A Fashionable Arrival

THE PARTY We feted the grand opening of the Fashion Outlets of Chicago, a $250 million shopping center that boasts more than 500,000 square feet of designer outposts including Gucci, Brunello Cucinelli, Vince, Michael Kors, Prada and many more. THE SCENE Over wine and hors d’oeuvres provided by Food For Thought catering, guests had a first look at the 130 retailers, as well as the inaugural installation of The Arts Initiative, a new collective dedicated to displaying contemporary art in public spaces. THE HIGHLIGHTS High-caliber artists were chosen by The Arts Initiative to enrich the multilevel space and fuse fashion and art in an interactive way, and they were on-site to chat with guests about their installations. Standouts included Bhakti Baxter, whose art has appeared in exhibitions in Miami, Paris and Rome; Jim Drain, who is most notably recognized for his knitted sculptures; and local Cody Hudson, best known for creating a custom pair of Nike sneakers for the Chicago Marathon, co-owning Longman & Eagle and showcasing his paintings at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Photography by Sum Lau and Randy Michael Korwin