Fashion Chicago - The Daisy Shop

Couture Endures at The Daisy Shop

by Carolyn Barth

The Daisy Shop
67 East Oak Street, 6^th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60611
Phone: 312-943-8880
Hours: Mon - Sat 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun noon – 5 p.m.

Web site: http://www.daisyshop.com
Email: daisyshop@aol.com

Ever dream of finding couture clothing at affordable prices? When you step into Chicago's premier, couture resale shop -- the Daisy Shop -- that dream becomes reality. With 1,300 couture pieces in stock, owner Barbara Nell helps women indulge in the outfits of their dreams.

"Let's face it; couture never goes out of style," Barbara says. "Right now, Vintage Valentino is all the rage. I'm in heaven!"

The Daisy Shop has continual stock of Chanel, Armani, Valentino, Thierry Mugler, Versace, Zoran, Escada, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Madame Gres, Molly Parnis, Halston, Pucci, Courregges, vintage Valentino, Halston, Givenchy, Moschino, Yamamoto, and Jil Sander.

According to Barbara, her "must-haves" for July 2001 include:

Chiffon clothing in any color except black, grey or brown. A blouse, floaty pants, skirts, or a Chiffon dress with flowers, prints, or polka dots.
Anything vintage Valentino - perhaps a black polka dot skirt with a matching rectangular stole for $631. The Daisy Shop has a vintage Valentino ball gown list, a number of suits, and a number of tops, too.
One great accessory like a beautiful scarf or a purse. Currently, the Daisy Shop has a collection of Hermes scarves as well as 23 Louis Vuitton's pieces in EPI leather, Vernis pastel leather, or monogrammed canvas.

"I'd invest in a Louis Vuitton piece that you'll use forever," Barbara says.

Couture doesn't mean ball gowns. Rather, couture is any item of clothing that the status of couture has been ascribed to by the Royal Society of Paris. It's why sweaters, blouses, slacks, and full lines of clothing may be couture.

"We sell the absolutely frivolous," Barbara says. "No one who shops here needs anything, but thousands of women have bought thousands of pieces. We know noble frivolity, desire and need. That's our job."

Barbara began her passion for couture when she discovered that she had a desire for the finest things in life, but she didn't have the pocketbook for couture. In 1968, Barbara traveled to New York in search of legendary resale shops for couture. Since then, she rarely buys at traditional retail clothing boutiques, and she's never looked back.

"Today, there are two main couture resale boutiques in the world, Pandora's Box on Knight's Bridge Road in London, England and the Daisy Shop on Oak Street in Chicago, Illinois," Barbara says. "We share customers."

In July and August, the Daisy Shop is selling summer clothing at 40% off for its annual season's end sale.

"Couture endures," Barbara explains. "In 1968, I spent $100 for a suit (more than my weekly take home salary at the time) and wore it for sixteen years. In 1984, when I consigned the Rafael suit to a resale shop, my commission exceeded the initial $100 paid. What a great deal!"