Fashion Events in San Francisco

Find out more about upcoming fashion events taking place in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Crane and Canopy Launch Party

Bay Area-based Crane & Canopy debuted just last week with a collection of ten San Francisco neighborhood inspired bedding designs. Congratulations to founders Karin Shieh and Christopher Sun, who have pioneered a remarkable new line for the home goods market. With a beautifully simple business concept and a smart, tech savvy, and user friendly interface to boot, the sky is the limit.

See more of the attractive details and photos in Nicole’s post from a few days ago.

The launch party hosted some forty or so friends and family, including yours truly, in addition to Crane & Canopy staff at Axis Café to celebrate the company’s official online opening for business.

The party, just like their signature product, was simple, elegant, and well-styled. Beds in an understated garden were romantic, not fussy.  It was a typical San Francisco night and the air was brisk, making the bedding all the more tempting. Somehow, I managed to resist wrapping myself up in the dozens of beautiful options around me.

In scoping out the signature designs and stats ahead of the event, I admit I was intrigued and maybe a little incredulous. A new eCommerce store that cuts out the middleman but still manages to produce an excellent high quality product – was there a catch?

Setting my disbelief aside, I met the products in person, and the quality spoke for itself. Being able to see and touch the bedding first hand, I appreciated that the goods fully lived up to their promise — in every style, the textiles are top shelf in quality. Everything looks and feels luxe. All bedding is made of durable long staple cotton in weaves of 300 to 400 Thread Count. In addition to incredible fabrics, the line includes unique and exquisite details such as tailored edge piping and original embroidery.

If you don’t believe me, ask Gus, Crane & Canopy’s resident pug. Once he gets comfortable he’s apparently impossible to move!

The current ten designs break down into four categories: Geometric Shapes to Classic Solids, Elegant Florals and Delightful Textures. Stay tuned, Crane & Canopy plans to unveil a new design every two months so your bedding always stays fresh whatever the season and on point with changing fashions and trends.

Additionally, form meets function. Their signature duvet cover includes easy ties at the corners to ensure your duvet stays put from the inside. Instead of buttons on the sides, this duvet uses a patented hidden closure positioned on the front of the duvet for better access. What’s more, you can have the layered look, where the flat sheet appears to be folded over like you have your own hotel turn down service. Here you get the look with laissez faire effort. Check out the video featuring the handsome Noe Green bedding.

Crane & Canopy’s talented designers come from a variety of industries including home goods, textiles, fashion and interior design. Lead Designer Johnny Moallempour, who has roots in fashion and a long-standing interior design background, was among the crowd. What SF neighborhood might inspire the next design? Lucky for us, Crane & Canopy takes suggestions. Indeed, Johnny encourages it! Just ask.

Gallery of Jewels Kicks Off Summer With 10 Day Bridal Engagement

Gallery of Jewels, San Francisco’s most respected destination for independent designers, is holding their first ever ten-day Summer of Love Bridal Engagement beginning June 21st, 2012 through June 30th, 2012 to help couples kick off the wedding season in style with access to over fifteen designers’ complete bridal collections.

 

“We’ve been partnering with independent designers for over two decades, way before it was cool to do so,” said Bill Hoover, owner of Gallery of Jewels. “Now as more couples are moving towards modern, alternative jewelry styles for their weddings, we are happy to provide our designers a special event to show their beautiful designs to these customers.”

The ten-day extravaganza will feature romantic, modern, organic and alternative styles from designers specializing in unique settings, unusual textures and uncommon stones. Shoppers headed down the aisle can buy off the shelf or custom build their ideal ring with one of Gallery of Jewels talented designers.

The vast selection will include: engagement rings, wedding bands (his and hers and stand alone), white gold, rose gold, yellow gold, platinum, silver, damascus steel, mokume gane, hand hammered or carved bands for men and women and colored sapphires and diamonds in all types of cuts, available for purchase loose and in settings.

The designer bridal collections will be spread across each of Gallery of Jewels three locations, allowing shoppers to tour the city in search of their perfect tokens of admiration.

In the Noe Valley shop (4089 24th Street), designers Jennifer Dawes, Jessica Fields, Stephany Hitchcock, Alberian and Aulde and Rebecca Overmann will be featured. Downtown in Union Square (427 Post Street), designers Sethi Couture, Just Jules, Megan Thorne, G.Phil Poirier and Emily Johnson will be showcasing their collections and over in the Fillmore (2115 Fillmore Street), shoppers can find bridal designs by Anne Sportun, Steven Battelle, Ananda Khalsa, Sarah Richardson and Dahlia Kanner.

The fun starts with an opening reception in each gallery Thursday June 21st from 5-8 p.m. with champagne and refreshments being served. The first fifty guests will also receive a gift bag filled with treasures.

