ikram

Every time I browse here, I can feel their eyes on me ... the last time was no exception. Sorry, but schlepping around the city on a 92 degree day with my daughter who was visiting from NYC, comfort was more important than style. I was wearing an Eddie Bauer sleeveless polo and casual jean shorts, and boy did I look and feel like a shrek. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the outrageous, funky selection at Ikram. The staff would be shocked to discover I bought my daughter two pieces at the old location about a decade ago. I love the way they displayed vintage pieces under little glass globes and the display cases are stunning. Most of the clothing and jewelry is rather flamboyant, as is the dominantly red space. In general, Ikram definitely stocks far flashier merchandise than Blake - which is more minimalist. These days I cannot afford any of this, but it sure is fun to ogle.

I am so happy I found this online boutique! They have the most beautiful trendy clothes that come in multiple sizes. They ship out right away, and I get my packages so fast! I get compliments all the time. Plus, they get in new styles almost every day! I would recommend them in a heartbeat.

The retail store is basically sublime. Great selection of top designers but what makes it even cooler is the the way the merchandise ranges from whimsical to haute couture. It is like a fully subversive fashion experience. Then after I wore myself out exclaiming at the wonder of the cool things (and buying a couple of items), I went to the cafe upstairs and it was exceptional. Healthy and fancy (which is not easy to accomplish) and without breaking the bank

An amazing place, an experience if you consider fashion as art. There is no way to put in words what you can see here, cashmere sweaters with art prints and Pom poms, leather netted capes and dresses, silk chiffons and tunics, fur boleros sewn in checkered layers, skirts that hold concealed taffeta and lace surprises, collars with shearling and floral appliqué, and designer clothing of the staid, classic bent and of the avant-garde. I hope you will enter this place with a sense of wide awake anticipation and an appreciation for the fine display of this collection. Can’t imagine anything like it anywhere else. Enjoy!

Wonderful space. Fun selection. Caroline was a big help in finding the right gift.

Amazing and fun store. I wish their online shop had the same selection as in-store.

Terrible experience. Owner and managers are incredibly rude, slow, and delusional. Their dress code is not up to standard for such a supposedly professional experience.

Love being inspired by the fashion! So good to have a iconic business local to Chicago!

Nice selection of pieces... if you're 45 and older. I didn't find much that was age appropriate (late 20s), but decided on a versatile sweater top that had a unique cut/ style and was suitable for my age. Staff were fine, although they did become overly intrusive. I'm sure they were simply bored, given the store's very limited foot traffic. Doubt I'd venture back soon, as the selection in store was geared towards the mature woman.

As an international professional shopper. The vibe in here has to be the worst I have ever encountered. Keep your stale overpriced clothes. "I will never!" Marson or whatever his name is can kick rocks barefoot!

Regardless of whatever beautiful things may be sold inside this store, the people working here have convinced me to never set foot inside. My sister was married this weekend and we paused outside their building so the photog could snap a photo of her and her soon-to-be groom seeing one another for the first time. He was in full military uniform eagerly waiting to see his bride. As we embraced the couple and gathered for a group photo, a sales woman poked her head out of Ikram and said, to the bride on her wedding day, that we needed to leave immediately because we were blocking their store front. We perhaps not so politely told her to call the police because we weren't moving. Our photos took all of three minutes and we would have raved about what a great photo and memory that was at that location. The weather was perfect and the exterior of the building is quite unique. I'm sure it made for a beautiful photos. However, this rude and insensitive woman had to tarnish the memory and the moment. There are far too many beautiful clothing/jewelry options in Chicago for me to ever consider spending my money here.

Somebody please tell these lil lolipop head wanna be Anna Wintour girls and "fierce" boys that it's NOT THAT SERIOUS. IT'S ONLY RETAIL. Stank ass attitudes destroy couture. but the clothes are cute...not at all pedestrian. But seriously that staff can be so rude with the attitudes.

This place is so expensive it is ridiculous. I have walked by for years and never ventured inside for several reasons, the first of which is it always looks empty and stuffily uninviting, and the second of which is my hunch that I wouldn't be able to afford anything inside. I thought that since I heard Angelina Jolie came shopping here when she came to Chicago. I finally walked in yesterday and discovered that my hunch was correct. Walking by on a beautiful Saturday afternoon I ventured in on a whim. A somber-looking doorman in a suit grimaced at me as I walked through the heavy red doors, probably thinking, "she looks too poor to be coming in here." All of the roughly five patrons in the cavernous interior looked grim as well. I have a suspicion they were thinking, "why am I spending $30k to buy a dress when children are starving in Africa?" The dresses shoved into hangers in the middle of the room screamed "couture" and could have stood upright by themselves, they looked so stiff and unmoving. The clothes lined the walls in racks and were shoved in and sticking out at odd angles. I took a lap of the store, picked up a Celine coin purse, noticed the price of $750, and put it back down. I promptly left, having fulfilled my curiosity once and for all.

