Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A-eye News: Write Up.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010:
This was just too cool not to share.  Many thanks to Ms. Stefani Bay and the editorial team at A-eye, the Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago newspaper, for including me in this month's issue!  Best.  College.  Ever.

Truly,

R.M.B.

(click on the photo to read the story)

The Goorin Bros. Hat Shop Opens in Lakeview!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010:
The Goorin Bros. Hat Shop celebrated another Chicago location in Lakeview this month, and I was excited to attend the opening event on a hot summer night.  I arrived with friends and grabbed a cocktail, while mingling with some of my favorite people.  We perused the eccentric summer collection of hats and listened to the sounds of the live band.  Friend and Store Manager, Drew Dallas Deardorff, greeted us shortly after we arrived with a hug and a smile - just the kind of service that this hip hat shop offers to it's patrons every day.  A portion of the proceeds from the event went to Ravinia Festival's Reach*Teach*Play Program and guests could enter to win a trip for two to Hawaii!  (What better place to wear your new hat than on a sandy beach?)  The event was a success, and judging by the amount of hats on top of heads, it was clear that everyone had a good time.  Congrats to Drew for all his hard work.  Lakeview is lucky to have a great guy like you - and a stellar store like Goorin!

Truly,

R.M.B.
The band:
The Goods:
The Details:
The Crowd:
Tracey Tarantino & Drew Dallas Deardorff:
Abby Zupancic:
Alia Rajput & Nicole L. Townsend:
My favorite buds from Zzazz and beyond!
 
Miriam Cecilia Carlson, Ryan M. Beshel, Paige Peterson & Callie Greenwood:
 

CS Magazine & The CFI Present 'The Don Julio Loft' Event

Wednesday, July 7, 2010:
CS Magazine and all my favorite friends and designers in the Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) partnered with Don Julio tequila to throw a fabulous summer event.  'The Loft', as it was known, was located in a gorgeous, somewhat hidden space off Grand and Damen.  Chicago's fashionable and influential industry pros all showed up to support the designers in residence.  The task?  To design a look inspired by Don Julio. 
 
I arrived with Paige Peterson and was greeted by friend and CFI designer, Miriam Cecilia Carlson and soon had the pelasure of running into all of the designers including Jonnie Rettele, Leah Fagan, Stephanie Kuhr, Donaldo Smith and Christina Fan.  During the course of their residence I have had the chance to speak with many of these up and coming designers and have been honored to follow their journey.  I am not only impressed, but inspired by the dedication, hard work, and incredibly long hours that they have all spent in the CFI studio.  It was truly a night just for them, and they deserved every minute of it.  Keep it up, my friends!  Chicago is a fashion force to be reckoned with!

Truly,

R.M.B.
 Paige Peterson, Miriam Cecilia Carlson, 
 Abby Zupancic & Ryan M. Beshel
Some of the designs from the CFI designers:
 
 
 CFI designers and friends:
 
 Photo Booth at the party!
 

Thursday, June 17, 2010

The Bowtie Memoirs: Profile on StyleAdmirer.com

Photo captured and edited by Meghan Turner of StyleAdmirer.com:
Thursday, June 17, 2010:
Recently, I had the honor of being profiled for a feature story put together by Meghan Turner, editor-in-chief of Chicago style and event blog, Style Admirer: Chicago.  Click on the link below to have a look at the full story!


Many thanks to Meghan and her continuous (and fabulous) coverage of Chicago style.  Her blog is entertaining, informative - and incredibly stylish.  The Bowtie Memoirs loves Style Admirer: Chicago!

Enjoy!

Truly,

R.M.B.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Obsessions of the Bowtie: Gap 1969 Jeans Shop

