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Highlights From the Fall Collections of Ten Chicago Designers

By Jared Hatch

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  • Swaby
  • Swaby
  • Lara Miller
  • Lara Miller
  • Zamrie
  • Cettina
  • Cettina
  • Miriam Cecilia
  • Miriam Cecilia
  • Borris Powell
  • Borris Powell
  • Borris Powell
  • Eva Pazola
  • Eva Pazola
  • Barbara Bates
  • Barbara Bates
  • Barbara Bates
  • Barbara Bates
  • Nora Del Busto
  • Nade Baer
  • Nade Baer

Hundreds of the city's fashion public packed The Museum of Broadcast Communications in River North for The Art of Fashion 2012, presented by StyleChicago. Ten designer collections walked the runway showing what's in store for Fall.

Every year, Lara Miller, who's line is sold worldwide, gives us easy colorful paletes. This year, as spring was, the colors are taken from an installation at The Modern Wing and constructs geometric yet feminine pieces to be worn in more than one way.

As a common thread between collections, Barbara Bates, Miriam Cecilia and Ashley Zygmunt of Zamrie played on emphasis of the zipper in construction yet each had their own flair aside from construction. Miriam is bold in jewel tones and Zamrie is strong in pattern pattern and Barbara's carnal yet cosmopolitan textures.

Eva Pazola, always a favorite, gave us tweed juxtaposed with silk and crystals for understated flashiness that hints at an avant-garde inspiration which backed up nicely with Nora del Busto's simple silhouetted collection.

Borris Powell was ballsy as usual incorporating handbags (or travel bags) and Cettina, fresh out of The Fashion Incubator gave us warm toned cocktail dresses with flouncy touches.

Nade Baer's Fall collection was more experimental for her as she focused on manipulating textures while Swaby did the same in a very straightforward and calculated way taking inspiration from the paper art of origami.
· StyleChicago [Official Site]