OCTOBER 2010

$6.00
BLAST OFF
ME-INFOCUS.COM
WITH
ALLISON MASLAN
+
FASHION FOCUS
CHICAGO

SPECIAL ISSUE

BREAST CANCER
AWARENESS WHERE
RUNWAY MEETS REALITY
STYLE MEETS SUBSTANCE +
HAUTE MEETS HEART™
RAC VISUAL IMAGING
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 INSIDE
STYLE ME.
ENTERTAIN ME.
INFORM ME.
INDULGE ME.
INSPIRE ME.
EMPOWER ME.™

OVERCOMING THE ODDS 14

FACTUALLY PINK 32
LOCAL LOOKBOOK 28
5 24
CONTRIBUTORS FASHION FOCUS CHICAGO 2010
A Few of the People Who Make Kiran Advani Speaks About Chi-
Our Magazine Fantastic cago Fashion Industry Initiatives
6 28
EDITOR’S LETTER LOCAL LOOKBOOK
Bee Li Shares Her Thoughts A Peek at Chicago Designers
7 30
THE BEAUTY EQUATION HOT SPOTS
Nigel Barker, Beloved ‘Ameri- Let Your Soul Unwind
ca’s Next Top Model’ Judge and 32
Author of Nigel Barker’s Beauty FACTUALLY PINK
Equation
8
A Photo Essay
44
THE SCENE CALENDAR
Chicago Style Pink Parties + Other Events
10 46
SUE OLSEN OLIVIA’S STORY
A True Sport Installment III by Valencia Davis
12
PINK POWER
Breast Cancer Products
14
OVERCOMING THE ODDS
Gilda’s Club Chicago + Bright
Pink
20
BLAST OFF!
With Allison Maslan, Author of
Blast Off! The Surefire Success
Plan to Launch Your Dream Into
Reality
22
THE WOMEN’S BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Highlights from the 24th An-
nual Entrepreneurial Women’s
Conference

FASHION FOCUS 2010 24

CORRECTION
In the September issue, we referenced
Kelly Aaron as Vice President of Ever-
lights as part of our Movers + Shakers
BLAST OFF! ALLISON MASLAN 20 feature. She is the President of the
company. We regret this error.

OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 3

 FOUNDER + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Bee Li
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Diana Dittmer

CONTRIBUTING FASHION + BEAUTY DIRECTOR

Alex Albrecht

EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Iya Bakare

CONTRIBUTING HEALTH + WELLNESS WRITER

Kerry Sayers

RESIDENT ART + CULTURE CRITIC

24
Valencia Davis
EDITORIAL INTERN
Becky Lerner
FASHION FOCUS CHICAGO
ART
The city comes together to celebrate the
best in established and aspiring designers CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR
with week-long shows, shopping events Ricardo Ford
and parties. This look by Miriam Cecilia
was definitely a ‘wow’ moment of the ADMINISTRATIVE
show, according to Amy Creyer of Chicago
StreetStyle Scene. EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Ashley Brodarick
chicagofashionresource.com
chicagostreetstyle.com CONTACTS
PHOTO AMY CREYER ADVERTISING
adsales@meinfocusmag.com

CONTENT
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20 ME-INFOCUS.COM
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ON THE COVER BLAST OFF!
FROM PASSION TO PROFESSION PUBLISHER
The LB Group LLC
Katie Sniadach Reproduction without permission is prohibited
Serial entrepreneur and life coach Allison Maslan
Nineteen year Katie is our fresh face for the takes you step by step through her comprehensive
month as she graces our special beauty coaching program designed to help you discover what SUBSCRIPTIONS
spread in recognition of breast cancer your true calling is, whether in life, love or work. US One year for $48
awareness. CANADA One year for $58
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4 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER

 CONTRIBUTORS
KIRAN ADVANI
With over a decade of media relations, promotional marketing and special events experi-
ence, including working closely with local designers and independent retailers, Kiran Ad-
vani heads the communications efforts for the Mayor’s fashion initiatives including Fash-
ion Focus Chicago, the Chicago Fashion Incubator and ChicagoFashionResource.com for
the Chicago Office of Tourism.
Kiran has garnered national acclaim and local accolades from fashion accessory brands
Lana Jewelry and K. Amato, in addition to handling media relations for the launch of
the Chicago Entrepreneurial Center’s fashion program STITCHES and local boutique le
Dress, to name a few. Her clients have been seen in the pages of Harper’s Bazaar, In Style,
Lucky, New York Times Style Magazine, T, and People, plus segments on the Today Show
and Good Morning America. Kiran ran her own independent practice before joining the
City of Chicago. She started her career at renowned communications firm Margie Kor-
shak, Inc. and has also served as vice president and lifestyle/group director at the boutique
agency Zapwater Communications and managed public relations and special events at the
Terra Museum of American Art. Beyond her professional career, Kiran has volunteered
her time on boards for the Chicago Fashion Foundation and the Chicago chapter and
national board of Step Up Women’s Network.
Born in India, Kiran has been a Chicagoland resident since the age of three and currently
resides in Bucktown with her husband Nate Anderson and their daughter, Sela Eden.

LINDSAY AVNER
Lindsay Avner’s passion for breast and ovarian cancer awareness stems from personal
experience. Her mother fought both diseases when Lindsay was only 12 and she lost both
her grandmother and great-grandmother to breast cancer before she was born. In June
2005, right after graduating from the University of Michigan, Lindsay tested positive for
a mutation on the BRCA1 gene, indicating she had a lifetime risk of up to 87 percent of
developing breast cancer and 54 percent of developing ovarian cancer. Vowing not to let
the disease strike her, as it had three generations of women before her, she opted to have a
bilateral prophylactic mastectomy. At the time, Lindsay was the youngest patient nationally
to opt for the procedure.
It was during her experience that Lindsay realized the lack of resources for women in her
specific situation—young women at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer. After honing
her marketing skills while working in brand management at Unilever, Lindsay founded
Bright Pink in January 2007 to share her experience and resources with other young wom-
en across the country.
Lindsay was named ‘A Woman to Watch’ by the Chicago Sun Times (2008), an ‘Action
Hero’ by Women’s Health magazine (2008) and is the youngest recipient of the Anti-
Defamation League’s ‘Rising Star’ award (2009). Lindsay serves as co-chair of the Young
Women’s National Advisory Council for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Lindsay’s story
and work has been profiled in such media outlets as the Chicago Tribune, Cosmopolitan,
Shape, Glamour, Chicago Magazine, New York Times, New York Post, The Today Show
and CNN.

ALLISON MASLAN
Allison Jill Maslan, HHP, CCH is president of Blast Off! Life and Business Coaching,
an international motivational speaker and best-selling author. She is an avid entrepreneur,
building nine of her own businesses in many different industries. Allison has coached
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CONTRIBUTORS

thousands of clients in developing and achieving their own successful life and business
ventures. She has been an expert guest on several FOX, NBC and ABC news shows across
the country.
In her new No. 1 book, Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan To Launch Your Dreams
Into Reality, Allison gives tips for tapping into your passions and finding a fulfilling career
or hobby. Blast Off! (Morgan James Publishing, January 2010) is her first book. For more
information, visit MyBlastOff.com.
Allison lives in Cardiff, Calif. with her husband, Mike, and their three dogs. Her daughter,
whom she raised primarily as a single mom after her own life changes, is currently attend-
ing college.

OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 5

 PHOTO ROD ROBERTS
YOU ARE
NEVER TOO
YOUNG
TO DEVELOP
BREAST CANCER
BREAST
SELF EXAM
SHOULD BEGIN
BY THE
AGE OF 20

EDITOR’S LETTER
BEE LI SHARES HER THOUGHTS

Dear Readers,
Welcome to the October issue. By shar- to come together in the name of tolerance,
ing the personal struggles and triumphs inclusiveness and diversity. And it’s because
of the brave women in this special breast of love for ourselves that we take charge of
cancer issue, we hope to put a human face our own health, find our inner strength, ac-
on one of the most important health top- cept our imperfections and, as Nigel Barker
ics for women today—a disease that will told me, embrace beauty as “being authen-
affect one in eight women in her lifetime. tically individual.”
While we tend to think of February as the
month for love, I personally think that Oc- Be Good.
tober best reflects its true meaning. It’s be-
cause of love for the women in our lives
that we come together as a nation to raise
funds and awareness for breast cancer re-
search and screening, while supporting them
every step of the way. It’s because of love
that we support our LGBT friends, family
and colleagues during October’s observance
of LGBT History Month. With several cases
of bullying making the headlines in recent
weeks, it has never been more pressing for us

6 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER

 + THE BEAUTY EQUATION
- NIGEL BARKER DEFINES THE TERM

= Photographer, humanitarian and America’s Next Top Model judge Nigel Barker explains how he
sees beauty through his eyes and lens as a photographer. In his new book, Nigel Barker’s Beauty
Equation, Nigel outlines the importance of self-confidence and how it relates to the
g essence of beauty.

beautyequation.com

INTERVIEWED BY BEE LI

BEE: How do you define beauty?
NIGEL: Being beautiful means being an in-
dividual, being unique and being you. This
is true authenticity. All too often young
women see models retouched on magazine
covers and aspire to be like them. Our im-
perfections are some of the very things that
make us perfect because they tell a story.
As a person, you want to be more than a
fad. Be iconic. None of us want to be last
season.
NIGEL: My favorite photographs are tak-
en in the most unusual circumstances, such
as the natural disaster in Haiti. These are
moments that move people, which moti-
vated me to write my book. With my life
as a husband and father and my career, I
still felt there was a hole in my life. As a
philanthropist, I found what was missing.
My four-year-old son told me he was going
to wear his ‘Save the Seals’ t-shirt today, and
I think that’s what counts.
NIGEL: As a photographer, you have to
find the essence and natural element of the
person you’re photographing to take a fan-
tastic picture. The model should be able to
talk with his or her eyes. Some of the best
photographers I’ve worked with are able to
squeeze your heart and caress it.
BEE: What’s your biggest piece of advice
for young women?
NIGEL: Buy my book (he says with a smile).

BEE: Tell us how your work as a humanitar- BEE: You were a model before you were a
ian shaped you into the person you are today. photographer. How do you perceive people
from a different set of ‘eyes’?
PHOTO ROGIE CRUZ

OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 7

ME: IN FOCUS CELEBRATES WOMEN WHO MOVE CHICAGO

ME: IN FOCUS Magazine, in collaboration with the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation, gathered for our fall
fashion and entrepreneur party on Tuesday, October 5, in the upstairs lounge at Rockit Bar & Grill to celebrate the
magazine’s September 2010 issue. Black tablecloths draped over high pub tables were accented with pink ribbons
and candle votives, contrasting the wood-clad décor in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. September’s cover
girl and media personality Brittney Payton spoke about the importance of breast cancer awareness and taking re-
sponsibility for one’s health. She took a moment to honor strong women in society and those who are fighting breast
cancer. A veritable list of fashionistas, readers, contributors and spotlighted entrepreneurs attended the event. ME:
IN FOCUS editor-in-chief Bee Li spoke briefly to acknowledge the featured female entrepreneurs highlighted in the
magazine’s September issue. Appetizers, champagne cocktails, as well as tunes from the resident DJ, kept the night
flowing seamlessly as guests perused magazines, mingled and networked. The event benefited Walter & Connie
Payton Foundation. Many thanks to our sponsors: Rockit Bar & Grill and Eli’s Cheescake.

THIS PAGE/ PHOTOS BY DUANE KUAN/SPECTACULIGHTS SPECTACULIGHTS.COM

THIS PAGE/ AKIRA PHOTOS MARCIN TOMASZCZYK NIGEL BARKER PHOTOS ROGIE CRUZ

THE SCENE
CHICAGO STYLE
Out, About + On the Town.

NIGEL BARKER
VISITS MACY’S ON STATE STREET IN CHICAGO

Aspiring models, photographers and other fans of America’s

Next Top Model photographer and judge Nigel Barker gath-
ered at Macy’s on State Street in Chicago. The celebrity
photographer autographed copies of his new book, Nigel
Barker’s Beauty Equation. Prior to his book signing, Nigel
met with various media outlets for one-on-one interviews
where he discussed his book, his work as a photographer
and his definition of true beauty.

AKIRA’S 7TH ANNUAL GARDEN OF EDEN FASHION SHOW

Chicago took an exotic trip to the Garden of Eden at AKIRA’s 7th Annual Garden
of Eden Fashion Show Benefit, Folklorique, on Sunday, September 26 at the
courtyards of Galleria Marchetti. The pre-fashion show entertainment of music
and dance performances were provided by the Chicago Cultural Alliance.
Dina Blair, WGN news anchor and cancer survivor, along with B96’s Julian,
emceed the event. AKIRA presented its fall fashion trends from various design-
ers. They included Hudson denim, Dorsia, Wolverine, Sam Edelman, Dumond,
Michael Antonio and PF-Flyers Footwear. The show benefits Imerman Angels.
 SUE OLSEN
A TRUE SPORT
Sue Olsen, mother of Chicago Bear tight end
Greg Olsen (#82), tells us how she tackled breast
cancer and how, through her own story and her
son’s organization Receptions for Research, she
champions breast cancer research and other
breast cancer survivors.

receptionsforresearch.org

INTERVIEWED BY BEE LI + IYA BAKARE

GREG OLSEN WITH HIS MOM SUE

10 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER

 IYA: You were diagnosed with breast can-
cer back in 2001. As a wife, mother of three
children and with a career as a teacher, how
did you get through this time in your life?
SUE: We were always a close family, but at
a time such as this one, we really bonded
more as a family. I give a lot of credit to
my husband, my kids, my sisters, the rest of
my family and friends. I am also thankful
to my oncologist, who is also my next door
neighbor. He saved my life.
BEE: Is it true you never missed one of
your sons’ games as you underwent both
radiation and chemotherapy?
SUE: I never missed the boys playing foot-
ball. I started chemo that summer and I
remember telling my sister I have to go
to the games. Women ask me all the time
how I did it and I tell them you don’t have a
choice. You have to get through it and you
do it because you know at the end of each
treatment, there’s an end in sight that’s go-
ing to get you well.
BEE: As a woman, how concerned were
you about the physical effects of your treat-
ments?
PHOTOS BOTH PAGES/ COURTESY OF DAPHNE ORTIZ OF PRALLIANCE
FAR LEFT + RIGHT/ ANDREA GORDON + DAVID SACK OF THE LYNN SAGE CENTER RESEARCH FOUNDATION; CENTER/ SUE + GREG OLSEN
SUE: Are you kidding me? Of course I was
extremely concerned about the physical as-
pect of it. I had no hair or any eyebrows,
but I tell women they can overcome it. We
as women can’t be so vain to ignore treat-
ment because we will be okay in a year.
With my own children and the high school
children I teach, I used it as a teaching tool
about the disease.
BEE: What is your advice to anyone who
has a loved one with breast cancer?
SUE: Be there for them on the good days
and the bad ones. We’re so lucky today that
there are ways to treat this disease. It’s also
important to remember there are survivors
out there.
IYA: What would you say to young women
about this disease? FOR MORE
SUE: All the stories out there about breast on the Olsen Family Story
cancer should alert young women to take Check out our May issue where we featured
care of themselves. It keeps them more in- Greg’s special photoshoot in honor of his
mother.
formed because you can never be too cau-
tious when it comes to your health. issuu.com/meinfocusmag
OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 11
 PINK POWER
BREAST CANCER PRODUCTS
From pink podiums to cell phone covers, companies all over
the world team up with organizations to introduce breast
cancer awareness initiatives. Here are a few companies who
have developed products to support the pink movement.
BY IYA BAKARE
12 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER
OtterBox Commuter Series Cases
OtterBox teamed up with Avon
Breast Cancer Crusade to raise
funds for breast cancer awareness
and developed a line of cell phone
cases. Their “Pink is Strength” line
is designed for Blackberry smart-
phones. The custom-made pink
and white cases provide multilayer
protection against bumps, drops, dirt
and dust. Ten percent of the sales
are donated to the Avon Breast Can-
cer Crusade to support the cause.
Since May, OtterBox donated more
than $88,000 and the campaign will
continue until May 2011.
$34.95
OtterBox
otterbox.com/strength
 Limited Edition Pink Bra
Anita Care, a division of Anita Inter-
national, partnered with the Susan
G. Komen Breast Cancer Founda-
tion to design and develop a limited
edition Pink Bra for post mastectomy
patients. Anita International is a
family-owned body wear and medical
product company for care after breast
PHOTOS OBTAINED FROM COMPANY WEBSITES
surgery based out of Germany and is
represented in 19 countries world-
wide. Anita Care Manager Andrea
Barbera says proceeds for this global
initiative go to women in Africa who
can’t afford or aren’t exposed to
mammograms. On Oct. 16, Anita
Care presented a $35,000 check at
the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Susan G.
Komen Race for the Cure for funds
raised from Pink Bra purchases.
$45
Anita International
anita.com
Zebra Pen
The Zebra Pen Corporation created
a clip-on pink ribbon retractable pen
in efforts to support breast cancer
awareness and will donate a percent-
age of the sales to the National
Breast Cancer Foundation. The easily
refillable pen is made from 70 percent
post-consumer waste materials.
With both black and pink ink, the pen
clips on and can serve as a pin when
placed in your shirt pocket. Visit the
Zebra Pen Corporation’s website
or find a pen at major office supply
retailers.
$5.50
Zebra Pen Corporation
zebrapen.com
komen.org
nationalbreastcancer.org
Pink Podium
Amplivox Sound Systems is using its
product to ‘speak up’ about breast cancer
awareness. The Chicago-area company
manufactures and sells portable sound
systems, lecterns and podiums. Amplivox
developed a campaign specifically for
this cause. The company’s ‘Pink Podium
Promise’ includes a donated pink podium
by request for those who speak out about
breast cancer education.
Free donations for all breast cancer events!
Contact:
Nancy Gernstein
Creative Marketing Associates
847 401 0384
nancy@creativemarketingassociatesinc.com
Podium manufactured by:
Amplivox Sound Systems
ampli.com
OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 13
COURTNEY KELLOGG WOJCIK + FRIEND

