Kate Boggiano in the News

Chicago and Macy's take six local designers under their wings

By Jamie Sotonoff | Daily Herald Staff

Could the next Michael Kors or Carolina Herrera be among us?

Macy's and city of Chicago officials believe it's possible, and to help give local designers a leg up in the fashion business, they've created a new "Project Runway"-like program called the Chicago Fashion Incubator.

Six Chicago-area designers -- including a few from the suburbs -- were selected for the yearlong program which began in mid-March.

The six are essentially taken under the city's wing and, with the help of top industry experts, taught how to make it in the fashion world.

They were given an office with a lake view in Macy's State Street store, plus use of the store's sewing machines and work space. While they are not paid, they are given help with everything from e-commerce to public relations to enhance their existing businesses.

Fashion Incubator designers Glenn Mallory, Agga Raya and Lidia Wachowska all hail from Chicago. The other three, featured below, have suburban ties.

Expect to see their names on your clothing labels soon.

Kate Coxworth

Age: 26

Grew up in/now lives in: St. Charles/Chicago

Name of clothing line: Kate Boggiano. It's a combination of her first name and her Italian grandmother's maiden name, because Coxworth believes it best represents her work. "It's very American, but it's made with the highest quality, like it's Italian," she said.

Specialty: Custom-made shirts for women. "We try not to be trendy, just classic," she said.

Web site: www.kateboggiano.com

Original career goal: To be a doctor.

Plans now: To expand the Kate Boggiano line so it includes more types of clothing.

More interesting details: Coxworth wore a school uniform every day at Rosary High School in Aurora. She always loved fashion, though, and while studying pre-med biology at Indiana University, she had an epiphany.

"You think, fashion is just a hobby. Then, my junior year, I thought, forget it. (Fashion) is what I love. This is what I'm doing," she said.

With help from a family friend, she landed a job at Ralph Lauren in New York, where she worked with the man himself and acquired valuable experience. She moved home 16 months ago and launched her own clothing line.

"My strategy is to become an expert on women's shirts," she said.

Daily Herald readers can get a 10 percent discount on her shirts by entering the promotional code HERALD1.