MARIMO'S 1ST TRUNKSHOW IN CHICAGO

Chicago… I never expected that one city could surprise me so much. Not just with its cold temperature or the beautiful Christmas decorations everywhere, but with how at home it feels. Although the schedule was intense, the experience was uplifting. It reminded me how much can happen when the right people, preparation, and a bit of luck come together. I wanted to share a more personal behind-the-scenes look at how it all unfolded.

Preparing for the Trip

Preparation for this trip began well before we left Estonia. From the Marimo boutique, I packed 54 pieces from our collections - carefully chosen to showcase different fabrics, silhouettes, and styling possibilities. In addition to that, I brought 10 pieces prepared specifically for Vinh’s fitting, I was planning to do all alone. Altogether, we travelled with four large suitcases, you can imagine how long the packing took - luckily we managed together with Caroliina to pack all the pieces very neatly.

One of the more unexpected decisions I made was to purchase brand-new clothing racks in the U.S., despite not knowing what I would do with them afterwards. The hotel was prepared to send their racks to our rooms, but those were… well, let’s say they would be more suitable for a warehouse than a trunk show. I tried rental options, but they all looked tired and I knew that presentation would set the tone for the entire experience. So eventually I made a bold decision: I would buy new ones. Directly to the hotel. So I ordered elegant, sturdy racks to be delivered directly to the hotel - a slightly risky choice, considering their size and the uncertainty of what would happen to them later.

A few days before the trip, the hotel had sent me a message asking if I had any special requests. I wrote back, “YES, I'm getting a big package sent to the hotel… or two!” Thankfully, it turned out not to be as dramatic as I feared.

Arriving and Getting Everything Set Up

After a long flight, we reached the hotel with only about an hour and half before my first client was due to arrive. I had expected this part to be stressful - and it was - but the hotel staff made everything unbelievably smooth. They found my delivered package within minutes, brought up a full-length mirror without hesitation, and when I mentioned that we might need some champagne for the appointments, it was no problem. Even arranging storage for the racks was simple, something I had assumed would be complicated. Their helpful attitude made a big difference.

Before my first client appointment we had to assemble the clothing racks, unpack the collection, make the space feel inviting, and somehow make myself look presentable again after 16 hours of travel. Thankfully Raido helped screw the racks together while I arranged the clothing. The moment I saw the room began to take shape, I knew buying the racks had been the right call. They helped create the elegant atmosphere I wanted and when everyone who walked through the door said: “Wow… this looks beautiful.” all the rushing and problem-solving suddenly felt worth it.

Stylists, New Contacts and Opportunities

Chicago surprised me with how open and collaborative the fashion community is. I met with a wonderful stylist Rachel and her client Molly. Rachel connected me with another stylist I’m planning to meet soon to explore whether Marimo pieces could be stocked in her boutique.

I also attended a third stylist's event on Friday evening. The atmosphere felt familiar and comfortable - women were trying on pieces over a glass of champagne, conversations, and a general appreciation for craftsmanship. It reinforced how important these in-person connections are when entering a new market.

I’ll likely return to Chicago in early February for a smaller event and a few key meetings. Also there might be an upcoming charity event in March, where one of our sets could possibly be part of an auction and a designer pop-up - fingers crossed! It seems to be exactly the right audience for us. Beside taking part of these potential events, I’m planning to organize our own trunk show again, but this time make it bigger and better. The goals are clear: more stylists, more media, and a stronger presence.

A Carefully Timed Day With a photoshoot

One more exciting part was that we flew our photographer, Eddy Ballardi, in all the way from New York. We had previously worked with him during our NYC photoshoot, so it felt amazing to collaborate again. Because we had to fit the shoot between different meetings, the entire day required careful planning.  

We had planned to capture some shots at the Christmas market, but it turned out to be very disappointing - no Christmas tree, no magical atmosphere, just a square-shaped area with food stalls in a row and a few random lights. It didn’t inspire us at all. Thankfully, the hotel was very kind to let us shoot in their beautiful lobby and everything else flowed smoothly from there. It was a long, tightly coordinated day, but working with Eddy made it feel smooth and inspiring.

A 3.5-hour appointment with Vinh

One of the most challenging tasks during my trip was to do a fitting with our dear client Vinh while being in a totally different environment than I'm used to. But it was all worth it! 

Doing such a long and detailed fitting alone was challenging: the room lighting wasn’t ideal, the mirror was small, and the atelier had prepared 10 pieces for us to fit! That is a lot of details to capture and not to miss anything or forget anything. It took us 2.5h with the fitting. But it was also incredibly rewarding.

After the fitting she got a chance to try on pieces I had set up for the trunk show. I had color cards with me so it was an hour of discussing the next pieces in detail - fit, length, colors, combinations. Vinh told me she rarely buys clothes from stores anymore, because nothing fits her well, while Marimo pieces work for her even when her weight fluctuates. Hearing that meant a lot - it’s exactly why I care so much about fit and construction. She asked to let her know when I’m back and She’ll fly in again!

Looking Ahead

This trip was full, sometimes tiring, but ultimately very encouraging. The entire city was beautifully decorated. Every business display window and building had thoughtful arrangements and festive wreaths. The hotel also had a calm and elegant holiday feeling, which made us feel at home. Chicago feels like a place where a real community could grow for us - slowly, but with intention. I left with the feeling that this city and these people feel right, and that we’re taking the right steps forward.

Warmly,