $720, cotton pants, $240, cotton shirt, $210, and silk tie, $120, Apartment Number 9, 1804 N. Damen Ave. Calfskin wingtips, $575, Emporio Armani, 25 E. Oak St.

Photograph: David Leslie Anthony; Stylist: Heiji Choy Black; Models: Vanessa Perron and Diego Villarreal/Ford Models; Hair: Michael Jacobson/Michael & Michael; Hair Assistant: Josh Hambly; Makeup: Carly Martin/Factor Artists using Face Atelier; Photographer Assistants: Neal Agustin, Michal Rzepecki Digital Tech: Neil Burger; Location: Baker & Mckenzie’s Chicago Offices, designed by Goettsch Partners

GO IN FOR THE KILL

Nylon coat with nylon stocking jersey sleeves, $2,690, reedkrakoff.com

Photograph: David Leslie Anthony; Stylist: Heiji Choy Black; Models: Vanessa Perron and Diego Villarreal/Ford Models; Hair: Michael Jacobson/Michael & Michael; Hair Assistant: Josh Hambly; Makeup: Carly Martin/Factor Artists using Face Atelier; Photographer Assistants: Neal Agustin, Michal Rzepecki Digital Tech: Neil Burger; Location: Baker & Mckenzie’s Chicago Offices, designed by Goettsch Partners

HOLD THE ELEVATOR, BOY

On her: Dries Van Noten wool jacket, $1,185, and skirt with embroidery and paillettes, $1,445, Blake, 212 W. Chicago Ave. Woven leather sandals, $795, Ralph Lauren, 750 N. Michigan Ave. Graziela zircon, onyx, and sterling silver earrings, $490, Enaz, 309 Happ Rd., Northfield, or 444 Central Ave., Highland Park. Satin minaudière, price upon request, Louis Vuitton, 919 N. Michigan Ave.

On him: Mykita Earl 2 acetate eyeglasses, $504, Contacts and Specs, 3144 N. Broadway.

Photograph: David Leslie Anthony; Stylist: Heiji Choy Black; Models: Vanessa Perron and Diego Villarreal/Ford Models; Hair: Michael Jacobson/Michael & Michael; Hair Assistant: Josh Hambly; Makeup: Carly Martin/Factor Artists using Face Atelier; Photographer Assistants: Neal Agustin, Michal Rzepecki Digital Tech: Neil Burger; Location: Baker & Mckenzie’s Chicago Offices, designed by Goettsch Partners

NOW THIS IDEA HAS LEGS

Silk faille color-blocked top, $1,870, beaded skirt, $17,200, and printed lizard and neoprene pumps, $795, fendi.com. Graziela onyx, quartz, and sterling silver earrings, $440, Enaz.

Photograph: David Leslie Anthony; Stylist: Heiji Choy Black; Models: Vanessa Perron and Diego Villarreal/Ford Models; Hair: Michael Jacobson/Michael & Michael; Hair Assistant: Josh Hambly; Makeup: Carly Martin/Factor Artists using Face Atelier; Photographer Assistants: Neal Agustin, Michal Rzepecki Digital Tech: Neil Burger; Location: Baker & Mckenzie’s Chicago Offices, designed by Goettsch Partners

IMPLEMENT TRANSPARENCY

Silk organza dress, $1,935, and Airtex jacket, $1,020, stellamccartney.com. Graziela quartz, zircon, and sterling silver earrings, $480, Enaz. Leather flap clutch, $1,595, valentino.com.

Photograph: David Leslie Anthony; Stylist: Heiji Choy Black; Models: Vanessa Perron and Diego Villarreal/Ford Models; Hair: Michael Jacobson/Michael & Michael; Hair Assistant: Josh Hambly; Makeup: Carly Martin/Factor Artists using Face Atelier; Photographer Assistants: Neal Agustin, Michal Rzepecki Digital Tech: Neil Burger; Location: Baker & Mckenzie’s Chicago Offices, designed by Goettsch Partners

A BOLD INITIATIVE

Roksanda Ilincic wool georgette skirt, $1,392, and Christopher Kane wool crepe corseted bandeau, $875, Blake. Platform shoes, price upon request, Louis Vuitton. Shawn Warren ebony and diamond earrings, $15,500, Neiman Marcus, 737 N. Michigan Ave. Dana Rebecca amethyst and diamond ring, $1,235, Enaz.

Photograph: David Leslie Anthony; Stylist: Heiji Choy Black; Models: Vanessa Perron and Diego Villarreal/Ford Models; Hair: Michael Jacobson/Michael & Michael; Hair Assistant: Josh Hambly; Makeup: Carly Martin/Factor Artists using Face Atelier; Photographer Assistants: Neal Agustin, Michal Rzepecki Digital Tech: Neil Burger; Location: Baker & Mckenzie’s Chicago Offices, designed by Goettsch Partners

CALL IT A DAY

On her: Silk dress with cutouts, $3,500, valentino.com. Gianvito Rossi suede sandals, $1,235, Barneys, 15 E. Oak St. Graziela blue and white sapphire bracelet, $12,600, Enaz. J/Hadley chalcedony and diamond earrings, $1,750, Ikram, 15 E. Huron St. Satin box clutch, $895, Tiffany & Co., 730 N. Michigan Ave.

