WINDY CITY STYLE: It was an evening to have a good time Chicago fashion designers.

Nigel Barker and Cynthia Rowley whisked into town to host “A Celebration of Chicago Style” last week, which spotlighted emerging fashion designers, and honored one in all town’s best-known designers, Maria Pinto.

Held on the 21c Museum Hotel, the event was presented by fashion start-up The Curio, which was established to advertise Chicago-based designers. It featured a runway presentation that showcased 4 rising-star designers — Ajovang, Lola Elan, Production Mode and Sheila Rashid — and concluded with current and archived pieces by Pinto. The event also included a cocktail-reception-meets-shopping experience that featured three local accessory designers: Viviana Langhoff jewelry, bags by Laudi Vidni and footwear by Il Fratellino — the collaboration between Brian Atwood and his little brother Zak Rodriguez.

Backstage, Pinto lauded The Curio for shining light on recent designers.

“In the best way Ian [Gerard, cofounder] set this up, the designers needed to pay nothing and for an emerging designer to have the option to have a runway presentation without charge — that’s an enormous enormous gift,” Pinto said. “You’re being exposed to 300 to 400 potential customers.”

Pinto showed 4 looks from her current M2057 collection, juxtaposed with 4 pieces from her 2010 line, the latter of which was inspired by tango.

“I believed it was a pleasant mix,” Pinto said. “So people can see what informs this current collection, which is more minimal, simplistic and architectural.”

The archived pieces are “pretty excessive,” with heavy beading, sequins and one gown that featured 30 yards of chiffon.

The designer, who rose to global fame by dressing Michelle Obama, said women today shop in another way.

“Luxury is wonderful but what number of $2,000 to $3,000 dresses are you purchasing? We’ve been through rather a lot and I don’t think we’re willing to forfeit comfort after COVID[-19] especially,” Pinto said.

Barker, who serves as creative director of 21c Museum Hotel Chicago, said what makes town’s fashion unique is its wearability.

“There’s a lot great talent here,” Barker said. “The designers tonight are probably the most personable, authentic, down-to-earth people creating silhouettes that should be worn. Sometimes fashion might be excessive and never very practical.”

Before the show began, Rowley, who’s from Chicago and attended the Art Institute of Chicago, told a packed audience that a very powerful thing, for a designer to create, is to be “in your glad place.”

“Once I graduated from the Art Institute I just packed my U-Haul and beelined to Latest York since the physical place where fashion was happening was so vital, but now it’s not like that,” Rowley said. “You may be anywhere.”