OVERCOMING THE ODDS

GILDA’S CLUB CHICAGO + BRIGHT PINK
Four courageous young women share their first-hand experiences of how breast cancer
affected their lives.
gildasclubchicago.org
bebrightpink.org

INTERVIEWED BY IYA BAKARE + BECKY LERNER

COURTNEY KELLOGG WOJCIK

GILDA’S CLUB CHICAGO
Gyrotonic Instructor
Age 32

MY STORY

I was diagnosed three months before my cally exhausting, well I’d be lying. I would say to really listen and actually
30th birthday and three months after I be- My husband, family and friends have been abide by the phrase you so often hear when
came engaged, so there were quite a few unbelievably solid from the beginning. I be- leaving many doctors’ offices, ‘Take care of
PHOTO COURTESY OF COURTNEY KELLOGG WOJCIK

ups and downs over a short period of
time. When I found the lump, the breast
cancer was quite advanced and aggressive,
so you can imagine the immediate shock I
was feeling. Everything was happening so
incredibly fast. A mastectomy was in order,
as well as the usual suspects—chemo, radi-
ation and in my case, hormone treatment. I
was tested for the genetic mutation shortly
after my surgery and the outcome was posi-
tive for BRCA1. I’ve been fighting breast
cancer now for two and a half years and if
I said it hasn’t been emotionally and physi-
came a member of Gilda’s Club after read-
ing that their organization promotes atten-
dance from not only the person diagnosed,
but anyone affected by the diagnosis. I find
comfort in knowing that my family and
friends have a place to go when they too are
feeling overwhelmed. I also found Stepha-
nie Davies of SD Rehab through a friend
and she has been an amazing resource and
friend to me. I originally contacted Stepha-
nie after my first surgery for rehabilitation
purposes and still use SD Rehab as a facility
for healing.
yourself.’ As women, I believe, we naturally
nurture those around us and somehow find
ourselves at the back of the line. My hus-
band, family and friends have been the forc-
es that propel me to the front of the line.
Making sure to ask for help when I need
it, and most importantly, taking charge of
my healthcare by becoming proactive have
been crucial in my fight. Of course there
are lonely times, but know that there is
absolutely no reason to take this on alone.
Reach out. Stay informed. Take charge.

14 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER

 BE
PROACTIVE
“Find friends who share similar
experiences. Be proactive about
your own breast health. Know
your own risk for breast cancer.”

YASEMIN ZEYTINOGLU
BRIGHT PINK
National Account Coordinator and Yoga
Instructor
Age 26
MY STORY
I was 14 years old when my mom was di-
agnosed with breast cancer. I distinctly re-
member taking the day off school (I was a
sophomore in high school at the time) and
PHOTO COURTESY OF YASEMIN ZEYTINOGLU
I find myself becoming more and more a
reflection of my mother. My older sister
will often comment that I am just like my
mother. Those sentiments definitely ease
the pain knowing that I am her continua-
tion. My mother delighted in entertaining
and hosting dinner parties for her friends
and family. It has also become one of my
favorite things to do. Making friends who
share similar stories has also helped me
cope. Realizing that my story is anything
for me to monitor my own health. The or-
ganization has helped me remain proactive
about my own breast and ovarian health
and helped me realize the importance of
living a healthy and active lifestyle.
Find friends who share similar experienc-
es. Only someone who has gone through
a similar experience can truly understand
you. Remember your loved ones. Share
your stories, share the laughter and share
the tears, especially as the number of years

going to the doctor with my mom and dad.
I really didn’t understand the severity and
was confused when both the doctor and
my parents came out to the waiting room
to tell me that my mother had breast can-
cer. It wasn’t until several years later that I
realized my mother had an aggressive form
of breast cancer in a late stage.
Coping is an ongoing process. The loss of
my mother has never gotten easier. I think
about her every single day. As years pass,
but unique has helped me accept the loss your loved one has been gone continues to
of my mother. grow, so remember them often. Be proac-
A very dear friend who is high risk intro- tive about your own breast health. Know
duced me to an organization called Bright your own risk for breast cancer.
Pink several years ago. Bright Pink’s sole
mission is to provide strength and support
to young women at high risk for breast and
ovarian cancers. Being part of Bright Pink
was the first time I met so many young
women who shared similar experiences.
Bright Pink has been an incredible resource

OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 15


PHOTOGRAPHY
ROD ROBERTS
rodrobertsphotos.com
HAIR + MAKEUP KRISTA GOBELI
LORRAINE GIBSON
BRIGHT PINK
Research Project Coordinator
Age 28
MY STORY
When my mother, Linda King, was origi-
nally diagnosed with breast cancer, I was
about 10 years old and she was about 41
years old. Even though I was very young,
there are a few things that I remember from
that experience. I remember finding out
that one of her breasts had been removed.
I later learned that procedure was called a
mastectomy. From that day on, she wore
padding in her bra when she went out in
public. I also remember her going through
chemotherapy and I remember that lead to
her losing her hair. But even in the midst
of all that, I remember her strength. I still
remember her going to work every day and
16 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER
always keeping a smile on her face so that
her girls (her three daughters and grand-
daughter) wouldn’t be worried, even though
I’m sure she felt some pain and probably
had some fears about her diagnosis.
After her treatment, she went into remis-
sion. The doctors told her that there was
still a chance that the cancer would return
and if so, it would most likely be more ag-
gressive and the chances of beating the
breast cancer, should it return, would be
slim to none. Four years later, the cancer
came back and it was indeed very aggres-
sive.
Once again, she went through chemother-
apy and it lead to hair loss. But this time, it
was different and she was really sick. Even-
tually, things that were once easy for her be-
came increasingly difficult. Sometimes she
would be really tired and experience short-
ness of breath. She would lose her balance
at times and get dizzy. Her condition wors-
PHOTO CREDIT
ened, and over the course of a year, she had
a hospice nurse come to our apartment and
give her treatment. The cancer was taking
a hold of her body. It eventually led to her
being on permanent bed rest. The hospital
recommended she have a hospital bed set
up at home.
Every morning, before I went to school, I
would see my mother lying in her hospital
bed in our living room and it was such a dif-
ficult experience for me. It was as though
I could feel her slowly moving on and it
hurt me so much because I felt as though
the woman who meant so much to me was
leaving me and there was nothing I could
do to stop it. She fought for as long as she
could, and I vividly remember the moment
she passed away. I remember thinking that
my world came to an end and I was shat-
tered. I didn’t want to get out of bed the
next morning. I didn’t want to face anyone.
I just didn’t want to deal with my mother’s
death because I didn’t want it to be real.
The memory and pain of my mother’s
death is still with me today. It has been very
difficult to accept that the woman who was
indeed my hero is no longer here with me.
I saw her go to work everyday, I saw her
go to school, she came home, she cooked
dinner and she made time for her children.
She was my superwoman and to witness
her take her last breath was devastating.
I can say that I have dealt with the loss of
my mother in different phases, and coping
with her loss has been a process. When I
was in high school, I was really depressed
and angry. I didn’t want to go to school
and I didn’t want to put forth any effort
to maintain any friendships. Even though I
have two older sisters who were also deal-
ing with the loss of our mother, I felt alone.
I felt like I was the only person in the world
dealing with the loss of a mother. I felt like
it was so unfair that so many other people
my age had a mother and I no longer had
my mom here with me. I couldn’t talk to
her and get advice when I needed guidance.
She couldn’t comfort me when I was up-
set or hurt. As crazy as it may sound, I felt
like I missed out on the conflict and argu-
ments that teenagers normally have with
their parents…I just felt like all of that was
snatched away from me.
As I shifted into my senior year in high
school, I was slowly starting to come out
of my shell and I opened up a little, but I
struggled with feelings of denial and avoid-
ance about my mother’s death. I didn’t want
to think about it and I didn’t want to talk
about it. I tried my hardest not to really ac-
knowledge her death in the hopes that all
of my fears and my pain would go away. I
was terrified of breast cancer, and I felt that
ON
COPING
“...when sharing your personal
experience, your words can
help someone else cope with
their pain. ”
if I thought about it, it was only a matter
of time before I would be diagnosed with
breast cancer myself. I was consumed with
fear and hurt for most of my adolescent
years and well into young adulthood.
I hated that I was considered ‘high risk’ for
breast cancer, but in the back of mind it
was always there. I knew that my mother
died and there was nothing that I could
do to change it. I will say that my turning
point was at the age of 25. I was tired of
being afraid and I felt like I needed to do
something to help me conquer my fears.
It was around that time that I found out
about Bright Pink, an organization for
young women who are at high risk for
breast and ovarian cancer. In this organi-
zation, I found young women who lost a
loved one to breast cancer and even some
women who were diagnosed with breast
cancer. But there was another component
to Bright Pink that I personally connected
with. These women are health care advo-
cates, and they were educating other women
on how to lower their risk for breast cancer.
I began to feel inspired and empowered to
confront my own status as high risk.
I began to share my story with other young
women who were going through the same
pain and loss that I felt when my mother
died. I began to speak to groups of women
with limited access to health care and edu-
cated them on various ways to lower their
risks. I began to have conversations with
my doctor about my family history with
breast cancer and I began to take important
steps to help lower my risk of the disease.
Most importantly, I had a network of
women and friends who were right there
with me. These women give me support
and advice, and they also listen to me. I am
still coping with the loss of my mother. I
still miss her dearly and it is a day by day
process. I find a sense of comfort knowing
that the work I do with Bright Pink has not
only enabled me to help other women, but
it has also connected me with women who
understand how I feel because they have
been there before themselves.
I know from personal experience that life
is hard when dealing with a loved one who
has breast cancer. I know what it feels like
to want to close up, not talk about the issue
and completely avoid it. My advice is to find
someone to talk to. It’s not easy to share
your feelings, and it’s very painful but there
are people out there who understand what
you are going through. Find an organiza-
tion and/or support group such as Bright
Pink with individuals who have similar ex-
periences. Know that even though you may
feel alone, you are not alone.
The worst thing to do is to try and deal with
the loss of loved one alone. Once I began
to open up to the women of Bright Pink
and I became a volunteer, I realized that my
personal story helped other people as well.
Sharing the pain of the past with a close
friend or a support network can be cathar-
tic; it can slowly help you chip away at the
pain and relieve some of the stress. At the
same time, when sharing your personal
experience, your words can help someone
else cope with their pain. One of the most
important things that I have realized is that
this experience is global. Unfortunately,
so many women deal with the loss of a
mother, a sister or a friend to breast cancer.
There is always someone who may be deal-
ing with a silent pain and fear, who feels
like they are alone. But as more of us speak
up and reach out, people won’t feel like
they have to fight this battle by themselves.
It’s so important to have these conversa-
tions with family members about breast
cancer, particularly for those women who
are at high risk. These conversations can
be difficult at first, but it is so important to
discuss with your family different methods
to lower your risk. It’s so important to ac-
knowledge the risk and to speak with your
doctor about family history of breast can-
cer so you and your doctor can work on a
strategy to help you lower your risk.
OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 17
ANDREA MAZZA
BRIGHT PINK
Clinical Psychologist
Age 31
MY STORY
I can clearly remember the afternoon when
I got the dreaded call from the doctor. I was
in the lobby of my boyfriend’s (now hus-
band) building, with my mother who was
in from out of town. We were on our way
upstairs to make dinner. “Andrea, it’s not
good,” the doctor said. “Tell your mother
to cancel her flight back to Montreal and
stay in Chicago.” Not good? Not good?
You’re telling me I have breast cancer?!
Not only was I in shock, but I was also
devastated and petrified. I remember drop-
ping to the floor and sobbing. I was over-
whelmed with worry about what this all
meant. I had so many questions and con-
cerns. Was the cancer in fact at the early
PHOTOGRAPHY
ROD ROBERTS
rodrobertsphotos.com
HAIR + MAKEUP KRISTA GOBELI
18 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER
stage that they believed it to be? Could it
be spreading right now? Will I need che-
mo? Will I be okay? Then there were the
more superficial concerns like whether or
not Mike would want stay with me (after
all, this was a lot of baggage for a 30-year-
old man in a relationship of 10 months!).
Would he be attracted to me following my
double-mastectomy (which I knew would
be the first course of action given that I
have the BRCA1 mutation)? Would I ever
feel sexy again?
Surprisingly, in spite of my fear and devas-
tation, there was some relief—I had a diag-
nosis, which meant I could develop a treat-
ment plan. The anxious energy was pretty
quickly channeled into problem-solving.
Coping was something I just did and not
something I thought about at the time. In
some ways, it’s hard to actually put it into
words—it was, after all, quite the whirl-
wind, but definitely not all bad. And I can
say, the cliché rings true because I did find
an inner strength that I never knew I had.
Information gathering and treatment plan-
ning were central to the initial phase of
coping. The recommended treatment for
me was a double mastectomy with recon-
struction, during which time they would
test the lymph-nodes to confirm that in-
deed, the cancer was caught early and that
no additional treatments were indicated.
The weeks immediately following my diag-
nosis were spent finding a breast surgical
oncologist and plastic surgeon I felt com-
fortable with. Doctor appointments were
emotional—little things would trigger the
tears. For example, having to check the
breast cancer box when filling out medical
history forms, or hearing about the various
reconstruction options (sigh, I was really
going to be removing my breasts?! This
was really happening?!), or that day that my
Dad broke down and expressed how dif-
ficult it was to be at an oncologist with his
‘little girl’. After several appointments and
weighing the options, I decided on a medi-
cal team that engendered trust and confi-
dence and scheduled the surgery. Finalizing
a surgery date helped me feel anchored,
and then it was a waiting game…
At the time of diagnosis I was just one
month shy of completing my clinical resi-
dency program in psychology, and after six
years of graduate school, I was committed
not to let this derail the completion of my
doctorate. I struggled a little bit with being
told I was ‘sick’, yet felt just fine (okay, may-
be a little exhausted, but otherwise fine). I
knew that I could not go to work and see
patients (after all, the tears could be trig-
gered without forewarning!), but I didn’t
want to sit around and wallow in my worry.
Instead, I worked on my dissertation. I was
more productive than I had ever been be-
fore and managed to finish the document
in the weeks leading up to my surgery
(sometimes I wonder how I did it?!).
For me, coping with breast cancer was
about finding a balance between process-
ing the diagnosis and implications, and not
letting it completely consume me. Main-
taining some sense of normalcy was really
important to keeping my spirits high. I still
indulged in my sushi dinners with the girls,
walked around the lakefront with Mike
and made my usual phone calls to friends.
I joked that I would keep my friends and
family ‘abreast’ of the situation and that I
would ‘perk up’ soon—the typical ‘Andrea
puns’, which showed me and others that I
was still myself!
In the days leading up to my double mas-
tectomy, I became reflective about my
boobs and remembered how distraught I
was in sixth grade when a classmate teased
me by calling me Dolly Parton because I
‘developed’ early and how badly I wished
at the time my boobs would disappear, and
now…I thought about how my boobs were
the part of my body that made me feel sexy,
even when I had a few pounds to lose and
now… I guess this was me grieving the im-
pending loss of my breasts. Another part
of the coping, I suppose.
The coping continued following sur-
gery with the news that the surgery went
smoothly and that the cancer had not
spread. I had a rejuvenated appreciation
for life and felt unstoppable. I caught the
cancer early! In the months that followed,
I had a few follow-up cosmetic surgeries
and coping was less about managing the
fear and uncertainty and more about ad-
justing to my new body and slowly feeling
sexy again. Life was pretty quickly getting
back to normal (a new normal) and within
a few weeks of my mastectomy, I success-
fully defended my dissertation and earned
my Ph.D., moved in with Mike and got en-
gaged!
Through all the phases and facets of cop-
ing, the love and support from friends,
family and the Bright Pink community were
invaluable.
At the time of diagnosis, I reached out to
Bright Pink. I met founder Lindsay Avner
for coffee just days after my diagnosis and
her positive energy, optimism and can-
didness about her own experience (being
at high-risk and opting for a preventative
mastectomy) were therapeutic. The high-
light, however, from that coffee date was
when Lindsay offered to show me her re-
constructed breasts in the bathroom in an
effort to assuage some of my surgery fears.
This gesture, for me, reflects the unique
and intimate connection forged, pretty
quickly I might add, between Bright Pink
girls—something I continue to appreciate
to this day.
I attended my first Bright Pink outreach
meeting soon after that coffee date. Bright
Pink Outreach events are monthly gath-
erings for young women at high-risk for
breast and ovarian cancer. Outreach meet-
ings strike a balance between an uplifting
activity (e.g. yoga, jewelry making, dinner,
LIFE AFTER
BREAST CANCER
“...and rest assured, you can still feel
sexy after breast cancer!”
etc.) and a discussion about a topic impact-
ing young women at high-risk for breast
and ovarian cancer. One of the most re-
markable aspects of the outreach meetings
is just how naturally and honestly the dis-
cussion flows, even about the most intimate
of topics. Although every girl who attends
has her own unique story, and makes her
own choices of how to manage her risk for
breast cancer, it is the shared connection
that makes it a safe and supportive environ-
ment to talk about it all. The warmth and
compassion of the Bright Pink girls were
evident to me immediately. After my first
outreach event, I not only had my anxiety
normalized and a vote of encouragement
that I would manage my mastectomy grace-
fully, but I also acquired some helpful tips,
like what post-surgery clothes to wear, a
much-appreciated forewarning about JUST
what a nuisance the drains are following
surgery and realistic expectations about
recuperating. Right from the beginning, it
was clear to me that these women got it!
My passion and involvement in Bright Pink
have continued to grow steadily. In Sep-
tember 2009, I took on the role of coor-
dinating the outreach meetings and serving
as the point of contact for new high-risk
women interested in attending these meet-
ings. I also facilitate the discussions. Bright
Pink outreach events are about offering
and obtaining support, and although I am
further away from my more difficult days
(and from the outreach meeting where I
could barely introduce myself without cry-
ing!), these discussions continue to help
me clarify my own emotions over time. As
I look ahead to the next decade and con-
tinue to manage my risk for ovarian cancer,
I am comforted knowing that I won’t be
doing it alone. I know that there are many
other organizations and resources that are
out there for women diagnosed with breast
cancer, but for me, I found my home with
Bright Pink.
Knowledge is power. I was aware of my
family history and genetic risk for breast
and ovarian cancer, and this is what en-
abled me to catch the cancer early. So,
I guess the advice I would give to young
women is to know your family history. Talk
to your doctors about your family history
and be proactive with your breast health.
If it weren’t for my grandmother’s ovarian
cancer diagnosis in 1993 and subsequent
testing for the BRCA1 genetic mutation, I
would never have tested for this mutation.
I would not have known I was at high-risk
for breast and ovarian cancer and would
need a mammogram at the age of 29. I
shudder at the thought of what my story
would have been had I gone for my first
mammogram at age 40.
For young women who are diagnosed with
breast cancer, I hope you are as fortunate as
I was to have caught the cancer at an early
stage…and rest assured, you can still feel
sexy after breast cancer!
OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 19
 BLAST OFF
WITH ALLISON MASLAN
Author, entrepreneur, mother, wife and life coach Allison Maslan
takes some time out of her hectic schedule to speak to us about her
book and life. Released in January, Blast Off! The Surefire Success
Plan to Launch Your Dream Into Reality hit Amazon’s #1 spot in three
categories.

