Hoosier Features

Weiwei Out There: Chinese Artist Breaks into the IMA

by Marc D. Allan — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:21:00 GMT

Considering he is one of the world’s most famous living artists, Ai Weiwei’s work has been hard to find in the United States. The Chinese political activist who designed the Bird’s Nest stadium for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing has spent nearly as much time in his country’s prisons as his art has spent in American galleries. Which makes it that much more surprising to have a major exhibit of his work opening at the IMA on April 5.

Ai Weiwei: According to What? features more than 30 of Ai’s works, including many that demonstrate why the Chinese government considers the 55-year-old artist (whose name is pronounced “eye way-way”) a dangerous provocateur. Several pieces were part of his project to gather the names of the thousands of children who died in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake because of corruption in the construction industry.

Asian-art scholar and curator Britta Erickson explains that, for many years, Ai worked with found objects—a photo he took of his head after an instance of police brutality, for example, or a pile of porcelain crabs that represents the Chinese government’s efforts to bring him into the fold. (The Chinese word for “crab” is a homophone for “harmonize.”) “Now you could say his life as a dissident is becoming a ‘found object’—something that is already there, that he decides to constitute as art,” she says.

To get Ai’s work here, the IMA’s contemporary-art department called Mami Kataoka at the Mori Art Museum in Japan, where a version of the exhibit originated in 2009. Kataoka says audiences should pay special attention to Ai’s piece Straight, which is composed of 38 tons of steel rebars that came from the Sichuan earthquake site. They were all bent under the shock, and when they went to market, Ai bought 200 tons and had them straightened as if nothing had happened. The sheer size of the work is overwhelming, so the reference to the Chinese government’s fondness for reconstructing the truth could easily be missed. “I think audiences are free to appreciate the works in any way they like,” Kataoka says. “But it always makes for a deeper understanding if they can open their senses to the context.”

Photos courtesy Ai Weiwei

This article appeared in the April 2013 issue.

STREET SAVVY: Kokomo

by Megan Fernandez — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:02:00 GMT

[1] Cruise
Kokomo used federal stimulus money in 2010 to launch the City Line Trolley Service with old-fashioned cars. Two routes hit the best visitor destinations, including Kokomo Opalescent Glass and the historic Silk Stocking neighborhood. 765-456-7556, cityofkokomo.org.

[2] Nosh
Both a coffee bar and a bistro, the new Main Street Cafe occupies a former bank space and uses the vault as a pantry. The decadent Hog Farmer’s Friend (pork barbecue topped with ham and bacon on a pretzel roll) is a fork-and-knifer, and where else will you find slushy frozen hot chocolate? 223 N. Main St., 765-236-1600.

[3] Gaze
Even if you aren’t in town for some ink, pop into The Bohemian Club tattoo parlor to see its edgy collection of local art. It starts in the entry and continues down the back hallway, where you can watch through the large windows as the skin artists work in their studios. 206 N. Main St., 765-434-0066, bohemiantattooclub.com.

[4] Shop
On the courthouse square, one door leads to a pair of boutiques: Lux, which feels plucked from Broad Ripple with a selection of under-$100 knit jackets (military, motorcycle, trench, blazer—you name it), and Angie Meyers Designs, selling the owner’s sterling-silver jewelry with unusual gemstones, like iridescent iolite. Lux, 102 W. Walnut St., 765-432-7049; Angie Meyers Designs, 104 W. Walnut St., 765-456-3800, angiemeyersdesigns.com.

IN THE KNOW: Nadine Cook
Drink Depot “diva” on the town’s flavored-soda craze.

Why are drive-thru soda shops a staple here? It’s a moving town. I see a regular’s car and know she’s getting a newspaper, two iced teas, and long straws.
What’s in the Kokomo Klassic? Coke, cherry, lime, and marshmallow.
What would Kokomantis [see no. 6] drink? She overlooks the Girl Scouts’ Little House, so I’d go with s’mores Coke: chocolate syrup and marshmallow.

[5] Nibble
A bowler hat and moustache on Pepperwhistle Bakery and Cafe’s window channel what co-owner Michael West calls its “Victorian steampunk” soul. Don’t miss the selection of plastic moustaches on sticks by the register. 106 N. Main St., 765-398-1851, pepperwhistle.com.

