Ikram

LOVE.
Wish they carried men’s stuff… a very small selection of men’s stuff in small size means my son is the lucky one.
Beautiful selection for ladies. Comprehensive. Most pretty high end.
My salesperson Ines is very good and attentive. Also another lady whose name i do not know (highlights of blue in hair) very sweet.
Once their doorman/​security guy looked at me like i was a homeless and asked me what he could do for me… wtf.
Anyways all good and I am so happy this shop is in Chicago.

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!

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.

This is for their café. 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.

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 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

3 — 4 stars for the café: The café (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.

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.

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 1^st or 2^nd 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 café 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 café 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.

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.

If I had not known someone who knew about the café in this place, I never would have gone. The clothing store is definitely expensive, the but café (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 café 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.

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.

My review is for the café 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!

The new Ikram store opens and the café 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.

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.

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.

I like a snooty attitude when I am looking at singular items of clothing that cost more than I make in a month. Survival of the fashion fittest, I say. Stunningly beautiful selection, clearly hand-​picked and I would venture to say curated. Doesn’t even make me sad that I interviewed there a couple of years ago only to not be hired. I have to admit that it stung a little. I know that I am not a ‘0’ but I know more about fashion than any of the Gold Coast bubble heads and can get people to fork over cash (or credit)…too bad, I still love you Ikram.

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 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.

Who else in Chicago gets stockist detail in Vogue?
I didn’t think so.