myblastoff.com

INTERVIEWED BY BECKY LERNER

BECKY: Your book is designed to motivate
individuals to reassess their lives so they can
pursue their passion(s) and find fulfillment.
What is the overall message you have for our
readers?
ALLISON: I talk to women all the time
who feel it’s never the right time or they
don’t deserve to embrace their most pas-
sionate and creative life because of their
responsibilities. Take it from me, a single
mom for a long, long time. Everyone has
the power to create a life that she feels
completely fulfilled with and excited about.
One that is in line with her dreams and pas-
sions with what she would love to do for
her life. We are the ones who really stop
ourselves, and when we open up the doors
to the possibilities, it’s a magical world out
there. We just have to give ourselves per-
mission to step into it.
BECKY: Nine businesses! With such an
ambitious career, how did you balance a
family life and your work life?
ALLISON: It’s been a journey. I don’t run
nine businesses right now, but I currently
run three or four. I started out in college.
I’ve been an entrepreneur for a long time. It
was a tough time when my daughter was lit-
tle and it was really stressful. When I started
my advertising and PR business, I really ran
myself into the ground. That was the turn-
ing point where I really stopped and said,
‘What am I doing with my life?’ I decided at
that point I was only going to involve my-
self in things I’m really passionate about.
When you’re passionate about things, it fills
you up. It shouldn’t drain you. I would in-
volve my daughter in those things that I got
involved in. She’s grown up to see a strong
woman who creates life and takes on that
perspective.
BECKY: How did you include your husband?
ALLISON: We are actually celebrating our
anniversary this weekend! About five years
ago, I realized I’m manifesting and creat-
ing these things in my career, and I should
be able to manifest things in my romantic
life. So I did, and I met my soul mate. He
also runs businesses. I realized from my
first relationship that my partner needed
to be entrepreneurial-minded like me or it
wouldn’t work.
BECKY: Did you find much overlap? How
did you find a way to leave work at work?
ALLISON: Funny as it seems, overlapping
wasn’t an issue because I really enjoyed it,
it was part of my personal life. I did learn
after that first relationship that sometimes
you have to put it down and close the door.
I do trapeze flying and I did modern dance
for years. I know creatively, physically and
emotionally how important it is to fill our-
selves up with people, activities and pas-
sions that we love.
BECKY: I know a good portion of your
professional life has been dedicated to ho-
meopathy and living healthy. How would
you describe homeopathy as it pertains to
you? Do you eat only organic food? How
do you handle that in public at restaurants,
bars, etc.?
ALLISON: I discovered homeopathy dur-
ing a really stressful time. Part of it was my
own personal growth. It helps me keep my
mind clear and help keep me balanced. I
tell people who are thinking about living
a restricted life or dieting to pay attention
to what it is that you’re giving you body. I

