When he came to Chicago in 1943, Jerry Kleiner was a learning-disabled Russian immigrant used to standing in bread lines. Nothing like humble beginnings to drive a man to seek out a more cheerful life. Now in his early fifties, Kleiner is the creative genius behind some of Chicago’s most celebrated restaurants, each flaunting a unique personality sculpted by Kleiner’s far-out signature style. He’s single-handedly breathed life into neglected, underrated areas like Randolph Street Market District, where one of his first quirky venues, the French Brasserie Marché, stakes its claim. From ‘gritty’ to ‘glam,’ the meatpacking district has become the place to mix and mingle. “I love the mystery, the suspense, the illusion of seediness. You couldn’t paint a better backdrop,” Kleiner has said. So CITY asked Kleiner to take a snapshot of Marché and explain each design choice. His musings:

A. COLOR: “It’s an artistic smorgasbord of style, fashion – one of my first great color schemes. There’s a tremendous energy [because of it]. It’s just visual eye candy.”

B. PROPS: “I had a very theatrical feeling when creating Marché. I wanted it to be a place that came alive—like a circus. The umbrellas that hang from the ceiling signified to me a tightrope walker. The metal frames were made in my shop [a manufacturing facility on the west end of Chicago]. Then, we covered them in beautiful silk from Thailand. Everything in the space is one-of-a-kind, designed or commissioned by me. These props are very important while creating a vision environment.“

C. FABRICS: “I used fabrics that made the space rich, elegant, sophisticated, very grand. Around the railings I used a little skirt to soften them up. The decorative element was made from 100% velvet fabric, almost like tapestry, like tone-on-tone.”

D. FLOOR: “When you enter the restaurant, it’s almost as if you’ve walked in backwards because the kitchen is right there. The main dining floor is raised with railings around it, like a center ring or a little theater. People keep coming ‘up and down, up and down.’ It’s constant circulation—very good for people watching.”

E. PILLARS: “The pillars are all individual, comprised from 15 different artists. I held a contest when Marché was first opening and I have a scope of what to create—what kind of mood. These have become a very important element in the restaurant. Only two of the 15 pillars were painted over.”