SFBayStyle

The Secret Lives of Dresses: Book Launch

Local author and blogger Erin McKean invites one and all to join her on Thursday, February 10 at the San Francisco vintage clothing store Ver Unica to launch her very first book - The Secret Lives of Dresses (inspired by her blog, www.dressaday.com/).

The Secret Lives of Dresses tells the story of Dora, a 20-something college student who decides to put her life on hold to run her ailing grandmother's vintage clothing store. But is her life really on hold or perhaps taking an exciting new turn? 

Come on out, dress in vintage (or not), meet Erin and pick up a copy of this fun and inspiring new book.

The Secret Lives of Dresses Book Launch. Thursday February 10, 2011, 6-9pm at Ver Unica, 526 Hayes St., SF.    

 

Holiday Happenings with Rocket Dog Rescue

WHO: Rocket Dog Rescue

WHAT: An evening of holiday shopping and cheer - 5% of the proceeds go to helping RRR find forever homes for abandoned dogs.

WHEN: Saturday, December 4, 4pm to 9pm

WHERE: Design Quarter, 1478 Church Street, @ 27th Street, San Francisco.

What's more stylish than turning out for a good cause? And what better a cause than Rocket Dog Rescue? The hard working volunteers with RRR save our canine friends from death at overcrowded shelters. RRR provides each dog with all needed medical care and a foster home until a forever home is found. Since 2001 RRR has rescued over 4000 dogs. Way to go!

The evening will include cocktails, food, a raffle and shopping the fabulous home wares of Design Quarter (5% of all sales go to the dogs).

 

Mireille Schwartz Appointed to Board of Directors of FAAN

Congratulations to San Francisco philanthropist Mireille Schwartz who was recently was appointed to the board of directors of FAAN: The Food Allergy Anaphylaxis Network.

To celebrate Mireille’s appointment, friends and supporters gathered last week at Caldwell Snyder Gallery in downtown San Francisco. Among the guests were Joel Goodrich, Karen Tamblyn, Wilkes Bashford, and Charleston Pierce. Damion Matthews and Cameron Noble were honored with appreciation awards and Senator Mark Leno dropped in to present Mireille with a special award for all her hard works on behalf of those who suffer from food allergies. The event was hosted by Karen Caldwell and Susan Snyder.

(Photo: Mireille Schwartz with Senator Mark Leno. Photo by Drew Altizer)

Vintage Fashion Expo

With vintage being all the rage this season, the upcoming Vintage Fashion Expo is on everyone's mind. We can't wait to hit the San Francisco Concourse on Saturday September 18th and Sunday September 19th and start checking off our fall must-have shopping list.

• Camel hair coats
• Structured handbags
• Tailored jackets
• Shirtwaist dresses
• Kitten heel shoes
• Animal Prints
• Gloves
• Cuff and bangle bracelets - lots of ‘em!

Gatsby Summer Afternoon

"Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!" Jay Gatsby, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Repeating the past is what it's all about for the enthusiastic attendees of the Gatsby Summer Afternoon, coming up on Sunday, September 12th at the Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate in the Oakland Hills. This annual event is sponsored by the Art Deco Society of California and is in its 26th year.

 

Click here to see a slide show of past Gatsby afternoons

Several hundred people each year gather on the lovely front lawns of Dunsmuir Hellman House and recreate the 1920s by dressing the part and setting up picnic sites. Adding to the ambiance are classic cars and live jazz music. Some people take months to plan elaborate table decorations including china and crystal champagne flutes while others go simple with a blanket and tea sandwiches. Everyone is encouraged to use vintage furnishings, keeping the day as authentic as possible. For those new to the concept, The Art Deco Society provides a detailed guide on their website offering tips from food to fashion.

Juice Beauty with Jennifer Siebel Newsom

There's no denying that San Francisco's First Lady, Jennifer Siebel Newsom has beautiful and seemingly flawless skin. Would you like to know her secret? Ms. Siebel Newsom is happy to share and did so on July 14th at Hotel Vitale where guests gathered to view her premiere commercial spot for Juice Beauty, an organic skincare line.

Ms. Siebel Newsom has long been an advocate for green causes and after becoming a mother last year, she was alerted to the importance of using pure products on her daughter and herself. "I'm so excited to have found Juice Beauty," says Ms. Siebel Newsom, "and it is up to all of us to choose products that are great for us, our families and the environment."

(Photo: Jennifer Siebel Newsom & Karen Behnke. Drew Altizer.)

