There is no way you can make the fashion rounds in this town and not know Jimmy Contreras.

The quick-to-call-you-babe self-made style arbiter built his reputation in contemporary fashion by attending the city's chicest events. At the grand opening of the Union Trust steak house, he was there. The welcome party for Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels at Two Liberty Place? He was there, too. At the opening event for the Franklin Institute's Galileo display? Hi, Jimmy.

Where, then, was Contreras last week when Philly Style hosted a shindig at Barneys New York Co-op?

He was getting ready for the opening of his own store, the new home, gift, and baby boutique called JimmyStyle on South Philly's Passyunk Avenue. Tonight he'll host a media opening, tomorrow is reserved for Contreras friends and family, and Saturday he'll host an all-day open house from noon to 6 p.m.

"There have been so many events like the Barneys one that I've missed recently," Contreras, 30, lamented. "I just hate missing things. But I needed to get things done; there is no messing around."

The 1,000-square-foot store will feature cutesy recession-friendly merchandise, from onesies by Oh La La Mama to candles from Paddywax. He'll sell glassware, melamine bowls, and cupcake mix, too. And there will be a blend of loft-perfect furniture: chairs, loveseats, ottomans, tables, and lamps.

Items from local artists will be featured, including the aromatic, foamy soap from Duross & Langel - which, by the way, has formulated a special JimmyStyle soap - tea from Remedy Tea Bar, and cards by social scene photographer and Philly Chit Chat blogger HughE Dillon.

"I consider my store a mixture between Town Home and Open House," Contreras said. "It's streamlined modern to shabby chic."

Contreras' leap to fashion insider is a story of personality, posh eye, and shameless self-promotion. In today's world of reality television, the self-made fashion guru first gets a platform, then claims expertise - think Fonzworth Bentley and Derek Warburton, in town last week filming local boutiques for his online Webisodes of Derek Loves Shopping. Contreras' platform was the local style party scene.

Born in Idaho, Contreras graduated from American University in 1999 and moved here after spending some time in AmeriCorps to take a job as a project manager at the nonprofit City Year Greater Philadelphia.

Eventually, he landed at Congresso de Latinos Unidos in North Philadelphia. One afternoon, while he was helping a friend buy a dress at Nicole Miller in the Bellevue, a store manager heard him making suggestions. She told him to apply for a job there; a few days later, owner Mary K. Dougherty hired him.

There, Contreras met employee Kimberly Anderson. In 2005, she opened a boutique called Kimberly, in Rittenhouse Square. Contreras became the manager.

He worked the sales floor and helped Anderson with buying, keeping an eye on the styles as women's wear shifted from denim to dresses. Often dressed head to toe in Club Monaco, he talked up Kimberly boutique. He talked up Jimmy Contreras.

He landed a gig hosting a regular fashion and lifestyle segment for Fox29, and he is part of the Style Squad for Philadelphia magazine's newsletter "The Goods."

"I want to be famous," Contreras said, unabashedly, at his newly refurbished apartment above the store. "I want people to know what I am and what I do. That's my dream."

In November, Contreras left Kimberly. He said he was a victim of the recession. Anderson would only confirm by e-mail that Contreras was employed there.

"Was I sad when it happened? Absolutely. I was heartbroken. Kimberly was always good to me," he said. "I'm just sad that it happened the way it did."

Contreras considered the people in the local fashion scene his family. It was through fashion that he met his closest friends, WHERE magazine editor Laura Burkhardt and writer Lauren McCutcheon. And it was how he met his beau and publicist, Matt Vlahos.

But he wasn't sure what to do. Contreras wanted to stay in the business, but he didn't think he could sell $400 dresses in this economy. Yet he couldn't stay away because, as they say, you are only as good as your last sale. He stayed in the public eye. In fact, in February, we blogged together at an Oscar party at Valanni.

Eventually, he decided to focus on affordable frivolity. People don't feel guilty buying gourmet cake mixes when the price ranges from $5 to $10.

With six days until opening, the bamboo floors were in and Contreras' shelves had just arrived from Ikea. Sunlight danced like dew drops on crystals that hung from the Barreveld chandelier. On one of three turquoise accent walls (He picked the color based on Carrie Bradshaw's remodeled apartment in the Sex and the City movie), he has written All you need is love - with "love" in high-gloss, fire-engine-red paint. The script of "love" matches that of the keychain owned by Louise, played by Jennifer Hudson, in Sex as well. Clearly, Contreras is a fan of the movie.

But why love?

"I love that I have my store opening," Contreras said. "I love what it's going to be. . . . And you can't do anything without love."

JimmyStyle is located at 1820 E. Passyunk Ave. For more information go to www.shopjimmystyle.com or call 267-687-1813.

Contact fashion writer Elizabeth Wellington at 215-854-2704 or ewellington@phillynews.com. Check out the "Mirror Image" blog at www.philly.com/philly/blogs/

mirrorimage/.