The Chicago designer reflects on four decades in fashion, her commitment to developing future talent, and her ongoing advocacy for breast cancer awareness ahead of a milestone celebration at the Barack Obama Presidential Center.
By Jaelyn P. Logan
For four decades, Barbara Bates has helped shape Chicago’s fashion landscape through luxury design, mentorship, and community service.
Now, the celebrated designer is preparing to mark a major milestone.
On October 3, 2026, Bates Designs will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a gala
at the Barack Obama Presidential Center. The evening will feature a cocktail reception, an exhibition highlighting four decades of design excellence, and a fashion show featuring 40 models and five emerging designers. The event will also support breast cancer awareness through the 40 for 40 Initiative, benefiting Sinai
Chicago’s Barbara Bates Imaging Center.
For Bates, the celebration represents not only a look back at her accomplishments, but also an opportunity to invest in the next generation and continue a legacy that extends far beyond fashion.
A Lifelong Love of Fashion
That journey began long before Barbara Bates became a respected name in fashion. As a child, she loved playing with Barbie dolls. Yet it wasn’t the dolls themselves that captured her imagination—it was the clothing. Growing up around fashionable women, including her mother and sister, Bates developed an appreciation for style and self-expression at an early age.
That passion eventually evolved into a successful career in luxury fashion, a space she has remained committed to throughout her four decades in business.
Over the years, however, she has witnessed significant changes in the industry.
According to Bates, fashion today is far different from the world she entered decades ago. She notes that luxury fashion has increasingly competed with the rise of fast fashion and changing cultural norms around dress. Men who once routinely arrived at professional events and athletic appearances in suits now often embrace more casual styles. While trends continue to evolve, Bates has remained dedicated to the craftsmanship and elegance that first inspired her career.
Passing the Torch
Beyond design, Bates views mentorship as one of her most important responsibilities.
Throughout her 40 years in business, she has consistently worked with interns, helping aspiring professionals gain experience and insight into the fashion industry. Her commitment to developing future talent is reflected in this year’s anniversary celebration, which will showcase five emerging designers alongside her own work.
Passing knowledge from one generation to the next is a key part of the legacy she hopes to leave behind.
Turning Adversity Into Advocacy
That commitment to service extends far beyond fashion.
In 2009, Bates was diagnosed with breast cancer. Rather than allowing the diagnosis to define her, she transformed her experience into advocacy and action.
Today, she is a leading supporter of breast cancer awareness, education, and healthcare access.
Through the Barbara Bates Foundation, she has supported initiatives that help women receive critical screenings and information. The Barbara Bates Imaging Center at Sinai Chicago stands as a testament to that commitment, providing advanced breast imaging services to patients while promoting early detection and quality care.
When discussing her message to women facing a breast cancer diagnosis, Bates emphasized the importance of remaining hopeful, seeking accurate information, and following medical guidance. She wants women to understand that a diagnosis is not the end of their story and encourages them to take advantage of available healthcare resources and screenings.
A Legacy of Service
Her commitment to service is rooted in a belief that success carries responsibility.
When asked what obligation business owners have to the communities they serve, Bates offered a straightforward answer: to serve and give back.
That philosophy has guided her throughout her career and continues to shape her work today.
She also offered practical advice for young entrepreneurs and designers hoping to build lasting careers. According to Bates, people are not only buying a product—they are buying into the person behind it. A strong reputation, authentic relationships, and personal integrity are essential ingredients for long-term success.
Looking Ahead
As she prepares to celebrate this historic milestone, Bates remains focused on what matters most: living a healthy life, continuing meaningful work, and inspiring others.
For some guests attending the October gala, the event will be an opportunity to
reconnect with a designer whose work they have followed for decades. For others, particularly younger attendees, it may serve as an introduction to a woman whose influence has quietly shaped Chicago’s fashion community for generations.
Either way, the evening promises to be a celebration not only of fashion, but of
resilience, mentorship, community, and purpose.
Forty years after launching her company, Barbara Bates continues to prove that true style is not measured simply by what one creates, but by the lives one impacts along the way.
