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ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL O'LEARY Chicago is the home of world-class actors, ath- letes, chefs, and rappers, a talk-show-host-turned- billionaire, a blues legend, the president of the United States, Bill Murray, and the Air Guitar World Champion of 2012. Not too shabby. But we are missing one thing: a toddler fashion icon. All the best cities have them. London has Prince George and the Beckham progeny. New York has Blue Ivy Carter; Los Angeles has the Jolie-Pitts. (The jury is still out on Suri Cruise, whose taste can be spotty.) Is it important? Of course. Without a fashion idol to look up to, our children are liable to slide back into the cutesy trap. (Hey Junior—your mom won't tell you, but I will: Those polka dots make your diaper look fat.) I know it's hard to learn to walk when you're wearing suede mules, but there's no time to waste. Pint-size fashionistas from all over the city are already drooling over fall's latest collections. As infants, these budding Chicagoans may not have the language skills to object to the Psychobaby onesies that say, "I drink until I pass out." But as soon as they can manage to say "Lanvin," they have the power. And make no mistake: Chicago is on the brink of a kiddie couture explosion. You want proof? Even our undesirables have taken notice. Oak Street's tyke boutique Milani has been burglarized three times in the past year. In June, the scoundrels made off with $20,000 worth of merchandise. That's a lot of Young Versace outerwear. (Actually, it's not. It's maybe 13 leather jackets embossed with the face of Medusa and a pair of Fendi tights.) Don't forget that there's a fashion giant on Chicago's horizon: Teeny North West could fly in to dad Kanye's hometown anytime. And believe me, those Hermès booties are made for strutting. But there are other certified fashionistas-in- training, too. Consider Shira and Carly Palmer, 7-year-old twins just back from a jaunt to New York. In their pursuit of style, they have come up against endless obstacles. They have to wear uniforms to school, for one thing. And they can't borrow Mom's Jimmy Choos without permission. But at Camelot CK & Studio C in Lincoln Park, they call the shots. "Kids have an opinion now," says store owner Carmen D'Zela. "At 18 months they point and say, 'Yes, yes,' or 'No, no.'" The Palmer twins are more inclined to "Yes, yes," gravitating toward racks of trendy, tasteful neon from the store's exclusive European lines. The sparkly skull print? Or perhaps something in ostrich skin? D'Zela eventually approves one choice, a diaphanous dress. "It has the twirl factor," she points out. But no matter who ends up domi- nating the mini fashion scene, you can be sure of one constant: faux fur. Only in Chicago can you convincingly rock the full-out faux fur look in bright colors, along with earf lap hats. And never, ever rule out the twirl factor. MA TOT COUTURE IN THIS FASHION-OBSESSED CITY, IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO BECOME A SLAVE TO STYLE. BY PAIGE WISER 176 MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM GOLD COASTING September 2014

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