For more information on Gallery of Jewels, please visit their website at www.galleryofjewels.com

San Francisco: Are you ready for Black V 2012?


Black V is back for the third year. This time with a diverse mix of designers. It the show is a great opportunity for fashion industry professionals to network and keep the fashion zeitgeist alive in San Francisco. The event will combine a traditional runway show with multi-media platforms and technologies.

The event will be held at The Landmark on Market Street on Saturday, May 12 from 6:30-10pm.Tickets can be purchased here.

2012 BLACK V fashion designers lineup includes: Acta Non Verba, Cari Borja, Daniel Sudar, d’Homme by Dahae Kim, Gail B Shrive, Kate Knuvelder, Ken Chen San Francisco, and Zoe Hong.

Fashion for Fashion:
Proceeds from BLACK V Fashion Event will benefit the Fashion Show Production Class at City College of San Francisco. The Foundation of City College is a (501c3) non-profit organization.

Gallery Of Jewels: Shine On With Designer Stephany Hitchcock This Weekend


This weekend Gallery of Jewels is celebrating our mini-heat wave by inviting accessory lovers to a much anticipated multi-store trunk show featuring New York gemologist (and local fave) Stephany Hitchcock.
Stephany counts Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams as fans. Her latest work features sparkle colored gems that are sure to dazzle any sunshine loving locals!

The galleries events will begin at the Noe Valley location on Thursday, May 10th, 3-5pm (by appointment only). From 5-8pm the collection will be open to public. On Friday, May 11th, from 11am – 6:30pm the event is open to the public once again.
On Saturday, May 12th, from 11am – 7pm, the special collection will move to Gallery of Jewels’ Union Square location.
The final stop on Stephany’s San Francisco tour will be the Pacific Heights store on Fillmore Sunday, May 13th, 11am – 6pm.

De Frisco Regalia Grand Opening Party This Weekend

image of de frisco regalia logo
Please come and celebrate the Grand Opening of DE FRISCO REGALIA BOUTIQUE 5/12 and 5/13!

DE FRISCO REGALIA is a boutique owned by Marya and Jd, a husband and wife duo (how cute!) The boutique is located in the Mission District at 491-A Guerrero Street (@17th Street). The store sells unique and current jewelry for affordable prices. While jewelry is their focus, that’s not all they sell. You’ll also find an assortment of shirts, art prints, fragrances, candles and other gift items.

Now, more about the party! The party takes place Saturday(5/12) AND Sunday(5/13) evening from 7-10pm. The party will feature paintings by local artist Mary Muñoz. Attendees who are 21+ can enjoy complimentary wine and champagne. Please rsvp on the facebook event page.

If you can’t attend the opening party, please swing by the new store during regular store hours: Thurs-Tues 12pm-8pm (closed Wednesdays).
image of de frisco regalia
image of de frisco regalia 2

“SF. LIT UP” A Collection by Ryan Vicente

Hey everyone, make sure you mark your calendars for Ryan Vicente’s first solo show! It will be taking place at D-Structure shop/gallery in lower Haight this Friday!

As you have seen (from my old post) Ryan is known for his iconic screen prints. This show is in full spirit of famous San Francisco street signs as well as land marks that everyone will recognize! Ryan has been pouring his heart, soul, and countess all nighters to pull this phenomenal series together, so try to make your way down for a fun night of music, art, and a true San Francisco experience!

The show opens April 20th at 8pm, so be sure to stop by enjoy great art and complementary drinks!

 

 

 

Fashion Incubator SF: reignites the fashion industry

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the unveiling of Fashion Incubator San Francisco at Macy’s Union Square, where six carefully selected designers have the opportunity to work in a professional workspace – with all the tools and guidance they’ll need to create a successful clothing line.

It was quite inspiring to walk through the 3,500 square-foot space, touring the designers office spaces, mood boards and their workroom – among fellow bloggers, local designers and members of San Francisco’s fashion community.

Meet this years Designers in Residence:

Sounthavong

Tony Sananikone designs both couture and women’s ready-to-wear, focusing on empowerment and beauty.

Mansoor Scott

Bethany Meuleners and Sabah Monsoor Husain work together to create a bohemian-luxe women’s wear collection, with artisan handcrafts and global influences.

Justin Jamison

Justin designs progressive urban-wear for men, taking inspirations from around the globe and architectural designs.

Tamara Jaric & Paloma Von Broadley

Tamara (left) designs women’s urban outerwear, with couture embellishments.  Paloma (right) designs jewelry and women’s wear, embracing “slow fashion” through handmade patterning, sewing and knitting.

