Mark your calendars for the week of Oct. 17! Now in its seventh year, Fashion Focus Chicago has firmly established itself as the city's annual celebration of local fashion with all its highs (see Fall designs from locals Lara Miller and Christina Fan below) and — let's admit — some lows. This year promises to be a fairly comprehensive look at Chicago's design community, with four fab fashion shows in Millennium Park and lots of parties and shopping. Tickets for each of the major events are $35 and go on sale the third week of August on each show's website. Visit the Chicago Fashion Resource site for more events and info.

For more details about this year's Fashion Focus runway shows .

  • Oct. 18: On Tuesday, the designers of Macy's Chicago Fashion Incubator kick things off with a show featuring the 2011 designers in residence, including Concetta Cipriano, Shavonne Dorsey, Eric Kipp, Kahindo Mateene, Taneasha Prunty, and Crystal B. Simms, along with CFI alums Miriam Cecilia Carlson, Leah Fagan, Christina Fan, Catherine Furio, Anna Hovet, Stephanie Kuhr, Agga B. Raya, Jonnie Rettele, Cynthia Ryba, Donaldo Smith, and Lidia Wachowska. The show, starting at 7:30 p.m., is a fundraiser for CFI programs supporting new and emerging Chicago designers. Tickets can be purchased by visiting CharityHappenings.org.
  • Oct. 19: On Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., the Mario Tricoci and Vitaminwater InspireDESIGN show features Chicago lines Imaginary People, J.Cheikh, Michelle Tan, Narcisse Designs, and Reddoll. At the end of the show, the winner of the fourth annual Mario, Make Me a Model contest will be announced. Tickets can be purchased by visiting MarioMakeMeaModel.com.
  • Oct. 20: Thursday at 8 p.m., stop by the 3rd Annual Vert Couture eco-fashion show, a carbon-neutral charity event, highlighting Chicago’s sustainable fashion movement and presented by Conscious Planet Media. Check out the Spring 2012 collections from Chicago's Heart and Dollparts, Richard Dayhoff, and Lauren Lein. Tickets can be purchased by visiting VertCouture.com.
  • Oct. 21: The Art of Fashion show previews the Spring 2012 collections of some awesome Chicago designers and lines, including Lara Miller, Nade Baer, Nora del Busto, Borris Powell, Eva Pazola, RÜCH, Squasht by Les, Shernett Swaby, Sylwia Wilczynska, and Zamrie. Even cooler, each designer will show a wearable concept garment that you'll be able to bid on during an auction. Tickets can be purchased through StyleChicago.com.

Source: Lara Miller and C/FAN