Chicago Fashion Week Downsizes, Shares Weekend with Stylemax

by The Fashion Cult

fashion focus chicago

Fashion Focus will be condensed to a long weekend Oct. 22 to 25 on the theory that a shorter event packed with runway shows, shopping and industry seminars will attract more buyers, tourists and national press than eight days of events.

“There will be fashion going on all day, every day,” said Melissa Gamble, the city’s director of fashion arts and events.

The move is one of several changes to the Fashion Focus template. The city plans to use social media, with related Facebook pages and continual updates on Twitter, and lure national press by offering complimentary weekend trips to select fashion editors and writers.

In another first-time move, Fashion Focus will partly overlap with Stylemax, the Midwest’s largest women’s apparel market, which runs Oct. 24 to 27 at the Merchandise Mart.

“That’s the smartest thing they’ve done,” said designer Pierre Colorado, who creates the Chicago-based sportswear line Blake Standard and will participate in Fashion Focus. “You definitely want to catch buyers when they’re in town.”

Look from Blake Standard – a line set to participate in Fashion Focus.

blake standard