Shop these Black and brown-owned vintage retailers to complete your Renaissance World Tour looks
To find Renaissance World Tour-related parties happening in Chicago, visit The Scene by The TRiiBE.
Can you feel that? Beyoncé is coming.
Yes, Queen Mother of the Beyhive is bringing her Renaissance World Tour to Chicago for two nights at Soldier Field on July 22 and 23. Kicking off overseas in Sweden in May, the tour and its costumes has been sending fans into a frenzy. With coveted tickets that sold out instantly (and are currently skyrocketing in resale), some folks found themselves planning trips to their favorite international and U.S. cities just to see one of 2022’s best albums brought to life.
While concert and festival wear have become their own staple of the fashion industry, coinciding with the boom of mega-fests from Coachella in California to Lovers & Friends in Las Vegas over the last 15 years, the Renaissance World Tour is inspiring some of the most creative, editorial, and stunning D.I.Y. looks music fans have seen in some time.
As Beyoncé honors the ballroom scene pioneered by queer Black and brown folks in the 1980s, ‘90s, and beyond, devotees have followed suit; turning out themed looks and presenting off-the-rack threads in ways that honor disco and house music’s past and look to the future. The process is a callback to the days of thrifting as a means of reinvention and personal style discovery that helped redefine glamour, as well as street and ready-to-wear clothes for generations to come.
Still looking to complete your Renaissance ‘fit for her Chicago tour stop, or any other date you may be traveling to? These Black and brown-owned vintage and vintage-inspired retailers may have exactly what you need, as well as some tips on how to put it all together.
Gilda Designer Thrift Boutique (Hyde Park):
Looking for a few truly special pieces that could stand next to the designer garments in Beyonce’s own closet? Visit Gilda Norris at her namesake store in Hyde Park and simply ask her to do her thing. If you’re a tried-and-true fashion fiend, this is the spot for you.
For Norris, a good find starts with quality fabric—something she’s always had an eye for. Growing up with a designer and seamstress mother and pattern-making grandmother, she was exposed to the power in choosing the right textiles at a young age. Leather, wool, silk, she can spot it all. And as a Black woman in the vintage, thrift, and luxury-buying business for over 20 years, she knows the worth in that. It’s fueled her ambition to bring exceptionally-curated, high-end names, unique pieces, and standout up-and-coming brands under her umbrella.
Now after seven years, she’s closing on July 28 and moving back to New York to be with her family with the goal of one day returning to Chicago with a mobile boutique. To celebrate her time in the city and give back to longtime customers and newfound appreciators, Norris has put everything on deep discount. We’re talking about a Chanel blouse for $50.
“I wanted to offer something different to the people here in Chicago,” Norris reflects. “[Designer resale] is part of my success and it’s given me a reputation, but I like the fact that the people who’ve patronized me all these years are able to come and take advantage of the sales. People deserve it. The people in Hyde Park are fabulous. One girl described the boutique as, ‘This is where fashion meets community.’ And that’s exactly what it is.”
Make your way over before the store’s doors close on July 28. Open Tuesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday afternoons from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; 1553 E. Hyde Park Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60615
Bronzeville Boutique by Lady Mocha (Bronzeville):
Since 1991, the Bronzeville Boutique by Lady Mocha has been consciously size-inclusive to ensure all women feel confident and beautiful in their skin. The store has maintained a loyal client base through reliability—on both staff and product, carrying everything from buildable basics to special occasion wear.
Like Beyoncé’s costumes, inventory ranges from bold and embellished to understated sexy and soft and romantic. For Renaissance weekend in Chicago, we suggest shopping the Unleashed collection of Lady Mocha’s exclusive designs. From the avant-garde, mirrored “Liberation” two-piece to asymmetrical, iridescent dresses bound to sparkle in those flashing lights, the capsule pieces are statement enough. The boutique also carries a number of cutout jumpsuits, floor-length bandage dresses with feather accents, and patterned two-pieces up to size 3X.
Visit Mondays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; 4259 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago, IL 60653
Hustla Boutique (West Town):
Hustla Boutique has been outfitting women and men since 2019 in an array of trendy and vintage-inspired fashion referencing the 1980s, ‘90s, and Y2K. The store also carries handbags, accessories, and shoes, making it a literal one-stop-shop for your concert needs if you’re a little late in getting your look together.
Dresses and jumpsuits are abundant, but the real fun in what Hustla has to offer is in mix-and-matching its standout separates. If you’ve wanted to feel like a 2000s music video baddie, a little Bey circa Destiny’s Child or early “Dangerously In Love,” stop by.
Shop in-person on Wednesdays throughSaturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; 1431 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60642
Her & Ziba (Ravenswood):
Elhom Karbassi at Her & Ziba learned quickly — after Taylor Swift fans flooded the store when the Eras Tour hit Soldier Field for something to wear — that concert fashion has evolved. Ahead of this Renaissance weekend, she set-up a special section inside with items she thinks fans are looking for, including sequins, bright ‘70s dresses, and vintage lingerie. She’s even helped two friends put together their ‘fits for the recent Nashville and upcoming Atlanta shows.
“When you’re planning your concert outfit, you need to think about what’s going to look hot and make you feel good and feel excited to be there, but also, you want to be comfortable because you’re seeing Beyoncé and you want to be able to dance and have a good time,” Karbassi said.
Opening its brick-and-mortar location with former business partner Leslie Castromayor in fall 2022, the shop–born out of frustration with the gatekept, white-run vintage community in Chicago and its exclusivity–has also become a favored destination for genderqueer and gender-nonconforming folks looking for an affirming experience.
“Talking to my friends, who were raised in a different gender than how they identify, about how hard and intimidating it can be to go into a store and find clothes that make them feel good, its become important to me to make sure everyone coming in feels comfortable,” Karbassi recounted. “You’re taught to dress one way, but want to express yourself in a different way and don’t know how to. That can be really hard. I can help them sort through what that looks like and figure out sizing and styling, and understand how to dress for themselves.”
Browse through the racks on Thursdays from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. before the shop moves to Humboldt Park in September; 4919 N. Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625
Pheve Vintage (Online only with local pick-up available. DM for purchase):
Phylicia Manley’s approach to thrifting and vintage collection comes from her parents. Growing up in Quincy, Il., the thrill of the hunt was a shared family activity; its own love language.
Those memories buoyed Manley after the loss of her mom in 2020 and ultimately led her to founding Pheve Vintage in 2022 as a way to honor her legacy. “Pheve” is made of both their names—Phylicia and Evelyn— and, in a wonderful twist, has come to mean “trinket” in French (but spelled fève).
Focusing primarily on what she calls her “little treasures,”colorful, statement jewelry and accessories, Manley was drawn to their universality and inclusivity, considering gender and size-lessness and mainstream vintage’s reluctance to accommodate. Apart from accent pieces, she does keep an eye out for funky vintage threads like printed vests and raw silk blouses, available in a range of sizes.
“Anyone can wear it,” Manley explains of her penchant for using little, more budget-conscious things to upstyle a look. “You can amplify an outfit, whether it’s a touch of a broach or a nice, artful-looking, dangly earring, or it’s a necklace you’re going to tie with a scarf to make a belt to elevate an outfit. That is really important to me.”
“If someone even just wants one piece that I’m able to curate,” she continues, “I hope others will see it and know it’s from Pheve.”
Shop via Instagram or catch Pheve Vintage at upcoming makers markets including Randolph Street Market and Sundays on State.