Custom Services & Events
The Curio partners with brands, venues, and agencies to create high-impact, custom fashion and cultural programming in Chicago—designed to meet specific business objectives while delivering memorable, audience-driven experiences.
From concept to execution, we work as a strategic partner, leveraging our deep roots in the Chicago fashion ecosystem and our track record of producing culturally relevant, brand-safe events.
Explore our core areas of expertise—and select examples of programs we’ve produced to date.
Areas of Expertise:
Cynthia Rowley, Nigel Barker & Maria Pinto The Bayoud Twins sit front row Designer Sheila Rashid and GuestsAudience Procurement & Guest Strategy
Planning an event that requires a highly targeted audience of desirable consumers, influencers, VIPs, tastemakers, and/or local media?
We specialize in building curated guest lists aligned with brand goals—ensuring the right people are in the room to drive visibility, credibility, and engagement.
Content & Creative Partnership
Looking to integrate a credible fashion, artistic, or cultural component into your event or activation?
The Curio serves as a content partner, connecting brands with best-in-class Chicago fashion designers, photographers, content creators, stylists, and creative professionals. Our relationships and curatorial lens ensure programming that feels authentic, elevated, and culturally relevant.
Event Production & Execution
Since launching in mid-2022, The Curio produces 15+ events a year for both our own platform and collaborative partners.
Our experience spans:
Runway shows & fashion presentations
Fashion exhibitions & installations
Panel discussions & cultural conversations
Networking & social events
Retail & consumer-facing experiences
Press launches & media moments
Open talent calls
Our team brings decades of combined experience, producing everything from intimate 20-person dinners to 2,000-person runway shows across New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Chicago.
Program Concepting & Strategic Development
Have a goal in mind—but need help shaping the right program to achieve it?
We work with partners to concept and design custom experiences that maximize impact, align with brand values, and take full advantage of our expertise in fashion, style, and the Chicago market. Whether starting with a blank slate or refining an existing idea, we help translate objectives into compelling, executable programs.
Through our established relationships with venues, production vendors, modeling agencies, beauty brands, experiential specialists, and strategic brand partners—including beverage and lifestyle sponsors that can help offset costs—we provide turnkey solutions that streamline production, reduce friction, and create added value for clients.
SELECT PAST CUSTOM PROJECTS
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SC Johnson & Blue Paradox Sustainable Fashion Show
Content Partner / Audience Procurement / Event Production
The Curio was brought on by SC Johnson’s celebrity agency (The Krim Group) to help create a credible evening revolving around sustainable fashion on Earth Day.
We concepted the parameters for a designer open call, concepted and executed a fashion show of 20 selected designers, hired all of the best-in-class production partners needed to execute a flawless event, and helped to procure key members of the media, fashion industry and influencers to attend the private dinner, panel, and runway show.
The event which drew cast members from Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med, generated national & local press including In Touch, Extra TV, Just Jared, Parade, and NBC Chicago.
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Driehaus Fashion Awards Spring 2024 & 2025
Audience Procurement / Content Creation / Event Services
After a 4 year absence, the Driehaus Design Initiative tapped The Curio to help bring back the legendary awards which began in 2001 showcasing the best design talent curated from Chicago’s top three fashion schools:.
The Curio was responsible for helping curate a great audience for both the 2024 and 2025 editions of this invitation-only event. We helped fill the front row with top fashion & style influencers and industry leaders.
We ran the front-of-house and handled the guest list, and recruitment and oversight of a staff of 35. We also handled all content creation for the Driehaus Design Initiative social channels for the 3 months surrounding the event.
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Azeeza x Curio Archival Sample Sale & Reception
Event Services & Audience Procurement
Leading Chicago fashion designer Azeeza Khan tapped The Curio to host a special sample sale of her archival wares for a curated audience of high-end fashion consumers.
The Curio was responsible for staffing and creating the event experience, marketing the event, and procuring the vast majority of attendees.
The event was a success with a full house over the 3 hours and brisk sales.
The event was one of several custom retail events The Curio has been involved with including those with celebrity stylist Janet Mandell, FGI Rising Star Finalist NICZKA, and Christina Karin.
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10 MGMT x The Curio Content Creator Open Call & Panel
Content Creator Procurement
The Curio was tapped by talent agency 10 MGMT due to its extensive relationships with Chicago based fashion/style/lifestyle content creators to co-host an open call for such individuals for consideration for agency representation.
The event’s panel that was part of the event held at 900 Shops was hosted by Britney Turner with content creator / influencers Robyn Harris (CEO, Model Atelier/Confidence Apparel), Evan Marshall (COO, Black Menswear), and Helen Berkun (Fashion/Lifestyle Content Creator).
The event was a big success for partner 10 MGMT with a full house of attendees which resulted in the agency signing several rising star content creators to their roster and increasing awareness of their content creator division with fashion industry leaders
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Media Announcement Event for Chicago Fashion Week
Program Concept, Development & Execution
The Curio was a partner for Chicago Fashion Week Media Announcement Event hosted by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the CEO of Choose Chicago, Richard Gamble.
The Curio Principals (Ian Gerard & Maggie Gillette) had created the framework for Chicago Fashion Week, secured City support for the program, brought on partners including The Four Seasons to host the event, 10 MGMT as modeling agency partner, and Zzazz Productions to produce the fashion presentation segment. Ian & Maggie stepped away from Chicago Fashion Week that July to focus on The Curio’s programming which included the Official Opening Night Show for Fashion Week.
The media event generated over 10 million media impressions with coverage in Chicago Sun-Times, Time-Out Chicago, Newcity, Fashionista, and a dozen other media outlets.
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The Curio co-hosts Janet Mandell Step into Spring Event
Audience & Partner Procurement
The Curio was tapped by celebrity fashion stylist Janet Mandell (Chicago/LA/NY) to co-hosted a Sip & Shop sales event at Janet Mandell’s beautiful 6,000 sq ft showroom at 900 N Michigan Shops along with Curio alum, women’s shoe designer Zak Rodriguez of Il Fratellino.
The Curio was responsible for bringing on the event’s wine partner and with inviting key fashion content creators & affluent fashion-inspired consumers to attend the invitation-only event.
The event drew a full-house of potential consumers for Janet’s services along with stylists and key fashion/style content creators including the Bayoud Twins, Meiling Jin, NBC’s Cortney Hall and America’s Next Top Model Winner Jaslene Gonzalez.
Get In Touch
If you're potentially interested in working with us, you can email us directly at ian.gerard@thecurioexperience.com or you complete the form with a few details about your project.
We'll review your message and get back to you within 24 hours.