On the Radar This Week

Tidbits, folks. Love those indie fashion tidbits of news, sales and happenings. Here’s a little of what’s on our radar this week:

- It appears that the Nisa store on 24th Street has closed. A new boutique called ISSO just opened over the last week in its place. I haven’t had a chance to go in yet, but will report details when I have ‘em.

- We heard through the grapevine that Bettina’s Sausalito store was damaged pretty badly by the recent storms. That’s the bad news. The good news is that they’ve moved most of the Marin store’s merchandise to the San Francisco outpost and have placed much of it on sale to free up space now that they’re filled to the gills.

- After a post-holiday lull in indie shopping events, fashion shows and the like, the indie scene seems to be bouncing back come this weekend. Sales, two fashion shows and a crazy swap event await. Check the SF Indie Fashion Calendar for details.

- Speaking of sales, Candystore Collective is having a big fat winter sale. See the flyer below.

- And now for a little piece of indie inspiration. Check out this short interview with Wendy Tremayne, who founded Swap-O-Rama-Rama in 2005. I found this clip via the Sew Bitchy web site. I’m always trying to explain to myself why I think indie fashion is so wonderful and why there is this renaissance in indie fashion happening right now. And Wendy has one of the best little explanations I heard in a while. In any case, I found it to be inspiring and hope you will, too!

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SF Indie Fashion News Roundup

News you can use:

- San Francisco jewelry designer Peggy Li is offering 20 percent of her baubles with the coupon code newyear. It’ll work through Jan. 22, 2008.

- CRAFT magazine has a great podcast up on its blog that features San Francisco’s own Stitch Lounge and the owners’ second book, Subervise Seamster: Transform Thrift Store Threads into Street Couture. Check it out:

Stitch Lounge and Subversive Seamster Video Podcast

- Through the end of January, North Beach boutique ooma is getting its sale on. All fall and winter merch is 20 to 60 percent off.

- Down in Cow Hollow, My Roommate’s Closet (a must-see for discounted designer apparel) just received new duds from Samantha Treacy, TAG denim and Jenny Han (a name that seems to be popping up everywhere in local boutiques).

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A Quickie at Britex

Natalie of CRAFT magazine and the Coquette blog recently did a cool podcast and video featuring the Notions Manager at Britex (the Union Square fabric mecca) talking about her favorite quickie, gift-worthy craft projects. Very cool! Check out the video below:

CRAFT: Quick Holiday Gifts to Make from Britex Fabrics

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Chillin’ Revisted

On Saturday night, we headed to Chillin’ at mezzanine to check out what is undoubtedly the Bay Area’s most nightlife-oriented indie shopping event. As usual, the venue was packed with people and the drinks were flowing - so much so that the upstairs bar ran out of tonic and soda water at one point - which led to me drinking a vodka Redbull and staying up a leetle beet too late watching True Life reruns on MTV after I got home. These things happen.

Props to the participating designers and artists. Most everyone I talked to said they were having a fine ‘ole time - even as they guarded their wares against the inevitability of spilled cocktails, drunken shoppers and crowd surges.

I took a little video from the second level - it ain’t a work of art by any means, but it’ll show you the vibe.

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Mafia Made: The Movie

No, it won’t be coming soon to a theater near you. I shot this little snippet today at the Mafia Made Winter Trunk Show - a wonderful, awesome event that I will write more about later today or tomorrow. Until then, this will give you a look at the scene.

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