20 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER

 eat organic foods, mostly chicken and fish,
very little meat and not a lot of dairy. But
you know, I also love chocolate too. Every-
thing’s in moderation.
I actually really love wine and wine tasting.
I appreciate the art of wine-making, and
having a glass here and there. My husband
and I love going out dancing and we love
going out to try new restaurants. There are
always things on the menu you can eat. I
live life to the fullest and I try to eat healthy.
Homeopathy helps keep my body healthy.
BECKY: What do you do to stay calm and
centered when life gets hectic?
ALLISON: I’ve worked out with the same
fitness trainer for the last 13 years. He’s an
ex-Marine and he pushes me. If I’m stressed
out when I walk into that gym, when I walk
out I don’t even remember what I was
stressed about when I walked in. I realize in
those moments that I’m way stronger than
I give myself credit for. I have some chal-
lenges but it’s all a matter of changing your
perspective. Another thing I do is take a lot
of bubble baths and meditate. I go through
in my mind (from the morning until the
evening) all of the people I’ve spoken with,
BOOK IMAGE FROM MYBLASTOFF.COM
the projects I’ve been working on and the
feelings that I’ve experienced so that I can
fully embrace those moments before they
turn into memories.
BECKY: You need a new pair of jeans,
shoes and a cute top. Give me your top
three retailers.
ALLISON: Bebe. I’m wearing a Bebe dress
on the cover of my book. BCBG. In fact,
I’m wearing a BCBG top right now. I love
it. Otherwise, designers I love include YSL,
Chanel and Betsey Johnson. Being in your
own business, you have the ability to wear
what you want to wear, so I like to have a
little flair.
BECKY: Name the five most essential
items in your closet—the ones you could
not live without.
ALLISON: Again, from BCBG: I have a
black sweater from that also can be worn as
a wrap, my flip flops, some great jeans that
are so comfortable that I love and a white
sequin dress with a very plunging neckline.
Also, my Rock Revival jeans. I actually got
them from one of my clients’ online busi-
nesses that I helped her start called heav-
enspennies.com.
BECKY: What is something you’ve wanted
to do your entire life and have yet to do?
ALLISON: I want to go on a safari in Af-
rica and I want to go to Machu Picchu. My
husband and I take a couple of big trips a
year, so it’s on the list. We went to Tahiti
and we just went to Puerto Vallarta. My
book came out in January and the book
tour followed, so I’ve been traveling around
the country for the last seven months and
meeting wonderful people. So, that’s where
my focus has been lately.
BECKY: What’s on the horizon for you?
ALLISON: I’m excited because I just
launched a new program called The Pinna-
cle (thepinnacleprogram.com). It is a year-
long mastermind to help people become
the champion in their own lives. Next year,
I’m launching an online store that I’m very
excited about. It’s going to be called Jour-
ney Collections, which will feature unique
and beautiful collections from travels
around the world. There will be accessories
that every woman will want. I love creating
new things.
OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 21
 PHOTOS COURTESY OF JENNIFER GIRARD PHOTOGRAPHY AND DOT WARD PHOTOGRAPHY
THE WOMEN’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
CENTER (WBDC) held its 24th Annual En- WBDC’S
trepreneurial Woman’s Conference and
Women’s Business & Buyer’s Mart on 24TH ANNUAL
Wednesday, September 22 at McCormick
Place-West in Chicago. At the Women’s ENTREPRENEURIAL
Forum Breakfast, best-selling author and
Chicago Sun Times financial columnist WOMEN’S
Terry Savage moderated a panel discus-
sion on both the successes and challenges
CONFERENCE
wbdc.org
of owning a business. Featured panelists
included Janice M. Christiansen, president
and CEO of J.C. Schultz Enterprises, Inc./
The Flagsource; Sheila C. Johnson, CEO “Don’t look up at the storm. Keep your
of Salamander Hospitality and vice chair- eyes on your feet so you don’t lose your
man/owner of Monumental Sports & En- footing, or you’ll fall.”
tertainment; and Brenda Loube, principal
and founder of Corporate Fitness Works. –Mellody Hobson, President of Ariel Investments
and keynote speaker
The Hall of Fame Awards Luncheon rec-
ognized various women business owners
and advocates for their work to support the
development of other women entrepre-
neurs. Moderator Terry Savage also inter- At the Women’s Business & Buyer’s Mart,
viewed financial expert and Chicago native more than 200 buyers gathered to show
Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Invest- their support of products and services
ments and financial contributor on ABC’s from women-owned businesses. Proceeds
‘Good Morning America’. In her interview, from the event benefit WBDC’s programs
Melody offered her tips on how to achieve and services that support women entrepre-
business and financial success. neurship and business development.

MELLODY HOBSON, LISA MADIGAN + MARION BROOKS

22 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER

 HEDY M. RATNER, ANNE PRAMAGGIORE, CHRISTINA V. ROTHER, S. CAROL DOUGAL & DEBRA JENNINGS-JOHNSON

TERRY SAVAGE, BRENDA LOUBE, SHEILA C. JOHNSON, JANICE M. CHRISTIANSEN, S. CAROL DOUGAL & HEDY M. RATNER

OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 23

SPOTLIGHT ON
FASHION FOCUS CHICAGO 2010
KIRAN ADVANI SPEAKS ABOUT ASPIRING DESIGNERS
Kiran Advani, spokesperson for the Mayor’s Fashion Initiative of the Chicago Office of Tourism, sheds some
light on this year’s Fashion Focus and offers resources for aspiring designers in the Chicago fashion industry.

chicagofashionresource.com

INTERVIEWED BY IYA BAKARE

 PHOTOS FROM FASHION FOCUS CHICAGO 2009. FOR PHOTOS FROM THIS YEAR’S SHOWS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

FROM LOCAL DESIGNER JESS AUDEY (PARTICIPATED IN MACY’S SHOW LAST YEAR AND WILL BE IN THE
CHICAGO FASHION INCUBATOR SHOW THIS YEAR)

IYA: With Melissa Gamble’s departure as nology Chicago and the School of the Art Cultural Planning with DCA and the act-
Director of Fashion for the city of Chi- Institute Chicago. ing liaison with the Mayor’s Fashion Coun-
cago, how will it affect this year’s Fashion In its sixth year and running from October cil (MFC) working with MFC on industry
Focus? 18-24, Fashion Focus Chicago showcases needs and education opportunities in Chi-
KIRAN: This year, the Chicago Office of some of the city’s top designers. It also fea- cago fashion. I work with COT and handle
Tourism, a division of the Department of tures runway shows in Millennium Park and all programming, events, as well as media
Cultural Affairs, is partnering with the in- at various locations around the city with relations and am the spokesperson for all
dustry to help market and produce the run- shopping events and industry seminars. the fashion initiatives.
way shows taking place in Millennium Park. IYA: Other than the Chicago Fashion In-
Fashion Focus Chicago 2010 is a collabo- IYA: What are the next steps to promote cubator (CFI), what are some other initia-
ration with the headlining show producers fashion in Chicago? tives the city of Chicago has for aspiring
that include the Chicago Fashion Incuba- KIRAN: The responsibilities of the former fashion designers in the fashion industry?
tor, Macy’s, Mario Tricoci, StyleChicago. Director of Fashion, Arts & Events have KIRAN: Launched in 2007, ChicagoFash-
com, along with the city’s four fashion de- been divided among a couple of employees ionResource.com is a free website that
sign schools: Columbia College Chicago, within the Department of Cultural Affairs connects designers, boutiques and neigh-
the Illinois Institute of Art–Chicago, the (DCA) and the Chicago Office of Tour- borhoods to consumers, in addition to pro-
International Academy of Design & Tech- ism (COT). Julie Burros is the Director of viding resources and opportunities for the

OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 25

THE WINNER OF MARIO MAKE ME A MODEL CONTEST (THIS CONTEST WAS A PART OF THE MACYS’ SHOW THIS YEAR AND IS A SEPARATE SHOW THIS YEAR)
local fashion industry. In addition to Fash-
ion Focus Chicago, there are two shopping
events that take place in the summer and
winter for designers to sell their merchan-
dise to consumers. The Chicago Sidewalk
Sale takes place annually in July at Daley
Plaza and Glitter, a holiday shopping event,
takes place in early December at the Chi-
cago Cultural Center. The Mayor’s Fashion
Council also hosts quarterly educational
and networking events for the Chicago
fashion community.
IYA: What should we look for at this year’s
Fashion Focus?
KIRAN: Fashion Focus Chicago 2010 is
a week-long celebration filled with spring
2011 fashions from some of the most tal-
ented designers in the city. The kickoff
show is presented by Macy’s and features
14 designers from the Chicago Fashion
Incubator (both past and present). The
following night, Mario Tricoci is hosting
his own show and will be featuring looks
from five local fashion designers, and will
announce the winner of their 3rd annual
‘Mario Make Me a Model’ contest. ‘Dress
Code’ is a great show to get a sneak peek
into who is next in Chicago fashion. Pre-
sented by the four fashion design schools,
the runway show is the debut of up and
coming local fashion talent. The shows at
Millennium Park conclude with StyleChica-
go.com’s ‘Art of Fashion’ runway presenta-

tion that showcases looks from established
designers Elda de la Rosa, Lauren Lein,
Lara Miller, Paul Sisti and others.
The week is also filled with independent
designer showcases from Horacio Nieto
and Borris Powell, along with large scale
shopping events like Modern Vintage and
more intimate trunk shows with designers
Elise Bergman and Alice Berry.
It all culminates with a full day of free
education seminars hosted by the Mayor’s
Fashion Council and featuring local fashion
organizations such as the Apparel Industry
Board Inc., Chicago Fashion Foundation,
Chicago Fashion Incubator and Fashion
Group International-Chicago. The semi-
nars also include Chicago businesses who
FROM LOCAL DESIGNER LARA MILLER (PARTICIPATED IN MACY’S SHOW LAST YEAR AND WILL NOW BE
PARTICIPATING IN ART OF FASHION BY STYLECHICAGO.COM THIS YEAR)
discuss topics such as intellectual property,
local and international sourcing and mas-
tering social media.
IYA: What do you see as some great features
about the Chicago fashion industry?
KIRAN: Chicago is an industry of entre-
preneurial businesses and people continue
to move here from New York City, Los An-
geles and other cities to start their fashion
businesses. Fashion in Chicago is a lively
community and exciting because designers
are not bound by the trends and commercial
nature of the industry. Designers in Chicago
push the limits of design. This city is dif-
ferent, entrepreneurial-friendly and a sup-
portive community, which are reasons why
people choose to start their businesses here.
IYA: What do you think are some challeng-
es within the industry in this city?
KIRAN: The challenges for fashion de-
signers in Chicago are the same as they are
for any designer working in today’s world.
The economy is the biggest obstacle for
them all. A great trend that’s homegrown
is local retailers want to carry more Chi-
cago designers. Hopefully, this will result in
helping to stimulate our economy and build
Chicago fashion businesses. In the mean-
time, there are organizations, schools, busi-
nesses and the City of Chicago here to help
foster and grow the Chicago fashion scene.
OCTOBER ME: IN FOCUS 27
 LOCAL LOOKBOOK
THINK GLOBAL + SHOP LOCAL
Check out where to find some of the latest trends of the season
and support local designers.

