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| If you've ever been to an Oktoberfest celebration, you've probably noticed people dressed in traditional German and Austrian clothing: lederhosen, dirndls, knee socks and hats trimmed with feathers. These ensembles are known as Trachten, traditional garments that men and women from these regions have worn for hundreds of years to preserve their history and culture. Made with extra care, these garments include details such as embroidery, silver buttons and leather belts that are rarely found on mass-produced clothes. You may also have wondered where it's possible to find clothing like this today. International Fashions by Ingrid is Chicago's source for Trachten, along with high quality contemporary fashions made with extra care and sold with extra care, just like in the old days. |
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Ingrid Kaltenbach has been the proprietor of her clothing shop at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Leland since 1978. And throughout that time, she has run the business herself and by her own instincts. If you visit her store, it's very likely that Ingrid will greet you personally. There's a part time salesperson who helps out, but most of the time Ingrid can't pull herself away from the shop unless it's to go on a buying trip. You'll find her beautifully dressed, wearing a smile and ready to help her customers.
On a winter afternoon, customers wander into the shop in small groups after sharing a leisurely lunch. A single woman walks in, too. She speaks only Korean, but it doesn't stop her from communicating with Ingrid. As she waits on the woman, Ingrid recognizes that she sold her the scarf she is wearing. "See, I know my customers," says Ingrid, who helps the woman look for a new sweater. Ingrid prides herself on helping you find that special item that seems to have your name on it. |
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| Although Ingrid has run the shop for 25 years, it has been in her family for much longer. More than 40 years ago, her mother-in-law Carina Kaltenbach bought the store and called it Modern Imports. Ingrid worked as a ticket agent for Lufthansa, a job she had held since she emigrated from Germany in 1965. In the evenings and during her days off, she helped her mother-in-law out as a part time salesgirl. One day, Carina asked Ingrid if she was interested in buying the business. "I immediately said 'No!'" recalls Ingrid, "but she said she'd give me 24 hours to think about it." She enjoyed her job at Lufthansa and was reluctant to leave it. But after thinking it over the next day, she told her mother-in-law that she would give it a try. Carina responded by saying, "You won't try it, you'll do it!" And that was that. They made a deal that the name would change from Modern Imports after the sale. Her mother-in-law said, "If I go, the name goes with me." Unfortunately, Carina passed away suddenly after Ingrid bought the store. They hadn't even gone on their first buying trip yet. Ingrid was left to figure everything out for herself. |
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| Her first order of business was to choose a new name for the store out of respect to her mother-in-law's wishes. She thought of many possible names and wrote them all in a book that she kept on her nightstand. She even consulted with Mrs. Waring, Fred and Bill Waring's mother, about her ideas. Finally, she came up with International Fashions by Ingrid. "I thought, this is the right name," she recalls. "I like it." Slowly she built up the store's inventory. She began to carry traditional German and Austrian clothes, Trachten, along with fashions that appealed to a younger clientele. Ingrid learned quickly from her mistakes and her business began to grow. Some of her first customers are still customers today. Karl Riehn of H. G. Riehn Insurance Agency started shopping for his wife when his father's insurance office was located above Ingrid's shop, and he still comes in to buy gifts there today. |
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| Ingrid's spirit of adventure led her to experiment with new business ideas. By 1986, International Fashions by Ingrid had became such a success that she decided to open a men's clothing shop in the storefront next door. When it got off to a slow start, Ingrid changed her plans and transformed it into a Trachten store, called Trachten Moden by Ingrid. The store was an instant hit, and continued to do well for about four years until she lost her lease for the space. When she ran the Trachten store, her window displays attracted the attention of Screen magazine, which paid her to photograph her storefront for a feature. "I was famous," says Ingrid, laughing. They had originally wanted to photograph the display in Trachten Moden, but she had already moved the merchandise back into her original space. So she recreated the windows for them exactly as they had appeared next door. |
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It's not surprising that Ingrid has done so well at sales when you take a moment to talk with her. She has a warm manner and good nature that makes even strangers feel as though they know her well. "I love to work with people...maybe that's why I am so successful," she says. "One of the things I am most proud of is that I make my customers feel very comfortable. They can come in anytime just to look, or even just to say hello." She doesn't believe in high-pressure sales tactics, and you can count on her to give you an honest opinion. "Sometimes when I see my customer in something, I say 'Take it off! This is not you!'" she laughs. Ingrid believes in building relationships with her customers, and for her, those relationships are established on trust. "Sometimes I have to be a minister, a psychologist and a salesperson all at once," she says.
Despite the challenges she has faced during her years in business, Ingrid has no plans to retire. When friends ask her when she wants to slow down, her response is "Why should I stop working? This is my life!" Although she will celebrate the shop's 25th anniversary this summer, she is still going strong. "I used to have a bumper sticker on my car that said 'Fashion is my profession.' I need to get another one of those," Ingrid laughs. |
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| Ingrid finds the distinctive items for her shop by taking frequent buying trips to far-away places like Salzbourg, Dusseldorf and Montreal. She carries fine imported clothing ranging from sweaters, to lace-trimmed blouses, fancy dirndls and traditional loden overcoats. These items are so popular that Ingrid receives mail orders from loyal customers throughout the country. Most items have lovely details, like embroidered edelweiss, rhinestones or ornate buttons. Her stock includes a large selection of traditional items along with contemporary designer lines from New York, Montreal and Germany. Some of the brands she carries include Ursl Trachten, Sommermann and Freya. And to complete your outfit, Ingrid stocks complementary lines of jewelry and accessories such as silk scarves. If you prefer to have a personal experience while shopping, and you are looking for well made clothing that will last, visit International Fashions by Ingrid. She will be happy to find the item with your name on it that suits you best, and is even an expert at helping husbands and boyfriends through the mysterious world of women's fashion. |
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International Fashions by Ingrid
4710 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
773.878.8382
Hours:
Monday through Saturday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday by appointment |
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| Read more profiles in the Member of the Month Archives |
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