CHSO July 2012 : Page 56

56 | the RADAR | shops | By Katie Schroeder update Clockwise from top left: Cecelia Myers looks through racks; Myers and a stylist work with a client during a fitting; a jewelry display Shirts from Salmon Cove the buzz Off the Rack Local apparel company salmon Cove recently expanded to add new items to the summer and fall lines: New women’s sleeveless and long-sleeve polos, patterned woven shirts and needlepoint belts are now available in the brand’s signature preppy style (salmoncove.com). >>> We’re loving the Oak Street escada store, which relocated from its Michigan Avenue location just in time for summer (51 E. Oak St., 312.915.0500, escada. com). >>> panache is permanently closing its doors at the end of this month. The store is offering 50 to 70 percent off all merchandise (2252 N. Clark St., 773.477.4537). >>> To celebrate 10 years in Chicago, luxury label Marlowe brings back its popular Egyptian cotton crewneck T-shirt ($225). The clean, classic shape and high-grade fabric make the summer tee perfect to pair with a suit or wear alone with cropped denim (800 N. Michigan Ave., 312.988.9398, marlowe. com). >>> And on the move... Oak Street fave sofia is relocating within the Gold Coast to a new location set to open next month (100 E. Walton St., 312.640.0878, sofialivelovely.com), and Comfort Me boutique is heading down the street to a corner space (701 W. Armitage Ave., 312.255.1412, comfortmeboutique.com). Piece of Cake Chicago-based personal styling firm CakeStyle makes shopping just that easy. | Photography by Julia Stotz | What a difference a year makes. Cecelia Myers was working for venture capital and foundry firm Sandbox Industries when the Chicago company decided to back the 27-year-old’s idea for a personal styling biz called CakeStyle (4 E. Ohio St., Ste. 12, cakestyle.com). The basic concept was this: Clients connect with a wardrobe stylist online, chat about personal taste, fit and needs, and a box of hand-selected items from brands like Elie Tahari, DVF and Milly is delivered along with a video explaining each look. Clients keep what they like, return what they don’t. Now, after a year of online success and a coast-to-coast client base, the biz is shifting to be more localized. This summer, Myers opens her chic River North showroom to give clients more one-on-one attention, with increased appointment availability to meet with stylists. “We really want people to get to know their stylist in person— especially since our Chicago clients have been so awesome in helping us get started,” says Myers. “We’ve learned that experiencing CakeStyle is the best way for our clients to get the most out of it, so we wanted to make the studio more available to them.” Plus, the space is now available for networking and charity groups to host cocktail parties where stylists walk through seasonal trends and interpret them for everyday wardrobes. As for the future, thanks to recently securing additional funding from Sandbox, Myers’ young company is expanding, with showrooms planned for San Francisco and Washington, D.C. in the coming months. But Chicago will always be home. “I love having CakeStyle based in Chicago. There’s a practicality from a shipping perspective, but I just love the atmosphere—it’s conducive to running a business. Chicago’s big enough that you’re plugged in to trends, but you can still get around easily. It’s a pretty down-to-earth city in that way.” | July 2012

The Radar Shops

Katie Schroeder

Update Piece of Cake Chicago-based personal styling firm CakeStyle makes shopping just that easy. What a difference a year makes. Cecelia Myers was working for venture capital and foundry firm Sandbox Industries when the Chicago company decided to back the 27-year-old's idea for a personal styling biz called CakeStyle (4 E. Ohio St., Ste. 12, cakestyle.com). The basic concept was this: Clients connect with a wardrobe stylist online, chat about personal taste, fit and needs, and a box of hand-selected items from brands like Elie Tahari, DVF and Milly is delivered along with a video explaining each look. Clients keep what they like, return what they don't. Now, after a year of online success and a coast-to-coast client base, the biz is shifting to be more localized. This summer, Myers opens her chic River North showroom to give clients more one-onone attention, with increased appointment availability to meet with stylists. "We really want people to get to know their stylist in person- especially since our Chicago clients have been so awesome in helping us get started," says Myers. "We've learned that experiencing CakeStyle is the best way for our clients to get the most out of it, so we wanted to make the studio more available to them." Plus, the space is now available for networking and charity groups to host cocktail parties where stylists walk through seasonal trends and interpret them for everyday wardrobes. As for the future, thanks to recently securing additional funding from Sandbox, Myers' young company is expanding, with showrooms planned for San Francisco and Washington, D. C. in the coming months. But Chicago will always be home. "I love having CakeStyle based in Chicago. There's a practicality from a shipping perspective, but I just love the atmosphere-it's conducive to running a business. Chicago's big enough that you're plugged in to trends, but you can still get around easily. It's a pretty down-toearth city in that way." The buzz Off the Rack Local apparel company salmon Cove recently expanded to add new items to the summer and fall lines: New women's sleeveless and long-sleeve polos, patterned woven shirts and needlepoint belts are now available in the brand's signature preppy style (salmoncove.com). We're loving the Oak Street escada store, which relocated from its Michigan Avenue location just in time for summer (51 E. Oak St.,312. 915.0500, escada.Com). Panache is permanently closing its doors at the end of this month. The store is offering 50 to 70 percent off all merchandise (2252 N. Clark St., 773.477.4537). To celebrate 10 years in Chicago, luxury label Marlowe brings back its popular Egyptian cotton crewneck T-shirt ($225). The clean, classic shape and high-grade fabric make the summer tee perfect to pair with a suit or wear alone with cropped denim (800 N. Michigan Ave., 312. 988.9398, marlowe.com). And on the move... Oak Street fave sofia is relocating within the Gold Coast to a new location set to open next month (100 E. Walton St., 312.640.0878, sofialivelovely.com), and Comfort Me boutique is heading down the street to a corner space (701 W. Armitage Ave., 312.255.1412, comfortmeboutique.com).

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