David Syrek

2010: Alexander McQueen dies Designer Alexander McQueen in 2010, and a look from his Fall 2009 collection. The news that Alexander McQueen had died at the age of 40 shook the fashion world to its c…

Just as you’re recovering from the holiday gift madness, it’s time again to find the perfect present. Yes, it’s almost Valentine’s Day. Thoughtful, check. Personal, check. R…

Since hand-washing has become the national pastime, we set out to find Chicago’s top soap shop. Meet Merz Apothecary, the Lincoln Square shop that’s been selling natural lotions and pot…

Work from home is in full force, and your Zoom conferences aren’t just showing your colleagues what your home looks like; they’re also getting an up-close look at the toll that the pand…

Chicago resale shops open with safety precautions. With surge in quarantine spring cleaning, potential treasures await thrifters.

Lollapalooza has been a fixture in Chicago for 15 years, and in that time has evolved into a social gathering that celebrates style as much as it does music. Each year is defined not only by the pe…

With COVID-19 making working from home the new normal, and as people are realizing that this situation might go on for the foreseeable future, finding enough space and quiet to concentrate and get …

In anticipation of winter coat season, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals demonstrated Wednesday outside of luxury coat-maker Canada Goose’s flagship store on North Michigan Aven…

After moving to Chicago and immersing himself in the city’s street art scene, Wicker Park graphic designer and engineer Ian Firestone started his Be Optimistic art brand and associated Instag…

If you’re stuck on what to get the fashionista in your life and looking for a gift that looks like a splurge but didn’t break the bank, we’ve got you covered. Serious style isn’t about how expensive something is; it’s more about the impact that it makes. Case in point: Zara’s over-the-top cool beaded glass rose earrings or designer Matteo Monni’s whimsical take on the classic stovetop espresso maker. Both make a big statement at a small price, and both are guaranteed to be a big hit. Alleviate s…

Make time for a little self-care. Here are a few ways to get more exercise, create a cozy home, and get a better night’s sleep.

Design matters when it comes to the big stuff like a house, a car, or even a pair of eyeglasses, but when that same attention to detail is placed on the small, utilitarian objects that we live with, it can transform our homes and show us how the small things that surround us can make the daily grind a little nicer. Danish design brand HAY has become known for tweaking everyday objects and turning them into happy, attention-grabbing focal points for the home. Take the brand’s colorful folded Pap…

Even a slip-on shoe requires some use of your hands to adjust the tongue or pull up the back of the heel, but not with the Nike GO FlyEase.

It’s been a long winter — make that a long year — but spring is right around the corner with a renewed sense of optimism, more sunshine and more fresh air. If you want to get a ju…

Shortly after the pandemic took hold last year, putting us under stay-at-home orders and keeping many of us working from home, the idea of getting properly dressed seemed pointless. We had nowhere …

Corncob soup and watermelon rind jam! Ikea’s new cookbook, ‘ScrapsBook,’ puts food scraps on the menu — and it’s free.

The COVID-19 gardening boom that started last summer is going strong for 2021 as gardening centers are seeing people starting earlier and not letting limited outdoor space get in the way of plantin…

Your summer travel plans may still be on hold, but after more than a year of living in near isolation, and vaccinations allowing us more freedom, it’s time to bring together your family and friends to catch up and celebrate summer. The 2021 outdoor entertaining season is ramping up with inventive designs that bring indoor style outdoors and break away from the expected. 100-year-old Italian glassmaker Ichendorf Milano has collaborated with artists and designers to produce whimsical collections t…

Graduation season is here, so if you’re looking for the perfect gift to help the recent grad in your life get a head start on their new adventure, we’ve rounded up 14 useful gifts that …

For the second project in a series of storytelling products to be released sequentially throughout the summer New York product designer Nik Bentel set out to create the perfect summer dress by look…