[6] See
A giant bug sculpture named Kokomantis drew mixed reviews from locals when a real-estate developer installed it outside Subway a block off the square, even with this adorable Facebook bio: “I’m just a mantis. Standing in front of a town. Asking it to love me.”

[7] Hunt
You’ll find cabinets and Bakelite flatware among the American treasures at Wild Ostrich Antiques, but it’s the charming surprises we love—like retro Pan Am Airlines luggage. 928 S. Main St., 765-452-3990.

[8] Tour
Kokomo Opalescent Glass opened in 1888 with Louis Comfort Tiffany as a client. On a five-buck factory tour, you’ll feel the heat from the original furnace, visit the master glass-blower’s studio, see where employees signed the walls more than 100 years ago, and shop for art glass. 1310 S. Market St., 765-457-8136, kog.com.

Photos by Tony Valainis; illustration by Darren Johnson.

This article appeared in the April 2013 issue.

>> GET EVEN MORE STREET SAVVY

March 2013 — SoBro
February 2013 — Zionsville
January 2013 — Franklin
December 2012 — Downtown Noblesville
November 2012 — Irvington
October 2012 — Fishers
September 2012 — 54th and the Monon
August 2012 — Fountain Square
July 2012 — 600 E. Carmel Drive
June 2012 — Washington Street
May 2012 — Carmel City Center
April 2012 — East 10th Street
March 2012 — The New Mass Ave

STREET SAVVY: SoBro

by Amy Lynch — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:21:00 GMT

[1] Cruise
The biking craze goes old school at National Moto+ Cycle Co., where owners Matty Bennett and Brendan Fox pay homage to Indy’s days of racing gone by with re-created vintage motorbikes, including an exclusive collection for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Accessories include aviator-style helmets and goggles. 5206 N. College Ave., 698-2418, nationalmoto.com.

[2] Rewind
Indy’s indie crowd frequents Luna Music for a shape-shifting inventory of vinyl and hard-to-find recordings. In a nod to retro record-and-tape clubs, they’ll even deliver an LP to your door each month, for an annual subscription fee of $250. 5202 N. College Ave., 283-5862, lunamusic.net.

[3] Browse
For clever hostess gifts and cutie-pie baby presents, Be Boutique carries a colorful array of fun scarves, funky dresses, girly accessories, chic candles, stationery, onesies, and more. And Scout’s Treat Truck now stocks a counter with gourmet popcorn and cupcakes. 5367 N. College Ave., 257-3826, betheboutique.com.

[4] Brunch
Dutch pannekoeken—that’s pancakes to us Yanks—lure diners to cozy little SoBro Cafe. Try the savory mushroom variation or the Double Dutch Chocolate. 653 E. 52nd St., 920-8121, sobrocafe.com.

IN THE KNOW: Nora Spitznogle
Saturday cook and server at the Red Key Tavern since 2002.

What’s something we’d be surprised to learn about SoBro? We have a hostel. Indy Hostel has been welcoming world travelers since 2003.
What’s your go-to meal in the area? I’m such a big fan of the grilled pineapple salad at Zest that I feel like I’m cheating on it if I order something else.
What do you think the neighborhood still needs? Decent sidewalks.

[5] Chug
Twenty Tap pulls from a rotation of Hoosier-proud craft beers, but the name is a misnomer—there are more like 38 handles going at any time. Tempura-ish cheese curds (beer-battered, of course) pair well with a pint. 5408 N. College Ave., 602-8840, twentytap.com.

[6] Laugh
The raucous clientele at The Sinking Ship settles down, sort of, for movie nights at the hipster bar the last Thursday of every month (screenings have included Empire Records and The Goonies), and regional stand-up comedians hone their shtick with free performances Sundays at 9 p.m. 4923 N. College Ave., 920-7999, thesinkingship.com.

[7] Dine
Recess ushered in a SoBro renaissance when it opened in 2010 to take adventurous diners on a constantly evolving culinary roller coaster. Then offshoot Room Four arrived to satisfy a more casual crowd with tacos and burgers—and shore up the block even further. “Every spot in our strip has been redone and is up and running,” says chef-owner Greg Hardesty. “When I got here, there was a barbershop. That was it.” 4907 N. College Ave., 925-7529, recessindy.com.

