Jessica Herman

Whether you're the type to drool over a pair of sharp-as-a-razor shears or you're simply looking to add some frill to your frock, Soutache (2125 North Damen) welcomes anyone interested in embellishment.

Trained as a fashion designer with years of experience working in home furnishings, Chicago native Maili Powell wanted to open some kind of shop that Chicago was missing. After a little research, she realized that while chain stores such as Jo-Ann Fabrics offer boxes of trimmings, some customers may find the lack of emphasis on presentation off-putting. Five weeks ago she opened Soutache (French for "braid"), a high-end trimming boutique that emphases presentation as much as selection.

Powell covers her tables with books on the art of ribbon design and items that she's customized, like a pillow with pearl trimming and feather wreaths, to show customers ways get creative with the goodies at hand. Design boards at the store's entrance showcase the latest trends in colors and patterns gracing the pages of magazines.

Soutache's selection includes tortoise shell, wooden and bamboo belt buckles and purse handles, silk flowers, buttons made from animal horn and abalone, billowing strands of peacock and ostrich feathers, suede tassels, gold beaded butterflies, rabbit fur flower patches and ribbons galore-twisted and fuzzy like pipe cleaners, polka-dotted grosgrain and drizzled with black and gold beads. Prices run anywhere from 80 cents for a yard of solid color trimming to $72 for a yard of fancy Japanese ribbon. Vintage trimmings are few and far between, and the home furnishings section is in the process of bulking up.

With a work desk twice the size of a billiard table in the back room, Powell plans on offering design classes covering topics like hat making, braiding and blocking.

(2006-01-10)

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