locallookbook.com

BY IYA BAKARE

28 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER

 CHICAGO RECENTLY ADDED A NEW BOUTIQUE into
the city’s fashion scene. Boutique owner Halli
Mulei and publicist Daphne Ortiz teamed up
to form Local Lookbook, a store that includes
a showroom that features the designs of new,
emerging and established Chicago designers.
Located in Lincoln Park, this one-of-a-kind
boutique gives customers the opportunities to
meet the local designers of the specific pieces
displayed in the space. Three of the designers
include Jenn Barron of Lily & Migs, Elyse Marie
of E by Elyse Marie Vieni and Ashley Zygmunt
of ZAMRIE.

LILY & MIGS

Designer Jenn Barron was an intern for Betsey
Johnson with partner Lauren Kacyvenski. The
two decided to start their own company and
formed Lily and Migs in 2009. Their collections
feature hand sewn pieces that are custom-de-
signed and tailored for each woman’s style.

E BY ELYSE MARIE VIENI

Elyse Marie Vieni is a jewelry designer based
out of Chicago. Inspired by her love of couture,
Elyse says her collection pushes boundaries. She
makes statements with her individually, hand-
made pieces made of beads, stones and other
vintage findings.

ZAMRIE
Chicagoland native Ashley Zygmunt started her
own line, ZAMRIE, while she was a design stu-
dent at the Chicago Fashion Incubator. ZAM-
RIE features a couture look of tailored blouses
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAPHNE ORTIZ OF PRALLIANCE

customized to fit all women of all ages.

PHOTOS THIS PAGE COURTESY OF BAR DEVILLE

ANDY’S JAZZ CLUB

This classic jazz club is not new to the scene,
but it’s the real deal. Get down with what
Chicago does best and chill while listening to
some live jazz music. The club offers a casual
dinner menu. Located in River North, Andy’s
is legendary and remains a great low-key spot
for a night on the town.

11 E. Hubbard St., Chicago

312 642 6805
andysjazzclub.com

BAR DEVILLE
Translated to ‘bar of the city’, this laid-back
location is everything a good bar should be.
Located in the Ukranian Village, this tavern
offers everything from awesome European
décor to free pool. Look forward to good
vibes and talented bartenders at this neigh-
borhood hangout.

701 N. Damen Ave., Chicago

312 929 2349
bardeville.com
 INDULGE
ME

CRIMSON LOUNGE CUMIN XOCO

The Crimson Lounge is located at Hotel
Sax, formerly the House of Blues Hotel. This
lounge is the definition of swanky, with
interior décor that blends rich dark hues with
ornate Victorian themes. During the day,
it’s an ideal spot for professional gab, and at
night, it transforms into a club complete with
a DJ. Come for socializing, a drink, or at the
very least, some atmospheric therapy.
333 N. Dearborn St., Chicago
312 923 2473
crimsonchicago.com
Wicker Park no longer suffers from a lack of
Indian food. New to the neighborhood restau-
rant scene is Cumin, an upscale and afford-
able Indian-Nepalese joint. Already sporting
outstanding reviews from critics and locals
alike, this restaurant is classy, quaint and
authentic. Stop by for the lunch buffet or din-
ner a la carte.
1414 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
773 342 1414
cumin-chicago.com
XOCO is a gem in the rough. One of Rick Bay-
less’s three restaurants in the city, XOCO is
a quick café with a menu inspired by authen-
tic Mexican street cuisine. This is not your
typical chips and salsa fare. Famous for their
mind-blowing hot chocolate (made from fresh
cacao-beans ground at the restaurant), it’s
the perfect place to go during the transition
from summer to fall. Be prepared for a rich
flavor that only Mexico could inspire.
449 N. Clark St., Chicago
312 334 3688
rickbayless.com

PHOTOS THIS PAGE COURTESY OF CRIMSON LOUNGE

HOT SPOTS
LET YOUR SOUL UNWIND
From low-key taverns to swanky rooms
with sultry sounds, soothe your soul at some
of Chicago’s hottest hangouts.

BY EMILY LUFT
FACTUALLY PINK
A PHOTO ESSAY

PHOTOGRAPHY ROD ROBERTS

rodrobertsphotos.com
 1 IN 8

IN HER
WOMEN

LIFETIME
(OR 12.6%
WILL GET
OF ALL WOMEN)
BREAST CANCER

MODEL KATIE SNIADACH Agency Galatea STYLING/HAIR + MAKEUP KRISTA GOBELI

ALL STATISTICS SOURCED FROM ABOUT.COM (WOMEN’S HEALTH) + CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC)
MODEL KHRYSTYNA BODNARCHUK STYLING/HAIR + MAKEUP KRISTA GOBELI

OF
EVERY
13 MINUTES
A WOMAN DIES
BREAST CANCER
77%
OF
ALL WOMEN
WITH
BREAST CANCER
ARE OVER 50
MODEL CHARDE MOORE STYLING/HAIR + MAKEUP KRISTA GOBELI

MORE THAN
1.7 MILLION
WOMEN WHO
HAVE HAD
BREAST CANCER
ARE STILL
ALIVE
IN THE U.S.
THE
FIRST SIGN
OF
BREAST CANCER
USUALLY
SHOWS UP ON
A WOMAN’S
MAMMOGRAM
BEFORE IT CAN
BE FELT
OR
OTHER SYMPTOMS
ARE PRESENT
YOU ARE
NEVER TOO
YOUNG
TO DEVELOP
BREAST CANCER
BREAST
SELF EXAM
SHOULD BEGIN
BY THE
AGE OF 20
PINK PARTIES
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS EVENTS
Fill in your social calendar with these October events.

COMPILED BY BECKY LERNER

OCTOBER 1-31

ALL OVER THE CITY

Restaurants all over Chicago will be donating proceeds or profits to local Breast Cancer Support and Awareness Organizations. From October 1-31,
the following restaurants will be offering drink specials to support breast cancer awareness:

prettycity.com
312 435 9391

PHIL STEFANI RESTAURANTS QUARTINO RISTORANTE LUXBAR

PINK YOUR DRINK SPARKLING ROSE FOR THE CURE BREWS FOR BREAST CANCER
For every PINK drink purchase, Stefani will Quartino will be offering Carpene Malvolti Luxbar has teamed up with 312 Goose Island
donate $1 to Bright Pink. Sparkling Rose for $5 per glass (regularly Brewery and arranged that all proceeds of
priced $8). All profits from the sales of this Goose Island’s 312 Urban Wheat Beer (origi-
pink bubbly will benefit the Lynn Sage Foun- nally $5 but being sold for $3.12) will benefit
dation. the Lynn Sage Foundation.
PHIL STEFANI’S 437 RUSH
CHICAGO STEAKHOUSE
626 N. State St., Chicago 18 E. Bellevue Place, Chicago
437 Rush St., Chicago 312 698 5000 312 642 3400
312 222 0101 quartinochicago.com luxbar.com
philstefanis437rush.com

RIVA CRAB HOUSE

Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand Ave., Chicago
312 644 7482
rivanavypier.com TAVERN ON RUSH HUGO’S FROG BAR
IN GOOD TASTE COSMOS FOR THE CURE
TUSCANY ON TAYLOR
Tavern is teaming up with the Lynn Sage Hugo’s Frog Bar is thinking pink this Octo-
1014 W. Taylor St., Chicago Foundation and asking patrons to donate $1 ber by donating half proceeds on its Classic
312 829 1990 or more as they dine and drink throughout Pink Cosmopolitan ($11.50) to the Lynn Sage
tuscanychicago.com October. Foundation.

1031 N. Rush St., Chicago 1024 N. Rush St, Chicago

312 644 9600 312 640 0999
tavernonrush.com hugosfrogbar.com

THE PORTAGE TAPAS VALENCIA

COCKTAIL FOR A CURE
This locale has actually created a signature
drink called The Pink Ribbon for $7.50. A por-
tion of the proceeds will go to the Susan G.
Komen Foundation.
Tapas Valencia will be donating a portion of
all its dessert sales to Bright Pink throughout
the month.