>> GET EVEN MORE STREET SAVVY

February 2013 — Zionsville
January 2013 — Franklin
December 2012 — Downtown Noblesville
November 2012 — Irvington
October 2012 — Fishers
September 2012 — 54th and the Monon
August 2012 — Fountain Square
July 2012 — 600 E. Carmel Drive
June 2012 — Washington Street
May 2012 — Carmel City Center
April 2012 — East 10th Street
March 2012 — The New Mass Ave

>> GET EVEN MORE STREET SAVVY

January 2013 — Franklin
December 2012 — Downtown Noblesville
November 2012 — Irvington
October 2012 — Fishers
September 2012 — 54th and the Monon
August 2012 — Fountain Square
July 2012 — 600 E. Carmel Drive
June 2012 — Washington Street
May 2012 — Carmel City Center
April 2012 — East 10th Street
March 2012 — The New Mass Ave

- See more at: http://www.indianapolismonthly.com/hoosierchannel/features/story.aspx?ID=1874839#sthash.y4gpQEdN.dpuf

>> GET EVEN MORE STREET SAVVY

- See more at: http://www.indianapolismonthly.com/hoosierchannel/features/story.aspx?ID=1874839#sthash.y4gpQEdN.dpuf

Illustration by Scotty Reifsnyder; photos by Tony Valainis.

This article appeared in the March 2013 issue.

Crime Scenes: John Dillinger's Indiana Exploits

by Evan West — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 02:53:00 GMT

Editor’s Note, March 27, 2013: This article originally appeared in the July 2004 issue of IM alongside this feature story. In 2009, actor Johnny Depp played Dillinger in the movie Public Enemies, about the Indiana desperado’s notorious Depression-era crime spree. Earlier this month, the Indianapolis International Airport announced plans to display Dillinger’s 1933 Essex Terraplane.

[1] Indianapolis. Dillinger was born on the near-eastside in 1903. A stone wall is all that’s left of the homestead.

[2] Mooresville. The Dillinger family relocated to a farm on the outskirts of town in 1920. The house remains, but the farm is long gone.

[3] Martinsville. In 1924, before going to prison, Dillinger spent time in the Morgan Country Jail. The building is now an antiques, gifts, and tea shop.

[4] Michigan City. In 1929, Dillinger transferred to the state penitentiary, purportedly to play on the baseball team, and remained there until 1933. Later that year, he helped organize a jailbreak for his former fellow inmates.

[5] Daleville. In 1933, Dillinger robbed his first bank: the Commercial Bank of Daleville, which now stands empty.

[6] Indianapolis. Dillinger’s only known bank robbery in the state capital occurred in 1933 at the Massachusetts Avenue State Bank, now home to an art gallery.

[7] East Chicago. In 1934, Dillinger’s gang robbed the First National Bank and Trust Co., and Dillinger allegedly killed a police officer. The building, which still houses a bank, and its elaborate neoclassical interior have changed little since the ’30s.

[8] Crown Point. In 1934, Dillinger escaped from the Lake County Jail, reportedly using a fake wooden gun; the building is currently under renovation. Next door, the old Criminal Courts Building, where Dillinger was arraigned, houses a bar, banquet facility, restaurant and offices.

This article appeared alongside the feature story "Our Gangster" in the July 2004 issue. Click here to read it.

STREET SAVVY: Zionsville

by Ashley Petry — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 23:27:00 GMT

[1] Lunch
The Sanctuary Cafe’s atmosphere could easily outshine its food: The 1894 church, complete with soaring ceilings and stained-glass windows, doubles as painter Nancy Noel’s gallery. Fortunately, the food is worthy of its surroundings. Try the mushroom-and-Brie bisque, or something from the menu of vegetarian and vegan options. 75 N. Main St., 733-9160, nanoel.com.

[2] Toast
The “wine shake” at Hopwood Cellars Winery combines a blend of dry reds, vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry. “This town is nuts over it,” says owner Ron Hopwood. So much so that he will soon offer a take-home mix. 12 E. Cedar St., 873-4099, hopwoodcellars.com.

[3] Invite
Crystal Hadley’s portfolio at Mayberry Design holds the latest trends for weddings (fingerprint trees in place of a guest book) and personal stationery (greetings backed with a pop-out easel stand, for easy display). By appointment only. 76½ S. Main St., 691-1199, mayberrydesignonline.com.

[4] Dine
After a fire and three months of subsequent restoration, Patrick’s Kitchen and Drinks is again open for business—now with a new chef and a stronger emphasis on local ingredients. More good news: The beer list offers suds rarely seen in the suburbs, like Fountain Square Brewing Co.’s Workingman’s Pilsner and Bloomington Brewing Company’s Dunkelweiss. 175 S. Main St., 733-8755, patrickskitchen.com.

