Jessica Herman

Nestled in industrial flatlands between an auto-repair shop and the Goose Island Brewery, Dame Couture (1837 West Fulton), a custom dressmakers' studio, is an anomaly in her neighborhood. But Dame keeps to herself: A poster adhered to the building's bolted door and two dress forms peeping through windows on either side of the entryway barely distinguish the studio space from her surroundings.

Both instructors at Columbia College and the International Academy of Design and Technology, Holly Greenhagen and Julie Fehler opened in March with about twenty sample dresses to show for their debut. Falling in line with dozens of other crafty Chicagoans who are making a profit out of DIY, they realize clients fantasies by constructing custom-made and "made to measure" dresses and accessories for anywhere from $300-$2,000. Greenhagen flips through a flimsy paperback of "I Love Lucy" paper dolls as she points out the reading material, such as Vogue, The New York Times Magazine and a book entitled "Icons of Fashion in the Twentieth Century," that she offers her clients for inspiration or reference.

Cutting through reams of organza, Thai silk and chiffon, they work under the influence of thirties, forties and fifties styles. "We thought we should get some kind of vintage term for woman like `tomato,' `doll' or `baby,'" Greenhagen says, elaborating on the origin of their business name. She looks up at the sparse wall decoration: A handful of vintage hats, fur collars and a single pair of ivory gloves are tacked above the work table with two old skirt hemmers on shelves nearby.

The partners met six years ago when they shared a studio space while freelancing for A. Arsenault Clothing Cooperative (previously Made to Fit). Finishing each other's sewing jobs and offering input on each other's designs, they realized they were compatible. Greenhagen describes their partnership as a kind of Ernie and Bert duo--Fehler's short and Greenhagen's tall, Fehler can sketch and Greenhagen makes patterns--but she finishes, "we do what we can to make [the designs] look like they came out of the same brain."

(2004-09-29)

Also by Jessica Herman

Dialogue by design
Two headless torsos cloaked in black apparel dangling from the ceiling are not what you might expect for a boutique's window display. Then again, hejfina is not your typical boutique.
(2004-09-23)

Spin Control
A compilation mixed by Philadelphia producer/DJ King Britt and produced by Milan Records, is intended to embody the experience of lounging on the Chicago Park Hyatt's seventh floor
(2004-09-14)

To the Gill
"Let's put it this way. I never dress my women in black and red. It's just gross," says Mark Gill
(2004-09-08)

The art of the discount
Exercising a kind of affirmative action, Lincoln Park Athletic Club offers an artist's discount
(2004-08-31)

Boutiqueville
(2004-08-31)

Unabashedly cheesy
(2004-08-25)

Bird watching
(2004-08-25)

Pretty in pink
(2004-08-17)

Shopping around
(2004-08-10)

Unstoppable
(2004-08-03)

Cupping runneth over
(2004-07-27)

Fancy fleas
(2004-07-13)

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