Fashionably modest
By the time she entered Kaneland High School, Summer Bellessa was a successful model.
Her friends would tear out pictures of her from Glamour and Cosmopolitan magazines ads and use them to cover their text books.
Bellessa, who grew up in Sugar Grove, spent her spring breaks strutting runways around the world. Her fashion and modeling career continued to thrive after high school.
As she got older, and her friends started having babies, she noticed these young mothers would hide or throw away their fashion magazines because they didn't want to expose young children to the racy ads and photos.
That's when Bellessa had her "light bulb moment," as Oprah would call it.
Bellessa saw a market for a more modest fashion magazine. It would still feature fashion, lifestyle, health and entertainment, but it would be mom-friendly with smart writing and photos you wouldn't be embarrassed to show a young girl.
Bellessa, 27, who now lives with her husband in Los Angeles, launched the quarterly magazine "Eliza" in June.
Bellessa is Mormon but says her faith was not a driving force behind the magazine.
"Wanting a positive magazine without nudity and with clothes that are wearable has been appreciated by people of all backgrounds," she said.
So far, Eliza's received tremendous response, Bellessa said. At the moment, the only way to get a copy in Chicago is to buy an online subscription ($13.95, www.elizamagazine.com).
The magazine should appear in major bookstores in the next few months.
Thursday ...
• Lord & Taylor will begin selling Osmotics, a line of "cosmeceutical" and therapeutic skin care products. The brand is best known for its fine-line removing LED (Light Emitting Diode) Photo Rejuvenation System.
• FAO Schwarz will return to Chicago, but not on Michigan Avenue. Rather, it'll be a section in the kids department at Macy's State Street store. The famous FAO Schwarz store on North Michigan Avenue closed in 2002.
• Benefit Cosmetics will open its first Benefit Eye Brow Bar in the Midwest at Macy's, 111 N. State Street, Chicago. The bar's aestheticians can professionally shape eyebrows quickly with no appointment necessary.
• The home accessories store Material Possessions, 945 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, will host two trunk shows featuring Nava Zahavi's handmade jewelry. The shows are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
More special events
Ali Kat, 499 Pennsylvania Ave., Glen Ellyn, has two events planned for early November.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Chicago jewelry designer Dana Reed will do a trunk show.
Then, from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 8, the store will host "Makeup with Michael," featuring Michael Perich from CAMP Cosmetics.
Where to buy Mutsy
In the Sept. 26 column, we listed an incorrect Web site for where to buy Mutsy strollers. They are available at www.barebabies.com, www.tinyride.com or at local Galt Toys stores.