[5] Shop
Fashionable children get runway-ready at Ballerinas and Bruisers. The adorable boutique, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in November, now carries La Miniatura, a clothing line designed by Project Runway winner Jeffrey Sebelia. Also on the shelves: Baby Legs socks, Aden + Anais swaddling blankets, and necklaces that double as teething rings. 180 S. Main St., 733-3400, ballerinasand
bruisers.com.

[6] Save
Snag an impressive—and affordable—Valentine’s Day gift at Art IN Hand Gallery, an artists’ cooperative where prices range from $20 to $800 for handcrafted items such as elegant jewelry, vibrant paintings, and handsomely carved wooden bowls. 211 S. Main St., 733-8426, artinhandgallery.com.

[7] Snack
Pull up a chair at My Sugar Pie for a slice of Mom’s Original Dutch Apple or one of owner Kelly Maucere’s rotating roster of 40 flavors—which she ships around the country. 40 E. Pine St., 733-8717, mysugarpie.com

IN THE KNOW: Bob Goodman
Co-owner of Robert Goodman Jewelers

Best Main Street event other than Christmas in the Village? The Z’Sparkle Party Drag Race in August. Thirty or 40 guys dressed in drag parade down the street to raise money for Alzheimer’s.
Thoughts on new retail development south of the village? Bub’s is coming. I’m totally excited.
Do you know any other place that has a street like this, that’s so natural and organic? Everything you see around us on the north side is striving to be us.

Photos by Tony Valainis; illustration by Scotty Reifsnyder; Goodman photo courtesy Bob Goodman.

This article appeared in the February 2013 issue.

>> GET EVEN MORE STREET SAVVY

Remains of the Day: Indy's Super Bowl 46 (XLVI)

by Michael Rubino — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:29:00 GMT

Allison Melangton
Only the second woman to run a Super Bowl Host Committee, Melangton fielded lots of offers afterward. She worked for NBC during the Olympics, and then took the top job at Indiana Sports Corp. “I’m happy here,” she says, “and happiness weighs a lot on your decision.”

Super Scarves
Crafty types in 45 states and four countries knitted more than 13,000 blue-and-white scarves for volunteers. But some of the keep-warm keepsakes showed up on eBay even before kickoff. That’s cold.

Grace Ybarra
Working as a Scholastic correspondent, the local middle-schooler scored microphone time at Madonna’s press conference, something only 17 other journalists managed. Then she covered the presidential election, and she has her eye on the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The Racecars
IndyCar Experience and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing reclaimed the Super Cars and stripped off their NFL trim. But one owner, a Chicago native, couldn’t bring himself to remove the Bears logo. That car is stored in Speedway.

Signage
Like any respectable invading power, the NFL planted its flag in Indy with hundreds of banners and signs. People for Urban Progress turned five miles of material from the Village into shower curtains, wallets, messenger bags, and other products. Find the goods at Silver in the City and Homespun.

New York Giants Practice Field
The NFL installed FieldTurf at the team’s University of Indianapolis practice facility. Later, it was transferred to Arsenal Tech High School’s outdoor football stadium as part of XLVI’s legacy efforts on the near-east side.

The Roman Numerals
The 82-foot-tall steel-and-aluminum behemoths that backdropped countless Facebook photos didn’t have to travel far after the festivities. The NFL always stores its complete set of giant letters in an undisclosed Indianapolis warehouse.

Jimmy Fallon
Not counting a Web clip of the host in drag as the star of “The Real Housewives of Late Night in Indianapolis,” all that remains of Fallon’s toast-of-the-town stay is a framed autographed photo of him on-set; it’s hanging on a wall in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s office.

The Beach
The 700 tons of sand from the DirecTV Celebrity Beach Bowl at Victory Field wound up at Timbergate Golf Course in Edinburgh.

The ZipLine
After the Village’s thrill ride garnered more airtime than Peyton’s neck, the equipment returned home to the British Columbia office of Ziptrek. The rig reappeared at the Calgary Stampede and the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup.

Super Bowl Village
Indy pioneered the fan-zone concept, and the NFL loved it. New Orleans tweaked the name to Super Bowl Boulevard—then called it “an inaugural event” on the host committee’s website. Yeah, and Hoosiers invented Mardi Gras.

