Cortney Clift

San Francisco Style: Fall Fashion’s School Girl Chic

September 16, 2011 By Cortney Clift Leave a Comment

Whether or not you’re headed back to school, fresh takes on studious style go perfectly with fall fashion. Get an Ivy League-inspired look with a preppy plaid wrap skirt, dark brown oxford heels by a San Francisco shoe company and a leather and canvas tote from local label Joshu+Vela.

Vintage Wool Tartan Plaid Wrap Skirt by Elas Vintage Finds

Vintage 60′s Red Shift Suit by Cake Shop Vintage

Dark Oak Waxed Tote by Joshu+Vela

Burgundy Leather Wrap Watch at Azalea Boutique

Lace-Up Oxford Booties by Paulo Shoes

More San Francisco style…

Photography courtesy of individual retailers

Filed Under: etsy, Indie Fashion, Indie-friendly stores, jewelry, Local designers, Recycled fashion, San Francisco boutiques, san francisco shopping, San Francisco style series, shoes, Vintage Tagged With: Azalea Boutiqe, Cake Shop Vintage, Elas Vintage Finds, fall fashion, Joshu+Velu, Paulo Shoes, san francisco designers, san francisco fashion, Trend Report

Tailored Triumph: Chaiken and Capone’s Fall/Holiday 2011 Collection

August 23, 2011 By Cortney Clift Leave a Comment

Rachel Tuxedo Trouser

Say goodbye to oversized tees, slouchy harem pants and boyfriend sweaters. San Francisco—based company Chaiken and Capone is back after several years off the radar and is quickly reviving beautifully tailored fashion with its new fall and holiday collections.

The label’s founder and creative director, Julie Chaiken, has become globally famous for (many say) miracle working, office-appropriate pants known for being ultra flattering on every figure. For fall, the Chaiken & Capone pant is back, with both skinny and wider-leg trousers gracing the collection alongside blazers, blouses, pencil skirts and cozy sweaters. Holiday brings a tuxedo trouser, party-ready dresses and an elegant evening wrap.

Next up, an online store, coming soon.

Below, a few of the uber-polished pieces on offer this fall and winter from the San Francisco label:

Isabella Dress

Susan Skinny Trouser, Monroe Jacket

Susan Skinny Trouser, Lila Sweater, Elizabeth Blouse

Kelly Coat, Heather Trouser

Rachel Trouser

Photography courtesy of Chaiken and Capone

Filed Under: Indie Fashion, Local designers Tagged With: chaiken and capone, Chaiken and Capone Fall 2011, fall 2011, Office Apparel, San Francicso Designers, San Francicso Fashion, San Francisco Fall 2011, Workwear

Runway Recap: SF Fashion Week Runway 3 – Couture/Avant Garde Show

August 19, 2011 By Cortney Clift Leave a Comment

A studded dress by Ken Chen and guitar case by Vayaro

This year’s San Francisco Fashion Week went out with a bang last Sunday night at its third runway show of the week, which focused on couture and avant garde designs. Held at Madrone Studios in the SOMA, the show featured local designers Vio Gemini, Ken Chen, Aya Yuroha and Diane Oo, Jackie Princeau, Homme by Dahae Elyse Kimm and Camelia Skikos.

Vio Gemini opened the show with decadent bridal gowns equipped with feathers, Victorian collars and decorative pleating. While most of the gowns were floor length, there were a few pieces with hemlines above the knees. These shorter dresses added a flirty, laid back flair to the classic bridal look.

Next up, contemporary designer Ken Chen paired with handbag label Vayaro for their collection in the show. The two brands blended together seamlessly as Vayaro’s bags added kicks of color to Chen’s mostly neutral, minimal designs.

Jackie Princeau’s array of shift dresses, tailored pants and clean cut tops channeled a classic Parisian chic vibe. Putting a spin on the simple style, the brand topped multiple looks with leather body pieces that added futuristic flair.

Homme by Dahae Elyse Kimm managed to effortlessly combine draping, sleek cuts and modern dye techniques into one fluid men’s collection. The most notable piece was an asymmetrical, dip-dyed jacket that immediately captivated the audience with its modern cut and high contrast.

Closing out the show was former Gap and Levi Strauss designer Camelia Skikos. Her designs, which featured vibrant pops of cobalt blue, showed the most adventurous use of color out of all the designers. Similar to Jackie Princeau’s body pieces, Skikos also used playful shoulder accessories, which added a fashionable spin to streamlined silhouettes.

Below, a few images from the show, produced by the San Francisco Fashion and Merchants Alliance:

A gown from Vio Gemini

An intricate jacket with wire detailing by Aya Yuroha and Diane Oo

A leather body piece by Jackie Princeau

A dip-dyed jacket by Homme by Dahae Elyse Kimm

A modern white cloak by Camelia Skikos

A simple tube dress with shoulder piece by Camelia Skikos

Photography courtesy Shaun Tiangsing

Filed Under: Custom garments, Indie Fashion, Local designers, San Francisco Fashion News, San Francisco Fashion Shows Tagged With: Aya Yuroha and Diane Oo, Camelia Skikos, Homme by Dahae Elyse Kimm, Jackie Princeau, Ken Chen, san francisco designers, san francisco fashion, San Francisco Fashion Week 2011, Vio Gemini

Snap Judgment: Ken Chen’s Allure Leather Jacket

August 12, 2011 By Cortney Clift Leave a Comment

Our very-visual, (almost) chatter-free snap judgment of the day: the rebelliously chic Allure Leather Jacket, $950, from San Francisco designer Ken Chen. Check out the matching leather pants for the ultimate biker chic look or take in Chen’s latest during the SFFMA’s Fashion Week Runway Show 3: Avant Garde/Couture on Sunday in San Francisco.

More snap judgments…

Filed Under: Bike fashion, Custom garments, etsy, Indie Fashion, Local designers, san francisco shopping

Runway Recap: Mélange Fashion Show

August 11, 2011 By Cortney Clift 3 Comments

Menswear by San Francisco-based label Alley Collection

As guests of last Saturday’s Mélange Fashion Show walked into the San Francisco Design Center to an array of dancers performing a modern routine, it became instantly obvious that this was not going to be your typical fashion show.

Nick Navarro, the Chief Executive Officer behind Mélange has said, “fashion should not be isolated as a single art form,” and so, while the production was primarily fashion-based, dance, music and theater were also incorporated. A solid showing of diversity rang clear throughout every aspect of the night, and could be spotted in the featured clothing, designers, models and even music choices.

The show was broken up into three acts: Genesis, Annihilation and Resurrection. The performance began with a goddess-like narrator introducing the two main characters: Soledad, the embodiment of all that is pure, and Angelica, Soledad’s more aggressive and animalistic counterpart. Each act began with Soledad and Angelica dancing, singing and running wild around the venue. A more standard styled fashion show featuring designers relevant to each act followed.

Out of the eighteen designers presented, a few stood out from the pack. Carmen Chen Wu was the first to head down the catwalk and sent models out in head wraps, muted prints and heavy layering. In the second act, looks were darker and more gothic. Croatian designer Igor Galas’ intricate knitwear topped with large hooded jackets and Hayley Lai’s sharp geometric shapes mixed with delicate knits embodied the mood perfectly. Grace Lillian Lee and Nicole Miller ended the evening with show-stoppingly chic gowns, flashy gold tops and beautifully draped skirts.

Here are a few shots from Saturday’s show…