3 - 4 stars for the cafe: The cafe (second floor) was a delight. The food was delicious (get the pork tacos), the service impeccable and a stylish, but not pretentious, ambiance. 2 stars for the boutique: The selection of designers is undoubtedly one of the best and competes with the Bergdorf, Barneys, etc. However, the service was awful (no one stopped to ask me what I was looking for, what designers I liked, etc.). They did however watch me like a hawk as I perused the messy, unorganized rack of clothes and shoes. I felt a bit like Julia Roberts in the scene from Pretty Woman where she enters the snotty boutique and they won't wait on her. However, I wasn't dressed like a hooker, but in business casual as I was visiting during my lunch hour. Also, for such a high-end place, you would think they'd organize the racks by designer, color, style something. There was no organization and I felt I was sifting through messy racks at Filene's Basement. I don't think I will be visiting Ikram again.

Love. It's a must-go when I'm in Chicago. It might be a touch small, but so well curated that it doesn't matter. And to those who think the staff are ungracious, that is far from the truth. They are always welcoming and very friendly, even when I am just browsing.

If I had not known someone who knew about the cafe in this place, I never would have gone. The clothing store is definitely expensive, the but cafe (on the second floor) is pretty reasonable. I went for lunch with some co-workers and had a wonderful experience. The food was delicious, I had the quiche and I was happy with it. My colleague had a salmon salad, and it was a large portion. I have a minimal budget for eating, and was surprised that the prices are what you would find at other restaurants (sandwiches are about $11-$13, similar to say...Elephant and Castle), but the attentiveness of the staff is what you might find at a much nicer restaurant. The cafe is small, but doesn't feel cramped, and the place is beautifully designed. If you're willing to spend about $20 (without alcoholic beverages) and want a nice place to go, this is a good choice.

I can agree with the merchandising and the reviews of the selections but this owner woman Ikram is something short of a horrible un empathetic person. I am shocked at her treatment of her employees. I am also shocked that she says stuff like "we are good people". No one says that. You let people come to that conclusion by themselves. I just don't care for those kind of comments. A little humility? Holy cow I would rather shop at TJMAXX for low rent clothes than visit this place again. Great fashion,but wondering how this woman Ikram lives with herself. ? She's survived in that space a long time but hey let's see what happens.

My review is for the cafe upstairs. Our server was very friendly. The food was fresh using high quality ingredients.The salad with trout was delicious and the desserts are perfectly made. Another pleasant surprise was the price. A perfect place for lunch. Go immediately!

Still thinking about the extremely poor customer service we received on saturday. About 6 salespeople in a tiny boutique, all standing still, looking confused. The dressing rooms were trashed. hangers, clothes, belts, old water bottles strewn around. We were there for 30 mins and this beautiful designer dress was crumpled in a ball on the floor of the public part of the dressing room-- weird. I almost picked it up and hung it back up. When you come out of a dressing room with a dress in your hands, ready to purchase- and 6 people stare at you, and you have to ask out loud for help and don't receive it... just doesn't make sense. Unbelievable clothing, wonderful variety. If you are looking for unique selection and can't find something at barneys or neiman you should check ikram out, but the sales staff needs serious direction from management.

I was very displeased and humiliated by the type of racial profiling and poor customer service this store exhibits. So I went to purchase a dress for a black tie affair I'm attending soon, and no one, NOT A ONE sales person asked me if I was looking for anything. But there was one asian stick figure who conspicuously followed me around the store like I was a shoplifter. I had a good mind to pull out my AMX BLACK CARD and tell her I'd buy this store if I chose to, but i complained to the mgr and just left and I will NEVER EVER SHOP at this store! I know Alexander McQueen and Coco Chanel must be turning over in their graves the way their fabulous garments are just cluttered in that DESPICABLE store

I have one thing to say to the owner of Ikram: FABULOUS! Fabulous in every way! The merchandise, the sales people, the decor, the vibe! Keep going and keep thriving!!

The selection is good, but if most of the stuff in the store is 500 bucks at least, you better know what you're talking about. That means knowing the lines, knowing the seasons, knowing everything about every detail of the clothes.. especially for featured designers. Some salespeople, for spending hours a day in retail, know suprisingly little about some of the ridiculously overpriced lines they carry (though I still like them). If you're dropping this much cash, just go to Blake. This is a waste of time considering the salespeople are not just unfriendly, they are nowhere near as knowledgeable (nor as connected) as the people at Blake. I'd say the one thing Ikram has on Blake is its collection of socks (in all seriousness).