Fashion on the Square

It's Stylish ... It's Hot ... It's Local

It's Fashion on the Square, the biggest runway show on the West Coast, coming up this Saturday, August 14, noon-5pm at the Westfield Center Dome, 865 Market Street, San Francisco. Now celebrating seven years, Fashion on the Square features designers of adult and children's clothing from around the Bay Area. Show Producer Y'Anad Burrell is pleased to be back for another year, "We are very passionate about keeping fashion alive in San Francisco," says Y'Anad, "and felt committed to making sure we contributed to that effort."

Don't miss this opportunity to view the unique fashions of ten designers and see in the flesh show hosts Bre from America's Next Top Model and Project Runway's Jay Nicolas Sario. It's all happening at Fashion on the Square.

Click here for tickets.

Shopping at the American Craft Council Show in San Francisco

This year’s American Craft Council show, August 13-15, marks the group’s 35th year showing in the Bay Area and to celebrate, they’re shaking things up. In addition to showcasing 250 of the best artisans in the country, the ACC is offering AltCraft – 14 local and visiting artists who create one-of-a-kind objects often made from recycled materials and including jewelry, clothing, hats, shoes, lamps, and greeting cards. Among the chosen is Oakland artist Susan Eastman.

Susan is right on trend with her colorful silk scarves. In the SF Bay Area, scarves are a year round accessory and we ladies can never have too many. Susan hand sews and dyes her richly-colored scarves and she sometimes incorporates pieces of vintage fabric. She finds inspiration everywhere. “I am constantly intrigued by the possibilities of color, texture and form,” says Susan. “I’m usually thrilled by peeling paint or old walls or billboards, rust, grease, graffiti – it all interests me.”

Vintage Clothing & Style Festival

Readers, save the date: The Vintage Clothing & Style Festival is coming up Saturday evening, August 14 and Sunday, August 15 at the Elks Lodge in Alameda. Last year’s premiere event was a big success and this year promises even more vintage fun.

What’s new this time are themes. Saturday evening has two – lingerie and Gatsby. Co-producer Kimberly Manning Aker has organized vignettes with models donning lovely vintage lingerie. “Bring your husbands,” suggests Kimberly. In anticipation of the upcoming Art Deco Society's Gatsby Summer Afternoon, the ADSC will give a presentation, Getting Ready for Gatsby, offering tips on the best places to shop for appropriate gear, how to put together outfits, and how to arrange a picnic site. This in-depth presentation is guaranteed to inform and inspire.

Levi's Offers Printmaking Workshops in San Francisco

 
Photo Provided by Levi's

As part of their Go Forth marketing campaign, Levi's invites you to get to work with their series of print workshops happening now through August 28th. Located in a pop-up storefront in San Francisco's Mission district, the workshops offer opportunities for visitors to use old-school printing presses, create zines, design t-shirts, and talk with local print artists. 

Book artist and printer Taylor Reid works at Center for the Book and was hired by Levi's to demonstrate one of the on-site presses.  She thinks these workshops are a great opportunity for the community. "I've noticed a growing appreciation for hand letter press," she comments. "It's not often people get to see printing in progress and do it themselves."

 

United Streets of Fashion: The Art Institute of California Fashion Show

The Art Institute of California had much to be proud of last Saturday evening at their annual fashion show held in the spacious San Francisco Design Center Galleria. Twenty fashion design students showed their wares to an enthusiastic crowd, which included Oakland Museum of California's Marketing Manager Adam Rozan, Rock and Roll designer Jeanne Rose, and stylist Tyese Cooper. Art Institute faculty member Amy Kweskin was seated in the front row cheering on her students as was Fashion on the Square Producer Y'Anad Burelle, seeking talent for her upcoming show on August 14th.    

Showing muted colors and layers, students were inspired by San Francisco's diverse neighborhoods from Union Square to The Haight. Exposed zippers were a theme as were corset style tops, harem pants, super short skirts, and playful patch pockets. The look for men was comfortable in loose knits, shorts, and layers.  

Teatro ZinZanni: Love, Chaos, And Couture

How do you put a fresh spin on a San Francisco favorite? Add a splash of Parisian glamour and mix in some haute couture. Teatro ZinZanni, the long-running production now in its tenth year, livens up the show with a fashionable twist guaranteed to appeal to fashionistas and style novices alike.

“Love, Chaos & Couture: All Dressed up With Someplace To Go” is a limited engagement, high-fashion themed performance running from now until August 15^that the storied ZinZanni cabaret tent, located at Pier 29 along San Francisco’s Embarcadero. The show stars beloved cast favorites Liliane Montevecchi and Frank Ferrante as fashion-obsessed former lovers reunited in the City by the Bay.

