This Week’s Top Story
It’s not too late to pick up the perfect (slinky, silky) Valentine’s Day gift. In Logan Square, the mysterious Department of Curiosities (3013 W. Armitage Ave., departmentofcuriosities.com) is billed as a “slow fashion atelier.” Within the atelier, the designers of Morua and Production Mode hand-make corsetry, garments made from custom textiles, and more.
Now, the studio also serves as home base for the Department of Curiosities collection, which comprises luxury lingerie and nightwear made from Italian silks. The fabrics are printed with proprietary patterns, including one with a dark, tropical theme developed by tattoo artist Esther Garcia.
On February 11, the atelier will open its doors for an event that combines a fashion lecture and shopping. Doors open at 3 p.m., and guests can sip cocktails from rare spirits line Mesh & Bone while shopping styles from all three in-house labels. At 4 p.m., Petra Slinkard (the Peabody Essex Museum’s curator of fashion and textiles) will deliver a lecture titled “American Elegance: Post-War Fashion.” Doors will be open until 6 p.m.
And if you can’t make the lecture (or like a little more personalized attention), fret not. The atelier is also offering personalized fitting experiences the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, and the week after. The $75 experience includes champagne, truffles, and a take-home bouquet of flowers along with personalized lingerie fittings and custom design consultations.
Top Sales This Week
St. John (116 E. Oak St., stjohnknits.com) has taken 60 percent off select styles. Find a double-face angora cashmere coat (reduced from $1,495 to $598) and a textural tweed jacket with fringe detail (reduced from $1,695 to $678). Sale prices also apply to blouses, pants, dresses, and sweaters.
Vince (106 E. Oak St., vince.com) has pieces for sale including an Italian-silk kimono dress (reduced from $485 to $194) and a velvet bomber jacket with a slightly cropped silhouette (reduced from $545 to $327). The sale also applies to blouses, coats, pullovers, and pants, as well as to men’s clothing.
Sandro (102 E. Oak St, sandro-paris.com) is offering an additional 20 percent off already-reduced styles. Find a lace-covered striped top (reduced from $395 to $197.50) and a honeycomb top with puffed sleeves (reduced from $295 to $147.50). Sandro’s sister store Maje (100 E. Oak St., us.maje.com) has also taken an additional 20 percent off sale items.
Alice and Olivia (919 N. Michigan Ave., aliceandolivia.com) has colorful pieces for sale, including a tiered, tapestry-print dress with black-lace trim (reduced from $395 to $98.75) and a bomber jacket with hand embroidered designs (reduced from $795 to $318).
AllSaints (46 E. Walton St., us.allsaints.com) has taken up 50 percent off select pieces. Items include a leather skirt (reduced from $340 to $127.50) and a slip dress with a sheer panel at the neckline (reduced from $268 to $100.50).
Health & Beauty
Studio Three (studiothree.com), a boutique gym, will open its second location in Lincoln Park later this year. According to Curbed, the new outpost at 2401 North Halsted Street will span 16,000 square feet; design features will include white-washed pine walls and a giant skylight. The studio offers classes in cycling, yoga, and interval training.
Maxine Salon (712 N. Rush St., maxinesalon.com) has partnered with Shu Uemura Art of Hair. Stylists at the Gold Coast salon will now incorporate the brand’s cult products—including its Essence Absolue hair oil and its Cleansing Oil shampoos and conditioners—into services. The products will also be available for purchase in the retail area.
Retail News of the Week
- Fashionista profiles State Optical Co. Read more.
- Two suburban locations of Target have shuttered amid nationwide closures. Read more.
- A black version of the Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 sneaker is on display at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Read more.