San Francisco and the Bay Area in general is not known for fashion designers. The Golden Gate Bridge, sourdough bread, peace rallies - yes, but fashion - no. Until now. Over the past few years, more names have been connected with the Bay Area and fashion. Peter Som, Derek Lam, Alexander Wang, Erin Fetherston, Benjamin Cho, Lily Samii, Humberto Leon. These are the new names coming from our area. Veterens Colleen Quen and Julie Chaiken get mentioned too as pioneers. I'm not the only one who seems to have noticed this, of course. The news of these hot designers is everywhere and locals are excited.
Nerissa Pacio wrote an interesting piece in 7x7 where she imagines what Fashion Week in San Francisco could become. "This could be the moment... when San Francisco finally stakes out its own fashion territory: local, organic, green, artisanal, ethically produced, sustainable..." like the Bay Area has with food. "Is this the future of San Francisco fashion?" she asks. Names like William Good, Lily Achatz, Margaret O'Leary and Linda Loudermilk are becoming more known every day. Not just for show, these clothes are coveted by savvy customers. Pacio also reminds readers that Esprit, Bebe, Levi's and Gap were all founded here.
Some of the buzz comes from New York Fashion Week. I was impressed by some of the Academy of Art University pieces from their first New York show, particularly those by Sherise Eways. (See photos in this month's Nob Hill Gazette.) They stood up next to other designers presenting shows in New York from all over the world.
This month's San Francisco magazine featured Som, Wang and Cho individually with details about how their connection to the Bay Area brought them where they are today. Som, now also designing for Bill Blass, took New York by storm and is still riding the media wave. It's not that L.A. is that far for those who buy the clothes to travel or order garments; it's the issue of manufacturing complexities and costs as well as existing mechanisms for the design process that have made business here for fashion designers challenging.
In the Sunday Style section March 9, Carolyne Zinko of the San Francisco Chronicle detailed the story of the new Emanual Ungaro line headed by Colombian-American Esteban Cortazar. This is relevant because the owner of Ungaro, Asim Abdullah of Global Asset Capital Investment Bank, happens to live in Atherton. It's huge news that Ungaro got such great press in Paris. That doesn't mean Ungaro will be moving its headquarters to SOMA, but it does help turn peoples' eyes on our area as a center for innovation in areas other than technology.
And what about San Francisco Fashion Week? Each year it looks more professional, tickets get harder to obtain, and the hype grows a little more. People look forward to it as an annual event. The designers showcase serious collections and the event takes on a luster making it a unique spectacle.
The new Innovative Fashion Council highlighted in Pacio's 7x7 article states in their mission that they wish to create "a cohesive, vibrant fashion community, a fashion district, a fashion vocational high school and ultimately an eco-fashion epicenter based in San Francisco." They "strive to increase global and local exposure for local designers and the City of San Francsco's fashion industry." Fine by me. Looks like the party's already started.
Sounds so great !!.. I'll be there..
Posted by: Nousha | March 20, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Its great to that the bay area is becoming a fashion icon!
Posted by: Miguel | August 13, 2008 at 11:57 AM