MORE: Super Bowl 46 (XLVI) coverage—stories, photos, and more.

This article appeared in the February 2013 issue.

How It Works: NFL Scouting Combine

by Dave Seminara — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 22:43:00 GMT

300+ Athletes

Less than 3 percent of all Division I football players are invited to the NFL’s annual scouting camp, hosted in Indy since 1987.

1,600 Judges

Each NFL team sends about 50 people to scrutinize every move the players make during a five-day gauntlet that includes extensive medical, physical, and psychological evaluations.

Jerry Jones’s Favorite Wine

NFL high-rollers cross paths at St. Elmo, and three years ago, the New Orleans Saints coach snagged the last of the Dallas owner’s preferred vino and then sent the empty bottle to him with a note: “WHO DAT! World Champions XLIV, Sean Payton.”

150% More Oatmeal

The kitchen at the Crowne Plaza hotel more than doubles its production for Combine athletes.

5 Echocardiogram Machines

IU Health screens all of the athletes for risky undetected heart issues, and the speed and accuracy it has developed would be “challenging to duplicate elsewhere,” says Combine president Jeff Foster. Not only has that helped keep the event in Indy, but IU cardiologists think their techniques could benefit others. This year, they expect to publish a study about what they have learned from testing NFL prospects.

The NFL Scouting Combine, February 22–26 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

AP photo by Gary A. Vasquez

This article appeared in the February 2013 issue.

Open Letter to Indiana Lawmakers: Get on the Bus!

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 21:38:00 GMT

Dear Members of the 118th Indiana General Assembly,

Greetings from Charlotte, North Carolina! Wish you were here to see this city's flourishing mass-transit system, which puts ours to shame. Charlotte's is so successful, the city is expanding the light-rail line another 11 miles. Some of you have accompanied us here on past scouting trips, and yet the Indy Connect bill was still killed in committee last year! Now Ballard keeps telling the same joke: "What moves slower than Hoosier legislators on a transit issue? Their constituents on I-69!"

We came back to Charlotte for reassurance that a city resembling Indy's size, demographics, and economy can embrace modern mass transit. (We could have gone to Minneapolis, Denver, or Salt Lake City, too, but Charlotte has attracted $1.5 billion in investment—condos, businesses—along its light-rail line, and that's hard to ignore.) Riding the train here gives us hope for Indy Connect, our 10-year plan to bring the bus system in Indianapolis into the 21st century by doubling its size, creating express routes on a new style of bus, and building light rail between Noblesville and downtown.

But it also makes us pissed off anxious. Cities like Charlotte are attracting all the investment dollars and young professionals.

When we get back to Indianapolis, we're going to rename the plan Indy Connect Now so you'll know that this time, we mean it. But don't be fooled by our polite tone. This is serious business. Indianapolis is the 12th-largest city in the country, but IndyGo ranks 89th among bus systems! Here's another sobering statistic: In the last decade, thousands of people have left Indy's older urban communities, taking $2.5 billion in income with them. Mayor Hudnut once said you can't be a suburb of nowhere; he was referring to the importance of revitalizing downtown back then, but the philosophy applies to our entire urban core now.

Indy Connect Now costs $1.3 billion. That sounds like a lot, but the feds are going to split it. Pass House Bill 1011, authored by Hamilton County Rep. Jerry Torr, so we can ask voters for their permission to fund part of the rest with a teeny .3% tax hike in Marion and Hamilton counties. It's less than Hoosiers kicked in to build Lucas Oil Stadium—a decision no one regrets.

Sincerely,

Greg Ballard, mayor of Indianapolis
Jim Brainard, mayor of Carmel
Andy Cook, mayor of Westfield
And nearly every other municipal leader in Central Indiana

PS. The best time to ponder this issue? When you're driving to work in snow and ice. Happy skidding!

This article appeared in the January 2013 issue.

STREET SAVVY: Franklin

by Stephanie Hodgin — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:17:00 GMT

[1] Snack
With the warm comfort of an old-fashioned candy store, M.W. Wadsworth & Co. Fine Chocolates is full of indulgent treats shipped in from all over the country. An antique case features 24 flavors of truffles, including cappuccino and Kahlua White Russian. 154 E. Jefferson St., 560-5624.

