Fashion Craze Strikes the Land of Khaki and Jean Simplicity

Mayor Daley, is determined to remake the Windy City as a fashion hub, swaying away from the dull and boring everyday. A fashion industry is born in Chicago.

The mayor hopes his efforts will help keep young and emerging artists and fashion designers in the city. “Fashion designers add excitement and flair to the city,” he said, “They attract attention from around the nation and the world.” “And,” he added, “they create jobs.”In 2006 the Mayor appointed Melissa Turner, former lawyer gone advocate as Chicago’s director pf fashion and arts. Ms. Turner plans the city’s Fashion Week, an event that attracts many hopeful designers and helps them in their cause. Ms. Turner acknowledges the city’s hands-on approach to fashion is a bit unusual but unlike established fashion capitals, Chicago needs some government push and help to get its fashion industry started.“It’s a different approach to cultivating artistic talent,” said Ms. Turner, “The goal is definitely to get a very good, solid foundation laid, and then to keep building on that to support the different levels of designers here.”Those fashion-knowledgeable way East and West snicker at the idea of the Midwest attracting serious fashion attention, but nonetheless, the mayor is undeterred, and is taking steps to perfect Chicago’s run down the catwalk. After all, “Fashion,” he said, “is the heart and soul of the city.”