Michigan Avenue

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

WITH HER NEW ICON COLLECTION FOR SPRING, EMERGING CHICAGO FASHION DESIGNER ELENA BOBYSHEVA PROVES THAT SHE’S A FASHION FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.

- BY CONNOR CHILDERS

With her new Icon Collection for spring, emerging Chicago designer Elena Bobysheva proves that she’s a fashion force to be reckoned with.

Remember the name Elena Bobysheva. Moscow-born and based in Geneva, Illinois, the 27-year-old womenswear designer is turning heads with her buzzed-about sustainabl­e fashion brand. Since launching in 2013, Bobysheva—a self-proclaimed champion of “clean, minimalist­ic lines and asymmetric­al and graphic silhouette­s”—has steadily been building momentum, from gaining CFDA recognitio­n to earning a finalist spot in Saks Fifth Avenue’s Emerging Designer Showcase. Now the designer has taken her signature styles and updated them for what could be her most accomplish­ed work yet: the Spring 2017 Icon Collection.

Deceptivel­y simplistic in their completed forms, Bobysheva’s standout looks are anything but. Case in point: An Italian doubleface­d wool crepe fitted minidress with a threetiere­d skirt consisting of princess satin and pleated georgette that peeks out from underneath a cutout at the hem. Complete with guipure lace trim and a grosgrain ribbon waistband, the modern geometric structure of the piece is smartly juxtaposed with luxe, feminine fabrics. This careful balance of hard versus soft is a key recurring element in Bobysheva’s designs (which are sold exclusivel­y online) and part of what makes them so compelling to her ever-growing fan base of chic women in Chicago and beyond. With such a strong vision for her brand paired with design talent for days, one thing is clear: Bobysheva is just getting started. elenabobys­heva.com

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 ??  ?? Icon Dress N° 04, from Elena Bobysheva’s new collection. Ƨƞƚƫ ƫƣơơƭ: The designer with a model during backstage fittings at her Vancouver Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2016 show.
Icon Dress N° 04, from Elena Bobysheva’s new collection. Ƨƞƚƫ ƫƣơơƭ: The designer with a model during backstage fittings at her Vancouver Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2016 show.
 ??  ?? Dress N° 06, an Italian double-faced wool crepe minidress ($1,889) that Bobysheva considers one of the collection’s centerpiec­es. ƭƨʃ: Bobysheva’s Spring/summer 2016 Collection before model fittings for a Chicago runway show.
Dress N° 06, an Italian double-faced wool crepe minidress ($1,889) that Bobysheva considers one of the collection’s centerpiec­es. ƭƨʃ: Bobysheva’s Spring/summer 2016 Collection before model fittings for a Chicago runway show.
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