The Mix is the Message
Friday, January 16, 2009 at 2:07 PM 
Image of Ikram Goldman used with kind permission from photographer Anna Knott, www.annaknott.com
We know that while Mrs. O doesn't work with a fashion stylist, she often collaborates with her hometown favorite designer Maria Pinto. But over the years she has built another fashion partnership that can be summed up in one word: Ikram.
That is the definitive Chicago boutique, which is named after its glamorous owner. A few months ago, we reported on visiting Ikram, where women discover their inner chic selves. But we think it's worth exploring Ikram - both the store and the person - again because the odds are high some time over the next five days that Mrs. O will appear in an outfit she put together at this boutique.
Aside from Maria Pinto, the brightest fashion influence on Mrs. O has been Ikram. (Ikram will not comment or talk about any of her clientele.) Which is not to say that Mrs. O has been styled by the boutique. Rather, Ikram expands the fashion possibilities for anyone who shops there. For Ikram, the clothes are all about a mix and the mix is the message. Mrs. O wore designers from Ikram at the Democratic National Convention (Narciso Rodriguez, Peter Soronen, Thakoon, Erickson Beamon), during her interview with Barbara Walters (Jason Wu), and to a fundraising party hosted by Vogue magazine (Isabel Toledo with a Tom Binns necklace). Other Mrs. O sightings in Ikram-based designers: She donned Zero|Maria Cornejo on the campaign trail, sported earrings by Loree Rodkin on election night, and used that iconic black Alaia belt throughout the past year. All of these designers can be found at Ikram.
Yes, the clothes and jewelry can be purchased other places, too, but here they are brought together under one roof and edited by one discerning eye. The glory of shopping at Ikram is Ikram Goldman herself. (Although the cinnabar-colored walls and the large dressing rooms outfitted with Japanese kimono-style robes are fun, too.) She is no fashion dictator, imposing an identifiable template on every customer. Instead, she encourages her customers to "play" with the wares, mixing items up to create a very personal look. (Ikram's personal look includes Nars Velvet Matte lip pencil Cruella D26 and Halston perfume, along with her strong preference for black clothes and flat shoes.) She will even tell clients to bring in clothes they already have in the closet for tweaking and new accessories. And she uses her impeccable eye to bring together some of the most exciting designers working today. But she also isn't above working the dressing rooms herself, providing a personal touch.
We spent several weeks shadowing Ikram for a Chicago magazine profile and it was fun to be in that glamorous, creative atmosphere. Given Mrs. O's sartorial history with this boutique, in the near future we may be seeing the new First Lady wearing clothes from designers like Tom Scott or Rodarte, both of whom are available at Ikram. Or even something from Ikram's extensive personal collection of vintage designer clothing. Whatever future outfits Mrs. O wears, we know they will be a reflection of her fashion sense and sensibility, one that explores the possibilities. And the magic is in the mix.
Reader Comments (10)
Hey, Mrs. C, Mrs. O's birthday is tomorrow! Just in case you forgot!
She will be 45 years young. :)
Thanks so much for this post. Very Interesting. From reading this blog I have started rethinking my staid style. I've started taking more chances.
Mrs O in Rodarte ? I LOVE IT.
Mrs O in vintage ? I LOVE IT.
Isn't this simply lovely? http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/819/slide_819_14737_large.jpg
Happy Birthday Mrs. O!
I was very disappointed in my visit to Ikram. The doors are locked and after they let us in, they looked down their noses at us as they followed us around the store. No offer to help, just the overwhelming sense that we were not welcome.
Ikram is the best! She is an artist - able to discern not only what her more conservative Chicago customers might want to wear, but can inspire them to experiment and expand and communicate an inner self that other retailers would not know exists. I'm an out of town fan who makes a pilgrimage to Ikram whenever I'm in Chicago. Plus there is little snooty attitude at Ikram. Fashion is the ruler in that store and if a customer appreciates good fashion they are in the hands of those who care. It's 5 star all the way!
What Was That At the Neckline of Michelle Obama's Dress?Here's a tidbit on the Canadian connection in Michelle Obama's Inauguration Day outfit: the sparkly rhinestone detail on the neckline of her Isabel Toledo day dress is from none other than Toronto-based vintage costume jewellery doyenne Carole Tanenbaum, whose extensive collection is carried at fine boutiques (like Ikram) and high-end department stores across Canada and the United States. she was "thrilled to report" that Obama was wearing a paste Victorian brooch (Lincoln's era - nice touch) from the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection. "How wonderful that the first lady would consider a piece of history rather than gemstone brand jewellery!!" Mrs. Obama, who is to the brooch what her husband is to the BlackBerry, wore a five-inch rhinestone stunner that was perfectly framed by her custom-designed Isabel Toledo dress, matching cardigan and coat. "Michelle Obama chose a piece of history, just like he chose a piece of history," said Ms. Tanenbaum, noting how the President used Abraham Lincoln's Bible to take his oath. "It's one of the most intelligent and graceful things she could have done."
In other words, the first lady could have worn bling from any of the big name jewellers but opted instead for a pin with provenance.It turns out the piece is a Victorian paste pin, once meant as a sash decoration.Tanenbaum, who is based in Toronto, writes that she acquired the pin through a Florida dealer who said it came from a Palm Beach estate. Tanenbaum has never seen another piece like it and she believes it was probably made in England. The sash pin was purchased by Ikram Goldman.one and a half months prior to the inauguration; it was sent back to Tanenbaum so that one stone could be replaced.Mrs. O showed great style, mixing the new (Isabel Toledo) with the vintage. What a grace note of history!
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