On him: Silk blazer, $3,250, silk pants, $1,220, cotton shirt, $615, and silk tie, $375, Louis Vuitton. Mykita Quentin acetate eyeglasses, $504, Contacts and Specs.

Photograph: David Leslie Anthony; Stylist: Heiji Choy Black; Models: Vanessa Perron and Diego Villarreal/Ford Models; Hair: Michael Jacobson/Michael & Michael; Hair Assistant: Josh Hambly; Makeup: Carly Martin/Factor Artists using Face Atelier; Photographer Assistants: Neal Agustin, Michal Rzepecki Digital Tech: Neil Burger; Location: Baker & Mckenzie’s Chicago Offices, designed by Goettsch Partners

“As a little girl, I wanted to have a business making and selling things,” says jewelry designer Winifred Gundeck, 41, who was eight years old when barrettes she embellished were picked up by a boutique in her childhood home of Miami. Although the grown-up Gundeck started her professional life in Chicago in 2003 as a graphic designer, she threw herself into her first calling about ten years ago with the launch of Winifred Grace. She now sells her rustic-chic creations to more than 30 stores across the United States, including p.45 in Bucktown.

Using exotic stones and materials ranging from bronze and silver to leather and fabric, Gundeck makes pieces that feel both luxe and handmade. Her latest collection, Sueños (“dreams” in Spanish), was produced by disadvantaged women in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Made mostly of bronze, the line has geometric motifs and an artisan-crafted look. “It feels as if it has history to it,” says Gundeck.

The same storied quality fills the Andersonville prewar apartment she shares with her husband, documentary filmmaker Benjamin Fingerhut, and one-year-old son, Alexander. Her favorite finds (both vintage and new) and the endearing tales they hold appear below.

10 Things She Loves

MOTTAHEDEH CHARGER AND GEORG JENSEN SILVERWARE ($125 for charger, mottahedeh.com; fork and knife, $300 each, Georg Jensen, 959 N. Michigan Ave.)
“I have six red chargers and six blue to keep things unpredictable. The silver I like because it is at once masculine and feminine.”

AFRICAN TAPESTRY
“This was a gift from my parents when Alex was born; I think of that day whenever I look at it.”

VINTAGE GOLD POCKET WATCH
“This belonged to my great-grandmother, who grew up in Galesburg, Illinois.”

GEODE LAMP ($3,500 for similar style, swanklighting.com)
“I love the organic shape of the base next to the tailored shade. I am attracted to the combination of rough and sleek.”

MOK DUK BABY ANNOUNCEMENT (From $1,500 for 100 cards, annebenjamin.com)
“The idea of these sweet little animals welcoming our boy into the world makes me happy.”

ABIGAIL GLAUM-LATHBURY DRESS ($2,400, by special order at p.45, 1648 N. Damen Ave.)
“This dress is a throwback to Victorian times, with a fun modern twist.”

GRANDMA’S BRONZE CUFF ($165, winifredgrace.com)
“This piece was originally made by my grandmother, who was an artist and jewelry maker. I had a mold made of it and cast it in bronze, and it’s part of my new collection.”

BURROW AND HIVE SCARF ($190, burrowandhive.com)
“The colors are gorgeous, and it was screenprinted by hand in India.”

VINTAGE PLATTNER CHAIR ($2,874 to $3,139 for new chair, Design Within Reach, 10 E. Ohio St.)
“I bought this at an antiques shop on Lincoln Avenue when I first moved to Chicago. It represented the beginning of my new life as a creative professional.”

Photography: (Dress) Ratko Radojcic; (cuff) Gintas Zaranka; (all others) Anna Knott

This time of year (when the post-holiday fitness plan hasn’t yet shown major results and it’s freaking freezing out) you start craving something to wear that’s loose and layerable, yet clean-lined and luxe enough to look like you made an effort. Vince’s navy short-sleeve tunic in insanely soft goat suede is the answer. Wear it over tights and a turtleneck now; wear it on its own, as in the photo, when Mother Nature eases up.
 

$750 at Bloomingdale’s, 900 N. Michigan Ave., 312-440-4460

It was a tragic day in my fashion universe when I heard that Nicolas Ghesquiere was stepping down as Balenciaga’s designer.  It was a collection that I looked most forward to season after season—the way he referenced the house’s couture history and merged it with the off-kilter (i.e. last fall’s Egyptofunk shirts), the futuristic, and the street.  A few years ago, he designed this watch using a face inspired by an original Cristobal Balenciaga clock and put it on an ultra-modern wide leather strap with a sleek clasp.  What a perfect memento of one of fashion’s best takes on old meets new.

$1,795 at balenciaga.com

Sheer glosses and pale palettes are pretty, yes. But sometimes the occasion calls for a bold, look-at-me lip. In search of pigment, I hit up makeup artist Krystyn Johnson of Bridal Beauty Chicago, who knows a thing or two about working it in front of the camera.  “Makeup doesn’t translate as vibrantly in pictures and will typically photograph one to two shades lighter,” Johnson says. “Don’t be afraid to use more vibrant, pigmented lip colors.” She’s a fan of OCC Lip Tars—ultra-saturated, liquid lipsticks made with moisturizing hemp oil and vitamin E, plus a hint of peppermint oil for a pleasant kick. Apply the tiniest amount with a brush. A little goes a long way.

$16 at OCC Makeup