[2] Craft
Middle David’s Artisan Candles has the bright idea of hosting make-your-own-candle parties, with almost 200 scent samples to choose from, and even gives you a partial refund if you bring back empty jars for reuse. Just want to shop? More than 20 scents have been created by local artists ($11.50 to $19.99). 152 E. Jefferson St., 738-3886, middledavids.com.

[3] Decorate
Julie Stewart’s Salvage Sister’s Antique Market repurposes everything but the kitchen sink—and possibly that, too. The concrete-floored shop sells elegantly refurbished furniture and architectural elements, including doors, dressers, and banisters. 398 E. Jefferson St., 736-4353.

[4] Shop
Bird on a Wire boutique specializes in upcycled goods—and will become one itself when the shop moves into an old service station later this month. Bold block letters from vintage storefront signs, knit scarves, industrial wall clocks (pictured, right), and handmade jewelry crafted from silverware are just a few gems you’ll find in this eclectic shop. 296 E. Jefferson St., 738-4237, birdonawireboutique.com.

[5] Sip
The only place in town with local artwork, Benjamin’s Coffeehouse is usually flooded with regulars nursing one of the 20 brews or lining up early for the day’s first batch of chocolate-chip scones. Sample January’s Drink of the Month: Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate. 49 E. Court St., 736-0048, eatatbens.com.

[6] Play
Located on a residential street, Imagination Station is worth the walk for educational toys. Kids can pile favorite finds into their own “birthday bucket” so relatives know what to buy. 198 N. Main St., 736-9636.

IN THE KNOW: Rob Shilts
Emcee at the Artcraft Theatre and executive director of Franklin Heritage Inc.

What is Franklin’s best-kept secret? We have amazing festivals, especially in the summer.
Best memory as an emcee? At the Artcraft, we give away “Long Distance” awards for the person who travels the farthest to get to the theater each night. One night, the International School of Indiana brought a bus representing 17 countries. We had to scramble to collect prizes for all 17 people.
Junior Mints or popcorn? Jumbo popcorn, lightly buttered and layered.

Photos by Tony Valainis; photo of Rob Shilts courtesy Franklin Heritage Inc.; illustration by Scotty Reifsnyder.

This article appeared in the January 2013 issue.

>> GET EVEN MORE STREET SAVVY

December 2012 — Downtown Noblesville
November 2012 — Irvington
October 2012 — Fishers
September 2012 — 54th and the Monon
August 2012 — Fountain Square
July 2012 — 600 E. Carmel Drive
June 2012 — Washington Street
May 2012 — Carmel City Center
April 2012 — East 10th Street
March 2012 — The New Mass Ave

Haute Water: Celebrity Designer Jason Wu's Indy Connection

by Gabrielle Poshadlo — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:08:00 GMT

Editor's Note, Jan. 22, 2013: Four years after he skyrocketed into the fashion world's very public conscience, Jason Wu—or his design, at least—returned to the U.S. presidential inauguration, again on the form of First Lady Michelle Obama. See here his rise to fame, largely by way of fashion-forward faucets and, yes, clothing the stylish wife of the leader of the free world.

2004: Carmel-based Delta, one of the country’s largest faucet-makers, launches a new style-conscious brand called Brizo.

FEBRUARY 2006: Wu (at left) debuts at Fashion Week in New York City and catches the eye of Brizo marketing executives.

OCTOBER 2006: Wu and Brizo present a fashion show in Union Station (at right) to introduce the faucet brand as the 23-year-old’s new Fashion Week sponsor

JANUARY 2007: Wu designs flowy gowns for models to wear in Brizo’s wildly successful underwater ad campaign (at left), which runs through early 2010.

JANUARY 2009: Michelle Obama wears a Wu gown to the Inaugural Ball, making the designer a household name.

JUNE 2010: Wu wins his first Council of Fashion Designers of America award.

MAY 2011: Delta opens Dream2O—its flagship showroom—at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.

NOVEMBER 2011: Brizo launches the Jason Wu for Brizo powder-room collection with a national ad campaign. The center-piece, a matte-black faucet seen on the back cover of Elle Decor (at right), bears the designer’s signature Miss Wu owl emblem.

Addendum, JANUARY 2013: To the surprise of many fashion insiders, Michelle Obama again chooses a Jason Wu gown for her husband's second and final Inaugural Ball. The designer, now 30 years old, says he was shocked, and that the White House didn't reveal the news to him until the First Lady made her appearance.

Images courtesy Brizo.

This article originally appeared in the February 2012 issue.