1530 S. State St, Chicago

3938 N. Central Ave., Chicago 312 842 4444
773 853 0779 For more information, visit chicagonow.com
theportagechicago.com

SPECIFIC DATES
BRIGHT PINK
BOOK NOW!
Nearly 60 local spas and salons honor Breast
Cancer Awareness Month with the “Pretty in
Pink” Fundraiser, which include $31 mas-
sages, manicures, facials, waxes and other
beauty treatments.
Participants include:
Flirty Girl Fitness, Chicago Hair Care, Eliza-
beth Adam Salon and Day Spa, CiCi Nails,
Blueberry Moon, Body & Soul Spa, Channing’s
Day Spa + Eucalyptus Spa.
bebrightpink.org
THE LYNN SAGE CANCER RESEARCH
FOUNDATION
OCTOBER 22, 2010
11am
The Lynn sage 25th Anniversary ‘City of Pink
Promise’ Fall Benefit consists of a brief recep-
tion followed by a luncheon. The keynote
speaker for this event is Rob Lowe. Tickets
begin at $250. If you can not attend the event,
donations can still be made online at the
address below. For more information, call
Northwestern Memorial Foundation at
312 926 7133.
Hilton Towers
720 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
lynnsage.org
IMERMAN ANGELS
OCTOBER 24, 2010
1-4pm
The Outreach Volunteer Opportunity: Lynn
Sage Breast Cancer Town Hall Meeting is
where you can have your questions answered
by the experts, visit exhibits of breast cancer
advocacy organizations and products and
learn about local and national support
services. The meeting will be moderated
by William Gradishar, MD Director of Breast
Medical Oncology.
Thorne Auditorium on the downtown
Northwestern Campus
735 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago
imermanangels.org
OTHER
EVENTS
LOCAL HAPPENINGS
RANGE OF DATES
CHICAGO’S 5TH ANNUAL LATINO
MUSIC FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 5-31, 2010
Enjoy an array of classical melodies at differ-
ent venues all over the Chicago land area.
The Sao Paolo City String Quartet, Ondas
Ensemble, CUBE Ensemble and the Harper
City Orchestra will all be performing Latin-
inspired pieces as well as a few features on
experimental music and Spanish guitar.
latinoculturalcenter.org.
LA FRONTERA
OCTOBER 8-DECEMBER 22, 2010
La Frontera: The Cultural Impact of Mexican
Migration will continue its photography
exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary
Photography.
600 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
FASHION FOCUS EVENTS
OCTOBER 18-24, 2010
Fashion Focus Chicago is one of the city’s big-
gest fashion events of the year. From Monday,
October 18 through Sunday, October 24 major
retailers and local talent will be showcasing
their collections in runway shows, exhibits,
shopping events, and industry seminars.
Names like Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Studio
808, Borris Powell, and Modern Vintage Chica-
go grace its roster. Most events are free but
may require an RSVP. The events take place
at different locations throughout the city so
check out the websites for more information.
Different City Locations
explorechicago.org
chicagofashionresource.com
OLIVIA’S STORY
INSTALLMENT III
Valencia Davis, our resident art and culture critic shares
another prose piece.
violettarantula.blogspot.com
BY VALENCIA DAVIS
THE COLD CARESS OF FALL sent a chill across
me, leaving a tiny army of goose bumps be-
hind, marching up the length of my body at
the speed of light. The leaves had already
begun to die, whisking around my head,
dancing in familiar circular motions around
my feet and the boots that it was finally
time to pull out of my closet. My mind was
racing and the comfort of cold clay on my
palms was tugging deep, but there is a time
and place for everything. Fate was taking
my mindset for a ride as my very last semes-
ter of grad school was looming in my favor,
just as opportunity was knocking loud and
clear, louder than every before. Just a cou-
ple weeks earlier, I had met this incredible
force in the body of a woman with black
eyes and a presence that was striking in a
sense that felt almost physical. A network-
ing event that I’d attended with Stepha-
nie aligned the woman’s path to mine.
Stephanie, my opposite, was a presence in
my life that presented itself while we were
still in undergrad. Superficially, Stephanie
and I had little in common, but our ideals,
beliefs, mutual understanding and interpre-
tation of life made us stick like glue. I felt
it refreshing to learn things from her that
I normally wouldn’t be attracted to or care
about. I felt lucky to have a relationship in
my life that gave me another way to grow.
I was on my way to meet her for coffee
and was dying to tell her of this woman
and the possible changes that could take
place. There was definitely a crossroad lay-
ing in front of me, and logic outside of my
own that I could trust always put things
a bit more into perspective. Finally, I had
reached the coffee house and swung open
the door on its rusty hinges. The smell of
coffee was pleasantly invasive to my nos-
trils and seemed to somewhat sweep over
me alongside the general feel of the old
coffee house. I didn’t come to Rochambo
often, but whenever I did there was always
the question of why I didn’t frequent the
place. Its interior was earthy with hard-
46 ME: IN FOCUS OCTOBER
wood paneling throughout, and shades of
browns, deep greens and oranges that were
the perfect setting for an early fall day. Af-
ter routinely admiring all there was to see
inside, my eyes shifted towards Stephanie
who was sitting in a corner with a book
in front of her face. The sun shone from
outside the window she was sitting directly
below, at a small weathered lime green ta-
ble. The rays of light poured down on her
tresses of gold, making there appear to be
rivers of shimmering satin pouring down
the sides of her face, and along her sweater
that was a citrus pink and looked soft to
the touch. I walked towards her and finally
her eyes rose from the text in her book and
caught sight of me. Her eyes sparkled a
bit as she gave me a smirking smile. “You
know you could learn a thing or two from
this shit,” she said to me and held up the
book’s cover in my direction that read Ac-
tions Speak Louder: The Modern Woman’s
Guide to Regal Behavior.
“Oh my GOD,” I responded, dragging
out the last with an exaggeratedly sarcastic
tone, “says the woman who swears at me
upon greeting me.” She giggled. I reached
into my messenger bag, palmed a book en-
titled The Unbearable Lightness of Being,
and slapped it down on the table top in
front of her. “How ya like these apples?” I
asked in a sassy tone cocking my head just a
bit to the side. “Ah yes, I am so compelled
to over analyze my every action to the
point that my life makes so much sense... it
makes no sense at all!” she replied sharply.
I smiled and rolled my eyes. “Whatever,
when I walked in here I wasn’t sure if it was
a wad of cotton candy or a person sitting
at this table.” Her giggle transformed into
an open-mouth laugh. “Nice boots, Tank
Girl,” she quickly said in response between
laughs, and I laughed with her. “Thanks
Lila Fowlers. I think you missed your exit
to Sweet Valley.” I said shaking my thumb
towards the exit. I leaned forward and gave
her a kiss on the cheek. “Your hair looks
great,” I said. “Thanks, so does yours,” she
replied. I thanked her, giving my bangs a
shake across my forehead, combing my
fingers through them. Finally I plopped
down in the chair opposite her. “So what’d
you wanna talk to me about?” she asked as
her face quickly changed and became con-
cerned. “Well, that thing we went to a
couple weeks ago, the networking event, I
met a lady there who wants to work with
me. This South African lady that had these
black eyes like coals.” “South Africa! Very
nice. This could be really good for you.
How exactly does she want to collaborate?”
I was hesitant to answer her, as I hated even
saying the reality of the situation out loud.
“Well, she wants to include some of my
pieces in a gallery show that she’s having in
a couple of months back in South Africa.
I gave her my card and she loved what she
saw on my website. She’s even considering
giving me my own show, and asked if I’d
be willing to give some of the proceeds to
needier parts like Sub Saharan Africa.”
“Ooo!” Stephanie squealed. “That’s such
an incredible opportunity for you.”
“Yeah, the only thing is, I’d have to be
there for it, and I’m in my last semester of
grad school, and I don’t know if I can leave.
This is the most incredible interference I’ve
ever experienced in my life.” Her eyes never
left my face as she sipped her tea in an in-
credibly still silence. “What experience do
you think will benefit you more in your life
at this point, Olivia?” She asked me in a
mother-like tone that she gets when there
is serious talk involved. I paused. I didn’t
respond. The answered seemed obvious,
but is the obvious always the right path to
take? I felt my eyes gloss over as they slid
towards the window. A life-altering deci-
sion needed to be made sooner than I was
ready to make it.
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