Hermès, Oscar de la Renta, and Zimmermann are all opening at Plaza del Lago—and that concentration of luxury brands is not accidental. After reading Modern Luxury’s recent breakdown of the property’s newest openings and coming-soon boutiques, I wanted to look beyond the store list and ask what this transformation says about the future of luxury retail on Chicago’s North Shore. Hermès is opening its second Chicago-area boutique, while Oscar de la Renta and Zimmermann are both making their Midwest retail debuts at the property. I’ll be visiting Plaza del Lago Thursday for Golden Hour at SPACE 519 and sharing a closer look at what’s already open—and what’s still to come. Would you choose a curated open-air shopping destination over a traditional mall? PlazaDelLago ModernLuxuryChicago LuxuryRetail ChicagoFashion NorthShoreChicago