Is Fashion on the Rise in Chicago?

A landmark yacht fashion show suggests the city’s creative heartbeat is stronger than ever.

By Deanna Kuempel, Publisher, Chicago’s Gold Coast Mag

Is Chicago finally finding its fashion beat?

For years, Chicago has been celebrated for its architecture, food, music and business—but its fashion community has not always received the same spotlight. Today, that may be changing. A growing wave of designers, producers, models, stylists and supporters is creating new momentum across the city, and Chicago fashion is beginning to feel not only visible, but vibrant.

Last week, I had the honor of attending Chicago’s first-ever yacht fashion show, presented by Signature Moda aboard the Spirit of Chicago and benefiting DeVry Institute. The event was an all-white affair with splashes of champagne, striking fashion and an undeniable sense of celebration. Guests truly showed up and showed out.

Beautifully executed from beginning to end, the show brought fashion to the water in a way that felt fresh, elevated and distinctly Chicago. More than a memorable evening, it felt like a statement: our city has the talent, the audience and the appetite to support experiences like this—and to create many more of them.

As a former fashion designer, seeing this evolution is especially meaningful to me. When I first entered the industry, fashion in Chicago had only a faint heartbeat. The talent was here, but the infrastructure, visibility and community support often felt limited. Designers worked hard to be seen, frequently looking beyond Chicago for opportunities and recognition.

Over the past year or two, however, that heartbeat has grown stronger. Fashion events are becoming more prevalent, local creatives are gaining greater visibility, and audiences are showing a more generous willingness to support homegrown talent.

That support matters. Designers need more than applause—they need platforms, press, buyers, collaborators, sponsors and people who will proudly wear and share their work.

Chicago has always been a city of originality and grit. Those qualities make it fertile ground for a fashion identity all its own—one that does not need to imitate New York, Los Angeles, Paris or Milan. Our opportunity is to cultivate something unmistakably Chicago: sophisticated, diverse, daring and rooted in the people and neighborhoods that give this city its character.

Fashion is more than clothing. It is expression. It breaks barriers, starts conversations and gives people permission to be seen on their own terms. At its best, fashion sets the tone for something extraordinary—and last week’s yacht show offered a glimpse of what Chicago’s next chapter could look like.

Signature Moda helped set the stage. Now it is up to all of us—media, businesses, sponsors, consumers and fellow creatives—to keep the momentum moving forward.

I am excited to see what comes next and to attend the next incredible fashion event in our city. I am here for Chicago fashion. Judging by the energy aboard the Spirit of Chicago, everyone else is here for it, too.

Below are a few highlights from last week’s event, presented by Signature Moda with the support of Mirela's sponsors.

Photo gallery: Signature Moda aboard the Spirit of Chicago.

Model Myra captured by Photographer Felix-Designer Raj Patel- Karmic Couture

Captured by Photographer Ricardo- Designer Raj Patel- Karmic Couture

Mirela Sabanagic with Host Auto John David captured by Photographer Ricardo

Nothing like capturing a picture with one of the models with Chicago in the background-Photographer Chris Desort