Written by Katherine Adams
The Vault’s Experience at Chicago’s Premier Clothing Consulting Company
On 2024’s Earth Day, members of The Vault ventured to Michigan Ave, Chicago to explore the notorious, high-esteemed FashionBar. A business that has garnered strong acclamation for its inclusive approach to consulting as well as its vast and storied network, FashionBar has well-asserted its dominance in the city’s most notorious avenue. Beginning in 1933, the company was founded on the basis of an inclusive, diverse, and culturally driven space for young creators to gain mentorship and for brands—from lifestyle to luxury—to connect with global consumers.
The day was structured in lessons on personal branding, constructing long-lasting connections. and developing fearlessness while experiencing arguably the world’s most critical industry. CEO and owner Tony D. Long instructed our members on how to market oneself, establish one’s niche, and reach success in our endeavors. Long expressed his appreciation for The Vault, emphasizing the importance of engaging with several students’ own pursuits of film, marketing, creative expression, and even several members’ own personal brands.
Members toured the FashionBar facilities, viewed client work and photoshoot rooms, and were introduced to the many services and offerings the company maintains. Long introduced us to several of his projects, explaining the ins and outs of his daily routine and the many skills he must rely on to execute his job. He further elucidated his journey to obtaining his position and impressed on his eager audience the necessity of using one’s hardships to motivate their endeavors. His openness and advice was well appreciated.
Ultimately, the experience finished with an exhibition of several clients’ original products and pieces, which was an inspiring hands-on introduction to the caliber of commodity as well as the process and care that FashionBar undergoes for each of its clients. Educational classes on sewing and patternmaking, modeling workshops, and photography courses completed the business’s offerings, all of which were detailed in Long’s overview. FashionBar holds a strong social media presence as well, utilizing their several pages to garner new clients and a widespread audience.
As we learned, Chicago’s FashionBar is a leading example of the city’s recent growth into the Midwest’s biggest fashion hub, now notable enough to prove comparable to its East and West Coast counterparts. Not only that, it is evidence of a new wave of fashion business that prioritizes unique and innovative ways to connect artists, designers, and talent to the opportunities they need. More than ever before, companies such as these are proof of a shift in the industry that has allowed true skill and dedication to advance above all else.
Throughout the rest of the outing, members were given the chance to admire the city, exploring Michigan Ave and the rest of Chicago’s lake-side area with a greater understanding of its impact on the garment industry. Several fashion houses—namely Dior, Neiman Marcus, and Gucci—as well as more mainstream fashion brands maintain stores there, making for a rich, well-rounded experience. Touring the streets together alongside other members while learning about and engaging with modern fashion business proved a fruitful bonding experience for all.
Experiencing such a well-rounded brand led by one of the Chicago fashion scene’s most prevalent CEO’s was not only informative but inspiring. Members of The Vault left with not only a broadened understanding of the fashion industry and its modern iterations but a strengthened foresight into their own futures.
Edited by Melina Zarboulas
