Every new fashion season brings its discoveries, but few designers in recent memory have made a splashier arrival to the scene than Marie Adam-Leenaerdt. Chicago style guru Ikram Goldman, for one, calls the Belgian designer her favorite find of the season. “I am absolutely madly in love with her spirit and with her collection,” Goldman says of the Brussels- based designer, who graduated from La Cambre in Brussels in 2020 and launched her eponymous brand in 2023. “She is someone to really watch for in terms of collecting, wearability and the future of fashion. She’s spectacularly divine.”
Goldman is particularly captivated by the collection’s print dresses, enthusing, “They are so chic, and the colors she uses are spectacular.” For all the collection’s polish, the River North boutique owner sees it as clothing meant to be lived in and worn with intention. “Whenever you want to feel spectacular, that’s where I would wear it,” she says. “Anytime you want to stand out without looking like everybody else, this is the collection.” Perhaps most impressive? Goldman is convinced that Adam-Leenaerdt’s moment is only beginning. “She’s under-the-radar, but she’s so worth watching,” sums up Goldman. “This is a generational talent.” 15 E. Huron St., ikram.com