*All photos courtesy Fashion Incubator SF

Interview with Alp Sagnak of Atelier Minyon

Once, years ago when I was in Mexico, I saw a yellow gold paperweight in the shape of a skull, about the size of someone’s fist, with diamonds for eyes and shiny as all get-up.  Who needs a gold and diamond encrusted skull paperweight?  Nobody.  Who desperately wants a gold and diamond encrusted skull paperweight?  Me.  My interest in the skull came as a total shock since I am not into the macabre, but for some reason I was captivated how an object that is generally considered grim was transformed into something attractive.  When I discovered that Stylebust was invited to a trunk show on February 18 at Gallery of Jewels on Fillmore Street to interview Alp Sagnak, the designer behind the line Atelier Minyon, I jumped at the opportunity because, as I discovered, Alp has a profound affinity for skulls.  Viewing his collection brought me back to that market in Mexico.  Although many pieces from Atelier Minyon appear to have a dark side, with Alp’s craftmanship and passion for making beautiful objects, the pieces are somehow transformed into something quite charming.  Nothing is mass produced, so you can be sure that the item you are wearing will be a definite attention getter.

image of Atelier Minyon Triple Skull

What about the jewelry design industry has changed the most in the last 5 years?  So when you’re asking this question you have to know that the whole jewelry design industry is concentrated on bridal collections, especially in the United States.  Ninety-nine percent is completely out of bridal because that’s the thing that everybody buys.  But we are the other jewelry designers that are not targeting that market.  It is a very niche market, a very small market, and everybody is so good, and in the past five years I think the designers were a little bit afraid to put money into the new collections and to express what they were feeling because they couldn’t make money.  So, they had to change the metals they were working with, they had to change the stones they were working with.  It was a challenge, I think.  But in the past five years, whoever was still creative and still brave enough to introduce new things, i think now they are having those advantages.

How do you remain inspired during a creative block?  Let’s say I went to Susanna Segal [manager of Gallery of Jewels] to sell my product and she said, “No, this is not for us.”  Then you get so angry and you try to make something that would prove them wrong, so most of what you see from this trunk show is coming from this anger.  For the last three years, it has been like that for me.  I’ve always thought that there are a lot of great designers that you have to compete with, and when I see someone doing something better than me, it makes me angry.  So that is the answer to this question.  Anger – you always have to compete and it is such a fun process.

What is the least favorite part of your job?  The cash flow, I think.  If an artist, if you call me an artist, cannot find the money that needs to be used for the other collection, then you cannot produce.  Especially when you’re working with gold or precious stones, those kind of things, they all need money to make new things.  For example, let’s say I believed in this cable [points to a cell phone charger] that it would sell and I made this cable and it didn’t sell – that’s the least favorite part because first of all, you failed, and second, you could have used that money that you allocated for this cable to another cable, or the plug.

Describe your jewelry in one word.  Awesome.  No, no, I’m changing it.  Sexy.  That is, for some reason, my mission, really.  I love sexy women, and I think our jewelry makes them sexier.  Or, if someone else were to say that whenever I put any of your pieces on and I felt stronger, that would make me so happy.

The person I respect most is… a self-confident person because the self-confidence would allow others to see who really he or she is.  He or she doesn’t have to play or try to be someone else.  Let’s say I am a plumber.  If I am self-confident with being a plumber, first of all I know that I can do the job right, and if I’m a plumber I’m not trying to be the President of the United States, I am a real person.  There are a lot of people in New York that are trying to show themselves as more than who they are, that’s why I think they are not confident in themselves, but a self-confident person doesn’t have to act like someone else.

What is your biggest weakness?  Ego — I want everybody to love what I do.

Name one thing that your jewelry business does that you think no one else does.  I think we are so much faster than everybody else with introducing new collections, which might be wrong, speaking as a business person.  I think we are moving so fast and the reason is that we are new to the United States market.  We are trying to expand as fast as we can, but it needs time for a company to be known by a couple of different looks that they would say, “Oh, this is classic Atelier Minyon.”  I think it takes time, and it needs depth.  That’s why I think we are moving so fast.

I’m jealous of… sometimes other jewelry designers, if they do something better than we do, but the jewelry business is not my whole entire world.  I am jealous of live performers.  I envy when I see someone acting onstage, or singing onstage, because I would want to be them, if I had the chance.  I never took the time to concentrate on that, but I would love to be on stage.

Five years from now… I hope I’m still alive.  And I want everybody to know what we are doing.  I want to be the most successful brand in the jewelry industry.

image of atelier Minyon Serpent Cuff

image of atelier Minyon Baroque Pearl Ring

image of Atelier Minyon Black Diamond Skull Cuff

*image source: Atelier Minyon

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