Stylin': Bay Area Rock Fashion 1963-73 at the Museum of Performance & Design

 
  
Designer Jeanne Rose in the middle with models sporting Jeanne's original 1960s designs.

Photo byTony Bravo

For more photos click here

It was a rockin’ time last Thursday evening for the attendees of the multimedia panel, Stylin’: Bay Area Rock Fashion 1963-73 at San Francisco’s Museum of Performance & Design. Designer Jeanne Rose, boutique owner Helene Robertson, and musicians Peter Kaukonen and George Hunter each spoke about their personal experiences with 60s fashions influenced by Rock and Roll music and the youth culture in San Francisco.

The multimedia panel was a special event in conjunction with the museum’s current exhibition, Somethin’s Happening Here: Bay Area Rock ‘n’ Roll 1963-1973. Attendees, outfitted in their finest retro duds, perused the exhibit which includes stage costumes worn by Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, Sly Stone and Peter Albin as well as photos, posters, and other artifacts from the era. Moderated by exhibition co-curator Melissa Leventon, the lively discussion provided a glimpse into the importance of clothing in the San Francisco rock music scene.

San Francisco Hosts Book Launch Party for Derek Blasberg's Classy

It is good to know I’m not a tramp, as confirmed by Derek Blasberg, New York City’s favorite guy-about-town and author of Classy: Exceptional Advice for the Extremely Modern Lady. At his recent San Francisco book launch party co-hosted by model Maggie Rizer and Gilt Groupe, Mr. Blasberg briefly addressed the crowd saying there was not a tramp to be found among us, “… so give my book to your trampy friends.”

Tramp or not, there’s something to learn from Mr. Blasberg’s primer on how to be a lady. A fashion reporter and NYC society party-hopper, Mr. Blasberg has observed many a faux pas, including the certain trend among young women to go bare under their skirts. (Oh dear, I have nightmares about that.) With his mid-western sensibilities and good manners he has taken on the tramps, determined to help them change their ways. In his book marketed to young adults, Mr. Blasberg offers advice on how to be a lady in every possible situation from traveling to hosting a party to falling in love. He also offers tips in how to dress like a lady; BTW, undergarments are a must.

Pictured right Maggie Rizer, Derek Blasberg, and Gilt Groupe's Alexis Maybank. Photo by: Drew Altizer 

Actress and Animal Rights Activist Tippi Hedren Visits San Francisco

An excited crowd recently gathered at the Barry Barsamian Hollywood Legends Exhibit in the Metreon waiting for the arrival of movie star Tippi Hedren. Known for her roles in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic films The Birds and Marnie, Ms. Hedren has more recently turned her attentions to animal rights legislation and her wild cat sanctuary, Shambala.

Click here for slide show

Local notables such as Wilkes Bashford, Natalie Wood’s older sister, Olga and Kathy Garver (co-star in the 60s television show Family Affair) were among the crowd of 100 who toured the exhibit while enjoying champagne. Ms. Hedren arrived donning a long black gown with a short Edith Head jacket accessorized with a birds-in-flight brooch made of seed pearls set in gold. Petite and still a stunner, Ms. Hedren addressed the crowd sharing stories of how she was cast in The Birds and her passion for wild animals.

(Pictured above: Tippi Hedren with Barry Barasamian. Photo by Carole Chang)

The Fashion Event of the Year - Discarded to Divine

One of the most popular Bay Area fashion events of the year, Discarded to Divine is coming up this Thursday, April 29 at Saint Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco. Guest designer is Project Runway contestant, Jay Nicolas Sario.

A major fundraiser for the San Francisco St. Vincent De Paul, Discarded to Divine invites local designers and fashion design students to reconstruct discarded clothing into one-of-a-kind pieces for fashion and home decor worthy of bringing in big bucks. This year's lineup of designers includes East Bay artist Anandamayi Arnold. Ms. Arnold usually works with paper, creating paper dresses and small paper sculptures available in the Berkeley store, Tail of the Yak. For this year's Discarded to Divine, Ms. Arnold is working with her mother, a professional dressmaker. The mother-daughter team are keeping their design top secret until the day of the event, but word is it will include handmade ribbon pansies.

Discarded to Divine, Thursday April 29, Saint Mary's Cathedral, 1111 Gough Street, SF. VIP reception at 5pm. General reception and silent auction at 6pm. Live auction and runway show at 8pm. For more information call 415-977-1270.