Wednesday, June 16, 2010:
If you've taken a stroll down Chicago's lively Rush Street lately, you may have noticed a new resident to hit the retailing scene.  Enter:  the 1969 Jean Shop, brought to our fine city by power retailer, Gap Inc.  This 1969 shop is only the second Gap concept store to hit the nation.  (Lucky us!)  The first concept opened last August in San Fransisco, right along with the launch of the newly improved 1969 denim line.  According to my 'denim insider' at the shop, there is an actual "second store" in Soho - however, it's not considered a true concept store due to the outfitted Gap store located on the 2nd floor of the building.  (But, who's counting?)
The original Gap opened it's doors in 1969, born with a vision to offer affordable, fashionable denim outfitter with a consumer-centric custom service style.  To celebrate the birth of the retailer, Gap introduced a stellar line of denim fittingly called the 1969 collection.  Just after one year of selling the new line, Gap decided to introduce boutiques and spread the word about these amazing jeans.  With the new location on Rush, 1969 is able to compete against high end denim outfitters in the area with prices that are literally half of designer denim (most under $100!), and of the same quality. 
In order to stand apart from a typical Gap,  1969 does not provide the customer with an discount, promotion, or sale on any of their merchandise.  A majority of the merchandise is the same as a typical Gap store, however, the 1969 shops receive merchandise weeks before the others - and in denim washes exclusive to their shops.  1969 also carries third party merchandise with exclusive ties with What Goes Around Comes Around, a vintage belt wholesaler based out of New York and L.A.
I had a chance to snoop around this new shop and was excited with the selection of denim and other garments to complete any look.  The service was exceptional and the denim pros I spoke with really were experts.  I love the fact that the 1969 Jean Shop also reaches out to other vendors to offer eccentric finds to complement their selection of denim.  This concept seems to be a fresh idea that I'm loving - big name retailers breaking off from their mega stores to offer an edited selection, alongside some really special boutique-like items.   The fits are great, the washes are perfect, and the service is exceptional.  What more could you ask for?  Get in there today and make 1969 your new obsession.

Truly,

R.M.B.
Selections for the ladies:
Denim 'stools':
Kate & Paige, my 'denim insiders':
Denim for days:
Don't we wish!:
Rush Street Loves... The Bowtie Memoirs!
1969 on Rush Street:
Gap 1969 Jeans Shop
939 Rush Street 
Chicago, IL 60611
312-951-1745

Thursday, June 10, 2010

The Bowtie is Back!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010:
Hello again to you all! First, let me apologize for neglecting you and my beloved Bowtie Memoirs for so long. Things have been quite busy in my world, which is why I'd like to take a minute today and fill you in on all the happenings this past month or so. As you may know, I have been on the job search since I completed college in December. This journey has kept me quite busy and blogging, as well as attending events, had unfortunately taken a back seat during this process.

In April, I took a great internship at The 900 Shops to gain experience in marketing and broaden my skills. I worked under the amazing Sarah Burrows, Marketing Manager, assisting her in daily tasks and promotions, as well as handling the social media for The Shops. I worked the internship until the end of May, when a great opportunity came my way...

My dear friend and mentor, Julie Darling, passed along a job lead to me just before I left my internship. The position was to assist the Fashion & Beauty Director, Marie P. Anderson, at a modeling agency called Agency Galatea. I met with Marie, Alexis McGraw (Marie's assistant/fashion booker) and Katherine Tenerowicz (the Director of G&J Models), and knew right away that I could fit right in. A few days later (and some relevant negotiations), I got 'the call' and was offered the position!

I now officially work for Marie P. Anderson, an International Model Agent and Scout, former fashion model, modeling industry expert, public speaker and educator with over 30 years of professional experience - (not to mention, she discovered THE Cindy Crawford). In my new position, I assist in the daily management of models, their marketing materials such as comps/portfolios, help coordinate photo shoots and runway shows, and procure print work for any given talent. I also manage the website updates and online portfolios, while working to establish a strong presence for the brand using social media. My focus for the future is to assist in increasing business and to grow with the company as they forge ahead.

To get you up to speed: Agency Galatea is a division of Grossman & Jack Talent, an agency that has represented actors and voice-over talent in Chicago for many years now. Katherine Tenerowicz, whom I mentioned above, runs G&J Models, a division that represents commercial and lifestyle models. These three entities all work together, as well as individually, all under one roof. Needless to say, there is never a lack of creativity and controlled chaos in the office - which is perfect for me! I already feel right at home with the team and can't wait to learn more about the industry as I move forward with the agency. The office is moving to a new location in July, which will make for an exciting new beginning for the entire team.

So, my friends - that is what I have been up to all this time! Moving forward, I already have collected some photos for some great posts coming up. Also, keep an eye out for a fantastic feature and photoshoot on me and my blog, which will be posted on the Chicago style site, Style Admirer. Many thanks to Meghan Turner, the editor-in-chief of Style Admirer, who reached out to me to be included. It's truly an honor. I hope all is well with you, my friends and readers. Looks like summer in the city has begun - and it's looking to be the perfect time for new beginnings!

Thank you for reading, and keep an eye out for more very soon!
(I promise.)

