Urban Threads mixes fashion and youth outreach in Chicago
By Alexandra Whittaker Fledgling fashion designers dream of showing their work at high profile fashion weeks, whether in Chicago or Milan. It can take years for this to happen, but a group of Chicago high school students accomplished this last fall. The students showed at Chicago Fashion Week in the (PRO)jectUs Street Bias Fashion Show […]
Deepening crisis sends Valeant shares into a tailspin
By Poroma Pant Shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. went into freefall Tuesday after the embattled pharmaceutical company warned its investors of sharply curtailed earnings expectations and disclosed that it’s in danger of defaulting on some of its debt. In a conference call, analysts grilled Chief Executive Officer Mike Pearson with questions regarding his leadership […]
Volumes Bookcafe, The Long-Awaited Opening, and Other Bookselling Stories
By Frances Van de Vel The white logo is gleaming proudly on the red brick façade and large windows. On the inside, however, Volumes Bookcafe needs a few finishing touches. The empty shelves – 6,000 pounds in total – are waiting for books, and there are still no lattes or lipstick-stained wine glasses to be […]
Fashion and feminism: a Q&A with Muslim Iranian fashion blogger Hoda Katebi
By Alexandra Whittaker Most college students worry about grades and college life, but 20-year-old University of Chicago student Hoda Katebi is focused on social activism. With her popular fashion blog JooJoo Azad (“Free Bird” in Farsi) Katebi has worked since the blog’s launch in 2013 to change the media’s portrayal of Middle-Eastern, hijab-wearing Muslim women […]
The Greeks: 5,000 years of history in 500 objects
By Josef Siebert As the glass doors to the special exhibit area close behind us like a tomb, an ethereal hum gradually fills our ears, prompting a feeling of rising exultation. Gone are the bright light and clatter of hundreds of people milling around the towering columns, white marble walls and vaulted ceiling of the […]
Loom Chicago knits friendships in a refuge from grief and fear
By Jenny Lee Heaps of fabrics and colorful quilts surround a small group of women who are engrossed in discussion – a discussion so fervent that it could last for days. Some wear hijabs while others have indigo dyed silk scarves draped around their necks. The women bring different cultural backgrounds and distinct ideas and […]
Fashion illustration: walking the line between art and craft
By Alexandra Whittaker A recent resurgence of fashion illustrators at New York Fashion Week shows like Prabal Gurung and Gucci has forced fashion illustration back into the spotlight. With illustration jobs at retail stores like Macy’s and more robust programs for fashion illustration at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the city’s fashion […]
“The Flick” is a rich portrait of interpersonal drama
By Carlos D. Williamson Annie Baker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama will continue to draw in audiences for the next few months at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. Baker, who has a number of other awards for her work, won the Pulitzer in 2014 for “The Flick,” which will be featured at Steppenwolf through May 8. […]
“The Force Awakens” vs. “Avatar”: box office record may not be sign of longevity
By Tim Rosenberger What makes one film popular and memorable and another movie not may be open for new debate. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is approaching the end of its theatrical run with a new all-time domestic box office record and mostly positive feedback from viewers and critics. This was not the case for most […]
NBC 5’s Peggy Kusinski says female sports reporters have come a long way
By Lena Blietz For Peggy Kusinski, being a woman shouldn’t be a defining characteristic in a career as a sports reporter. “We’re all here now, we’re all doing the job. Let’s move past that, it’s been almost 50 years,” Kusinski said. [vimeo 159113465 w=474]