ABOUT
MEET:
TONY LONG
Tony Long, a Chicago resident and the visionary behind FashionBar LLC, is on a transformative mission to position Chicago as a premier fashion destination. With Bachelor’s degrees in Marketing, Management, and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Tony boasts an impressive track record cultivated over two decades within Fortune 100 companies.
At the beginning of his corporate career, Tony began as an intern in marketing and communications with Federal-Mogul Corporation (formerly FelPro Corporation), which led him to a full-time salaried position supporting marketing and communications within the automotive and aviation industry for 3 years. Then Tony joined Avery Dennison, working with the Department of Transportation, supporting highway and safety products across the United States.
After this work at Avery Dennison, Tony then moved his focus to Pechiney Packaging, a French-based consumer packaging company in the food, beverage, and luxury products industry, working with brands like Ocean Spray, Nestle, Prada, Gucci, Estée Lauder, etc. Notably, at Pechiney Packaging (Alcan Packaging), he played a pivotal role in the establishment of a manufacturing facility in Orange, France, for Nestle Corporation—an achievement that underscores his strategic acumen in both Manufacturing and Distribution in the realm of Marketing and Management.
Tony’s expertise shines through in his successful implementation of SAP technologies at WW Grainger, a catalog company selling nearly 500,000 SKUs within a B2B and B2C environment, working on campaign measurements, data mining, and analytics projects using the SAP Technology solutions needed to effectively collect, analyze, and report on sales growth for brands across WW Grainger’s portfolio of products. Additionally, Tony then coupled his marketing and branding knowledge, implementing various marketing and technology projects within WW Grainger’s Project Management team. In his new role, Tony focused on managing cost, resources, and time to execute projects within budget.
After years of work achievements at WW Grainger, Tony then furthered his career path at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. He navigated the complex landscape of Healthcare Reform mandates and regulations mandated by Obamacare and the US Federal Government, showcasing his prowess in project management and implementation of Healthcare Reform.
WHATS NEXT?
During his time at Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tony, while on a work lunch, scribbled “Love the Fashion, Raise the Bar” on a napkin. Taking the last two words and documenting the name “FashionBar”, he began his journey as an entrepreneur.
Tony has since resigned from Blue Cross Blue Shield upon the implementation of Obamacare. He redirected his passion toward the fashion industry by using this marketing, management, manufacturing, and distribution experience, culminating in the creation of FashionBar LLC in 2012 as a legal business. This innovative venture seamlessly integrates his corporate experience for celebrating identity, lifestyle, branding, marketing, manufacturing, and product distribution in fashion.
Tony’s ongoing dedication has solidified his standing within the Chicago fashion landscape, positioning FashionBar as a central hub for fashion, business consulting, design and development, marketing strategies, and education. Unveiling a disruptive approach, FashionBar champions inclusion, diversity, and culture at the crossroads of identity and authenticity, signaling a new era for the Chicago fashion industry, celebrating product quality and design, and hailing Chicago as the emerging Midwest fashion capital of the United States. FashionBar opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Uptown Chicago.
IAMTONYLONG, is the epitome of sustainable elegance, seamlessly blending eco-friendly practices, upcycling, and original design. Committed to redefining the fashion landscape, we breathe new life into forgotten fabrics, transforming them into distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces that resonate with contemporary style. With a dedication to ethical production and conscious consumption, each collection is a harmonious fusion of aesthetic brilliance and environmental responsibility, inviting you to join us in crafting a world where IAMTONYLONG is not just a brand but a sustainable style movement, defining the future of conscious fashion.