Today at 10 a.m. Chicago’s brand new outlet mall, Fashion Outlets of Chicago, opened its doors and welcomed a swarm of shoppers to its purposely high-end selection. Unlike other outlet malls in the Midwest area, Fashion Outlets isn’t shying away from big ticket couture names such as Prada, Gucci, and Herve Ledger. Without flying a few miles east, here is the only place you’ll find an outlet store for Allsaints Spitafields. Boomingdale’s Outlet, Neiman Marcus Last Call, and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th – FOC’s got them all. Take advantage of exclusive deals through this weekend as the mall celebrates its grand opening.
Grand opening deals:
Coach: 50% off, including clearance which is already marked at 40%-50% off of regular price.
SARAR: Buy one suit, get one free.
J. Crew: 20% off of purchases over $125. Enter through the weekend for their $200 gift card drawing taking place Sunday night.
Bloomingdale’s The Outlet Store: $25 off of any purchase over $50 with a coupon. Coupons are being distributed throughout the mall as well as the store’s checkout desk.
Halston Heritage: Visit the new Halston Heritage boutique to enjoy champagne, chocolate and receive a free gift.
A few things I personally love about the mall and a few things I wish could be improved going forward:
Highlights:
Neiman Marcus Last Call and Bloomingdale’s The Outlet Store: Some stores are only ‘outlet’ in name. However, in my opinion these two outlets live up to the hype featuring high quality clothing at a reasonably (the keyword is ‘reasonably’) reduced price. Don’t expect Nanette Lepore for $20 but do expect a steep, steep, discount from original prices.
Coach: I’m not a huge fan of the monogram loving brand, but its devoted following is undeniable. 50% off of clearance puts their average bag in the $100-$200 range and that is undeniably marvelous. I assume this sale is for a limited time only.
Allsaints Spitafields (Outlet): Good grief! Where do I begin?! Plush leather jackets now marked below $175, $300 skirts for $100, $175 dresses for $45. I spent the majority of my day here and it was worth it! These items come directly from their retail stores, reflecting the brand’s quality and attention to detail. Easily, this was my favorite spot in the whole joint!
The Arts Initiative: REAL art in a public space. It’s like retail therapy in a fashionable museum and I love it!
The Parking Lot: WOW! Why is no one else doing this?! Don’t worry about wasting gas and time in their parking structure. A lit sign at the beginning of each aisle informs you of the number of available spots in that aisle. After turning , a light above the spot informs you exactly where that spot is located. Park in 10 minutes – even when the mall is packed! Hello black Friday!!
Disappointments:
Versace Versace Versace: After their outlet store’s Midwest departure, I’ve been secretly hoping they’d return to us by means of FOC. No chance!
“You call this coffee?!?” Starbucks? Really? C’mon FOC! Give us one more choice in coffee, please. Someone call La Colombe. They could use another Chicago spot.
Check out Chicagoings’ Instagram account for a 15 second video of the store’s opening day spectacle.
Visit their website for additional information, including a list of futuristically posh shopping packages.
www.fashionoutletsofchicago.com
Source:
Featured Image: www.Macerich.com
Allsaints Store: www.NYmag.com
All other photos belong exclusively to Chicagoings.com