Truly and gratefully,

R.M.B.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Child Cause: Red Gala

Friday, April 16, 2010:
This past Friday, I had the honor of volunteering with my roommate John Clock at the Red Gala, benefiting Child Cause. Upon arriving at Griffin Lounge, where the event was held, the theme of the night was reflected in the scarlet curtains that adorn the entrance and interior of this Chicago hot spot. The event, which raised money for teens affected by AIDS and substance abuse, was produced by the fantastic Justin Jacobson of Platinum Events and Stephanie Castagnier, the founder of Child Cause.
Stephanie Castagnier & Justin Jacobson:
John and I photographed the incoming crowd and mingled with the philanthropic guests who showed up to support the Child Cause team. Towards the end of the night, Stephanie shared her past struggles and present successes that have driven the passion she has for helping children affected by AIDS and substance abuse. It was truly touching to hear her speak so candidly about her past and the path she has taken that led her to the creation of Child Cause. After we all got to know her a bit better, Paris Delane performed for the onlooking crowd. He belted out some great songs and was followed by the talented Platinum Dancers who tore up the dance floor as only they know how.

Paris Delane:
The event raised enough money to help many deserving children and I was incredibly pleased to have been a part of it. I urge you to have a look at the Child Cause website and give your time or money to help this great charity. It's something that doesn't happen as often as it should and I commend everyone that showed up on Friday to open their hearts and wallets to help others in need. The work that Stephanie does is truly remarkable, and from my own experiences I can tell you that giving time to help others is simply one of the best feelings there is.

Here's to many, many more!

Truly,

R.M.B.
Child Cause Volunteers:
Jillian Harris & Ed Swiderski (The Bachelorette):Jill, Justin Jacobson & Tiffany Pennington:
Robbie Martin & Erin Brown:Stephanie Castagnier & Paris Delane:
Anastasia Bullinger, Ryan M. Beshel & Stephanie Castagnier:
Jane Granner & Tyler Lennox Bush:
Stephanie Castagnier & Trina Hayes:
Jim Smith & Penny Cruz:
Larry Ulanski, Stephanie Castagnier & Victoria Butcko:
Justin Jacobson & The Platinum Dancers:
Become a friend, or join the Child Cause group on Facebook!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Saks Fifth Avenue Gets Cheeky!

Jessica Zweig, Michael Mason, Lynne Bredfeldt, Arturo Gomez,
Itika Oldwine, Marcus Riley, Julie Darling & Erica Bethe Levin:
Thursday, March 25, 2010:
Saks Fifth Avenue and CheekyChicago presented "The Cheeky People of Style" with a fabulous runway show to celebrate "Contemporary Week" at Saks. Chicago's most stylish showed up to support Jessica Zweig and Erica Bethe Levin, the beautiful duo behind CheekyChicago. On the runway, spring trends from Saks were shown off by Julie Darling (Julie Darling PR), Lynne Bredfeldt (Director of PR, Park Hyatt Chicago), Itika Oldwine (Harpo Studios), Arturo Gomez (COO Rockit Ranch Productions), Marcus Riley (NBC), and Michael Mason (James Hotel)--the "Cheeky People of Style".

The event was on floor 5 of the Chicago landmark and Julie Darling and I arrived to prepare her for the show. A sleek pink runway (that I could have swore was made of candy) was ready and waiting for the crowd and the models. Some of my favorite industry friends filled the rows including Kim Peiffer (NBC, Modern Luxury), Rachel Schwanz (Entertaining Company), Justin Jacobson (Platinum Events), Ben Soldinger (Cosentino Wines), Scott Johnson, James Goeke (Vital Bridges), Kelli Zink (CelebTV.com), Meghan Turner (StyleAdmirer.com), Abby Dunn (Blast Marketing), Stacey Levy (Exhale Chicago) and many more. The runway presentation was hosted by the Cheeky girls and Saks Fifth Avenue's Director of Marketing, Julie Selakovic. They explained the looks we were going to see and introduced the chosen models of the evening.

The resulting show was an absolute blast and it seemed everyone in the room knew one another. Models interacted with the crowd and no one took themselves too seriously as they strutted their stuff for us. The after party at JBar was also a hit (thanks for the impromptu photo shoot, Amanda Puck!) We finished the night at Hub 51 for amazing sushi, nachos, and Cosentino wine with the crew. A really great evening with some really cheeky company.

-R.M.B.

I filmed some clips from the show so you could get in on the fun. Excuse the lackluster quality and my commentary! The looks were grouped into Work, Play, and Party. Enjoy!




Abby Dunn, Kim Peiffer, Stacey Levy, Julie Darling, & R.M.B.:



Lynne Bredfeldt, Itika Oldwine, & Julie Darling



Julie Darling & Rachel Schwanz:



Kim Peiffer, Stacey Levy, Justin Jacobson, & Kelli Zink:

Jessica Zweig, Julie Darling & Erica Bethe Levin: