Ikram Goldman is the owner of the eponymous Gold Coast boutique Ikram. I ran into Ikram after the Prabal Gurung show at Lincoln Center yesterday. It is no exaggeration to say that she is the most important figure in the Chicago fashion scene. She is also a super cool person with a reputation for making her clients feel comfortable and at ease, a skill that comes in handy when encouraging Chicago’s well-heeled set to take the risk and buy that Comme Des Garçons top or brocade Balmain suit.

Ikram carries a variety of high fashion and avant-garde designers including Alaïa, Proenza Schouler, and Lanvin. She is also known for purchasing exclusive looks from premier designers like Rodarte that are available at no other department stores or boutiques – a practice that regularly earns her the extremely rare stockist credit in Vogue editorials.

Anyone who says Chicago isn’t fashionable obviously hasn’t met Ikram Goldman.