There truly is no other option in the city if your goal is to shop for the statement of all statement pieces. There are typical boutiques, there are luxury department stores, there are individual designer shops, and then there is Ikram. The power piece, the dreamy dress, the over-the-top piece of jewelry can all be found here and you will pay the price. But if your objective is to stand out and be decked out, there is only one place to go. The cafe is a treasure for those who can only window shop and want to savor a bit of the Ikram experience. I give it 4 out of 5 only because it is intimidating for some and, well, everyone wants a good sale every now and then that I have yet to see here.

My boss needed a favor -- a gift for his wife. He is inundated with work and I offered to shop with some guidance from him. He wanted a "statement" necklace. He gave me a price range and a few of his wife's preferences. Hard to shop for someone else when you've only met once. Armed with a bit of knowledge -- and HIS credit card, off I went. Initially I thought of David Yurman or John Hardy. Then I remembered reading about Ikram but had not been since I can't afford their stuff. Really wanted to find something unique and not run of the mill. Gold Star for ME!! I headed out early to avoid crowds and was probably the 1st or 2nd customer in the place. I announced that I was like the girl in "Pretty Woman" -- not that they had to suck up to me but I had $$$ to spend. Very nice sales guy (Ryan) showed me several pieces right in the price range and we narrowed it down. He let me send photos to my boss and we all agreed on the same piece. Only snafu was the credit card. They needed to fax my boss a form, he had to sign and fax back. (I actually appreciated that they were careful about this). Took a few minutes so I went up to their cafe and had an AMAZING little lunch. This is not a place for everyone. This is definitely for upper-bracket only. But when I can spend someone else's money, it's just as much fun having the experience. The wait staff ALL helped (calling, faxing, writing up, wrapping) and it was a terrific experience. If anyone needs me to shop on their dime -- I'm all yours. Rather than review the cafe separately, I'll just say it was delightful. Had a terrific burrata/prosciutto/apple plate with toast that was the perfect amount. Very pleasant and I hope to be able to do it again.

The clothes featured in the store is worth perusing through. Gorgeous gowns for gala evenings or sexy, slinky dresses for a cocktail party are the main draws. But the price tag is enough to scare most away.

Any true fashionista knows that this is one of the best places to shop in Chicago. Intelligent and interesting the owner is clearly well traveled and has a second sense for selecting the best of the best. Excellent-- just walk by their window to be inspired.

I made my first venture to Ikram today and was not disappointed. A vast selection of sale items, including Lanvin, Valentino, Rick Owens and Thakoon. The most pleasant surprise was the salesgirl, Catherine, who was sweet, genuine and not the least bit snooty. Pricey, yes, but worth the trip even just to admire.

Very exclusive. clothes would be even more expensive in LA or New York. Some unique items.Chicago is lucky to have a fashionista like Ikram. I will be back.

The new Ikram store opens and the cafe is a much anticipated to the Chicago Lunch scene. Innovative Fresh juice offerings @ $8 a pop (bit annoying only because I dont know if it was organic) but delicious nonetheless. Fantastic Ham Sandwich, wheat berry salad. All fresh and nice portions. Fab. service! Great host(gave me the wifi code), amazing server, friendly attitudes all around. For starters(complimentary), a handsome bowl of crusty bread, breakfast radishes and warm gourgères! A lovely place, great for a solo quick lunch or a business meeting.

This is for their cafe. LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing food, excellent beverages, not pricey and totally wonderful ambiance. I absolutely love coming here. When I walk in, I cannot help but stay downstairs and drool. But alas, my hunger forces me upstairs where I'm treated very well by an attentive and friendly staff. I just wish they were open later for dinner, then I would go more often.

Extremely sophisticated clothing, great for the workplace and some really classy styles for evening wear. Pricey but extraordinary quality and lots of items from high end designers

Ikram is a fashionista's heaven. Although expensive, the often-couture pieces are hard to come by. Ikram puts Chicago on the fashion map with brands that are even hard to find in NY and LA. If you have an unlimited budget and need a gown, head here.

unfortunately I agree with most of the reviews talking about the poor costumer service, and how you feel treated like a shoplifter during your entire visit. The staff really have an attitude, and an air of superiority that makes you think twice about buying anything.

My new fav place! Love the people, the clothes, the service! Such great and unique items! What would I do with ought the great bag I got

The staff there is rude. I went in there looking for a particular jewelry designer and when going near the glass case they wiped it down like three seconds after we went to go look at something else. The girl helping was beyond obnoxious saying we don't carry "costume jewelry" when it was a designer from New York that I was looking for that was very high end and just couldn't recall the name. My friend who was with me and I both vowed to never go back, it's too bad because I liked their merchandise, but will go to other boutiques and spend my money elsewhere. Hope they close.