Save the Date - Meet Actress Tippi Hedren and Support The Roar Foundation

Join Hollywood memorabilia collector Barry Barsamian in welcoming actress Tippi Hedren to San Francisco's Metreon on Thursday, April 29, 6pm. Ms. Hedren will attend the exhibit Hollywood Legends: The Barry Barsamian Collection and unveil from her own personal wardrobe an original Edith Head gown.

View Barry's collection of some of the most famous fashions from motion pictures and the personal wardrobes of the worlds greatest stars, including:

Judy Garland
Audrey Hepburn
Elizabeth Taylor
Marilyn Monroe
Clark Gable
Cary Grant

Meet Ms. Hedren and view her fabulous Edith Head original gown up close.

Enjoy special performances by Linda Bulgo as Judy Garland
and Doug Wilson, the Singing Cop.

(A Portion of the Proceeds Will Benefit The Roar Foundation through Barry Barsamian)

Thursday, April 29th, 2010
6:00 - 8:30 pm
Champagne and Appetizers

Metreon
101 Fourth Street, Ground Level
San Francisco, CA 94103

$60.00 Movie Star
$100.00 Silent Film Star
$150.00 Academy Award Winner

Please make your check payable to: Barry Barsamian & mail to:
4326 Detroit Avenue,
Oakland, CA 94619
All checks must be mailed by April 25th, 2010

 

 

 

 

Fashion and Student Trends Host Spring Fashion Show at UC Berkeley

Berkeley is not known for its sense of high fashion. But that is of no consequence to 100 UC Berkeley students who belong to the campus fashion club, Fashion and Student Trends (FAST). By producing a fashion show each semester, FAST offers interested students hands-on experience in many aspects of the fashion industry from design to photography to promotion. Currently the UC Berkeley fashionistas are busy bees getting ready for the spring 2010 fashion show coming up this Sunday, April 25. 

FAST co-president Helene Truong says the club is completely student run and in their fifth year, they are growing in popularity. UC Berkeley has no fashion design or merchandising program, so club members come from various unrelated disciplines. “FAST gives students an opportunity to explore fashion as a hobby,” says Ms. Truong, “and an entrance to a possible future career.” Ms. Truong, a junior majoring in Media Studies, is in her third year working with FAST. She explains that students interested in fashion design present their ideas to a committee and if chosen to present in the semester-end fashion show, they must commit to designing 5-7 pieces each. The progress of the designers is monitored with various deadlines and meetings. Students wanting to model are given training sessions and throughout the semester FAST sponsors various workshops and guests speakers on all aspects of the industry. Other club members volunteer for photographing the show, mixing the music, promoting, backstage managing and all the other necessary tasks of putting on a fashion show. The club also works with local fashion industry businesses, like Paul Mitchell Beauty School who provide some of their students to style hair for the show.

Raphael House Gala Roars with the Twenties

Saturday night, the Bimbo's 365 Club came to life in North Beach, transporting guests back in time with its gorgeous nightclub atmosphere, a big band, lounge singers and loads of once prohibited bubbly. Celebrating 39 years as what many call the best shelter for families in San Francisco, the gala aimed to continue successes of previous years, raising nearly 20% of the funds for Raphael House's annual budget.

Entering the main hall, guests were greeted with a glistening presentation by the Richard Olson Orchestra - including a horns section, three singers and a grand piano. With a dress code of "flapper and dapper," men sported fedoras with their tuxes, and ladies came in roaring twenties fringed frocks, complete with pearls, headbands, furs and feathers. The silent auction included a vast array of packages from eco friendly children's items to expensive vacations.

SF Ballet Presents Exclusive Michael Kors Fashion Show Next Week

A handful of fashion shows in the Bay Area make the list of the best every year. Sitting at the top of the list is the San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary Fashion Show. Partnered with Saks Fifth Avenue, they always showcase a fall designer collection fresh from the New York runway. This year, Michael Kors was selected.

Wednesday the 28th, the fashion show, previously a luncheon event, will move to cocktail hour at the Westin St. Francis on Union Square. Beginning at 5:30pm, cocktails, live auction and the fashion show (featuring professional models) will show items in the Michael Kors collection that are available for purchase for fall/winter 2010.

In terms of philanthropic bang for your fashion show buck, this is one of the best deals around. Tickets start at $175 and $100 of that is deductible, going straight to the SF Ballet. Limited seats are still available.