Larisa - Owner
The daughter of a psychotherapist & local entrepreneur, Larisa grew up in Lincoln Park & though she spent years in LA & Central America, she circled back to Chicago when she had her son, who is now a college student at Macalester. Larisa studied set & costume design at UCLA. She purchased the business from Georgette in 2015 knowing little about lingerie. Luckily she had Bella to guide her, and together they found their way & built the business. Now Larisa not only loves styling peoples lingerie, swim & sleepwear, she’s completely fluent in bras, bra-fitting, & brands. Larisa enjoys traveling to New York & Paris to find treasures for the shop. What people enjoy about Larisa is her honesty & meticulous eye.
Erika - Making Bras Fun
Erika has been in the lingerie business for years, and it’s truly her calling. She has a very creative approach to lingerie & swimwear, and always brings a fresh perspective that makes working with her a joy. She was a manager at Soma when she & Larisa met. Once she visited Chantilly Lace and saw the broad selection she never looked back. Erika has helped build the business up from a tiny shop to a tiny super power. She knows the bra world extremely well & has enjoyed traveling to New York & Paris on buying excursions.
Park - Pinch Hitter / Swing Fitter
Fluent in French with an impeccable sense of style & a huge heart, Park has worked in fashion & theater for most of her life. She has a real zest for living & an innate flair for bras. She also adores pretty lingerie & making women feel their best. We are lucky to have Park to help out! Her enthusiasm is contagious. Again, we’re very lucky to have her!
Bella - Old School Bra Guru
Bella grew up in Kiev, came to the North Shore with her son in the early 1990s and while working at Lord & Taylor she met the former owner Georgette & was offered a job at Chantilly Lace. She didn’t have a background in lingerie, and learned it all simply through trial & error. She got good - really good! She has since defined the kind & helpful spirit of the business and solved thousands of bra problems. Our customers love her gracious & gregarious ways. Many regulars ask for Bella because she's their bra lady. Bella can often remember which bra is someone's favorite as soon as they walk in. She calls them, “Our customer.” (AKA “She is our customer.”)
Olena - Buyer
Recently arrived from Lviv, Ukraine,, we have joyfully welcomed Olena to the Chantilly Lace family! Not only is she a wonderful model, she has a degree in computer science. As her English continues to progress, you’ll enjoy her contagious smile. She has a meticulous approach and is a perfectionist in everything she does.
Vika - (in training)
Once in a blue moon someone comes along who is simply a natural at bras, and Vika is one of those people. Recently arrived from Tysmenytsya, Ukraine & we are so happy to have her. The customers just love her for her sweet, natural communication style. We look forward to having Vika with us for a very long time.
Alexis - Financial Whiz
Are we lucky or what? Alexis started here as a very devoted customer and she’s now part of our team, heading up the book keeping and accounting. Alexis is a JD & CPA & a former manager at Ernst & Young. We are beyond lucky to have such an accomplished individual help build our business. Thank you, Alexis.