I would really give this store 4-5 stores if the service was high quality. But it's not. It's a beautiful store, & I would shop here frequently. When you come in, it is almost always empty. There are always 4-5 employees sort of standing around. They may look at you as you walk in, and one may mumble a "Hi" but that's as far as the customer service goes. I came in (& just to paint a picture here) I was dressed very nice, with a very nice handbag, and only one of the employees mumbled Hello towards me, and then proceeded to FOLLOW me around the entire store as I looked. Literally hovering behind me. I would take one step to the shoes, she would take one step towards the shoes. It was very, very uncomfortable and quite frankly really pissed me off that they hover behind you like that. But not once did she say "Oh, would you like to try that on?" If I touched a top she would come right behind me and straighten it out. Really?? How is that a fun or relaxing shopping experience for anyone? I would try on a pair of sunglasses and she would stand there, watch me, then hover behind until I put them back. Then she would move them a quarter of an inch to the 'proper' spot. So, not sure what is up with the employee's extreme attitude problems, but they should all really take a seminar in customer service and relations.

I have been to Ikram several times and this last visit had me concerned that it had gone downhill. They were having a sale, which was great, and the clothing itself was high end and stylish. My problem was the appearance of the merchandise in the store. The shoe section looked terrible- shoes piled everywhere haphazardly and stacked on top of one another on the floor. More shoes were seemingly deliberately piled on top of the bench where you sit to try them on- I saw a salesperson throwing piles of them on it. Very unappealing when shoes are still over a grand on sale. Clothes were hung so closely together it was difficult to see anything. It honestly looked like a Nordstrom Rack. I was very surprised and disappointed. I hope this is not a regular thing- maybe the owner was on vacation and people got a little loose.

I highly recommend Marcin as a personal stylist for your special occasion needs. He was the consummate professional and exceeded our expectations. We called ahead to let him know that we were shopping for an outfit to wear to the White House National Prayer Breakfast. I provided him with measurements and sizes and he took it from there. He googled images online to find out what appropriate attire would be and then had a private room ready with fifteen options when we arrived. The service was top notch with great attention to details. My client was so pleased with the options and had a hard time choosing. Marcin offered advice and assistance without being pushy. The in house tailor worked her magic and then we relaxed upstairs with a lovely lunch. So glad we took a chance on a new place and struck gold!

ooooooooh, it's hard to put into words how fabulous this store really is. the best style money can buy & so well displayed. brilliant salespeople who are so nice & helpful. they make appropriate suggestions but all the while make you more fashionable with their picks...you'll fall in love with a dress you'd never have tried on your own. there are gorgeous evening gowns and a fantastic selection of fashionable yet fun cocktail dresses. the display of accessories is wonderful and imaginative, beautiful belts looped around ladders and bags you will dream about. the dressing room is my dream closet, with floor to ceiling mirrors in a octagonal room.

Without a doubt, this store is the best shopping destination in the United States, and a serious global competitor. The service I had was great: the staff was friendly and attentive, and went the extra mile to make sure I walked away looking my best. The wide array of designers is unparalleled. You won't find designers like Rodarte or Creatures of The Wind anywhere else in Chicago. This store is a fashionista's heaven! Also, the café upstairs is delicious and affordable. In case you can't buy the Alaia gown, you can always walk away with a good meal and great people watching.

ikram is by far the most special store I've ever been to in my entire life. From the brilliant exterior architecture, to the carefully curated clothing, to the warm culture set by the beautiful Ikram herself. Every time I enter the store, I comb through the racks of beautiful fashion in awe. Whenever I leave the store with a red ikram shopping bag over my shoulder, I know I've bought a piece that will be in my closet forever.

I live in the burbs and do not have a fancy life, but I appreciate quality and wanted to visit Iram's new space, which I did the other day. I'm easily intimidated in stores like this, but I have to say, the staff were great. At first glance I thought that I wouldn't wear any of the clothes they have, but one of the salesperson's walked me thru many items and I thought, yes, I probably would wear that! I looked at a ring, they don't put prices on the jewelry, so she had to take a big binder out to find the price, it was $33,000!! In my mind I thought it would be around $3,000. Clothes are displayed on straight racks on hangers, so that can be difficult, jeans are folded, as are sweaters. I'm sure there is a good reason why they do this, but I don't like to have to unfold a lot of items to see them. Overall, I will be back, when they have a sale. Chicago is lucky to have a store like this, if you can afford to shop there.

although we don't have the moolah to shop here on a regular basis, we always stop in for inspiration. fresh from the pages of Vogu, W and Elle.... you'll find everything a real fashionista needs.