May 24, 2012

Hybrid Times: Bacca Da Silva Fall ’11

For proof that you can make a serious statement without choosing sides, we turn to the recently announced Fall 2011 menswear collection from San Francisco designer Bacca da Silva. In his latest, da Silva combines elements of casual European sportswear and formal dress, yielding hybrid garments that are both dressed-up and day-to-day.

The collection’s standout piece has to be the two-piece trench coat. The long sleeve bolero topper unclips from the chest to reveal a sleeveless belted trench underneath. The pieces can be worn together for a look that’s perfect for your inner Scandinavian crime-fighter or separately as an unexpected accompaniment for a crisp dress shirt.

While the trench tends toward the avant garde, the line puts equal emphasis on staples such as streamlined blazers, preppy collared shirts and slim pants. The signature crest and scorpion embellishments appear throughout, while webbed closures and details, elbow and shoulder cut-outs, strategically-placed padding and hand embroidery add interest to the neutral palette of black, white and gray.

To view in person, make the trek to da Silva’s Sutter Street shop. In the meantime, peruse a few of our favorite items below:

Photography courtesy of Bacca da Silva

Snap Judgment: Bacca Da Silva Scorpion Tie

Our very-visual, (almost) chatter-free snap judgment of the day: the newly-released, hand-embroidered skinny Scorpion Tie, $150, available in white or black silk from San Francisco-based designer Bacca Da Silva. You’ll find this and many new accessories from the label available online or in the Sutter Street shop.

More snap judgments

Runway Recap: Black V Fashion Show

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If ever there was a sign that the San Francisco fashion community is alive and well, Saturday night’s Black V fashion show was it. An impressive number of guests sleekly clad in black turned out for the showcase featuring Bacca Da Silva, Dcepcion, Alexandria Von Bromssen, Kaatje Design, Mike SG and Terrance Yu at downtown wine tasting venue Press Club.

With onlookers packed in three people deep in some places behind the 40-seat VIP section, the show produced by Halo Republic built on the one-hue theme it established earlier this year during winter White Party with a Memorial Day Weekend display of men’s and women’s apparel almost exclusively in black.

With black as the common thread throughout, the diversity of items shown was noteworthy: Puff-shouldered cocktail dresses and fitted men’s blazers by Bacca Da Silva contrasted with the moody casual separates for men from twin brothers Daniel and David Concepcion’s Dcepcion line, while Alexandria Von Bromssen’s women’s apparel mixed European minimalism with a healthy dose of underground vamp. Also in the mix were new, streamlined menswear pieces by Tamo Design and tailored menswear-inspired women’s jackets by Terrance Yu. Accessories by Kaatje Design and Mike SG brought yet more visual interest to the looks.

Follow San Francisco fashion shows with any regularity, and you’re probably well aware that shows run the gamut from the very homegrown and unabashedly amateurish to society events with high ticket prices in support of any number of local cultural institutions and civic groups. It’s rare to find an organized, well-produced show with a high turnout, sophisticated crowd, high-quality apparel, an appealing venue and free admission – and we’re glad to report that this event had all of the above.

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Top and sequin skirt by Bacca Da Silva

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Menswear by Dcepcion, adept at subtle details such as the side flap pocket shown here on a pair of slim men’s shorts.

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All Hail to Gail

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At last week’s Fashion Feud finals, we were pleased to see more audience members than ever turn out for the event. Between moments catching up with designers like Bacca Da Silva and Charlie B of Invisible Hero Industries, we had a fine time watching Alexandria Von Bromssen, Gail B. Shrive and Julia Meeks concoct wearable ensembles from Mood fabrics in only an hour.

By the time Shrive (above right, with model) was announced as winner, the crowd was in fine spirits, thanks to the convivial surroundings (and a few drinks from Mighty’s bar, of course).

– SF Indie Fashion Contributor Michelle Ruiz

Shrive followed her win last week up with a show on Friday at Supperclub. Below, a few images of her latest work:

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[Photography: top images, Michelle Ruiz; bottom images, Amanda Graves]

Flake Factor: Fashion Network’s Snow Show

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On Saturday, we saw spied quite a rare San Francisco sight: snow. As we watched models donning looks from local designers such as Christopher Collins, Verrieres & Sako, Joseph Domingo, Bacca Da Silva, Dcepcion and Colleen Quen saunter down the center of newly-opened Pigment Cosmetics, white flakes flurried around the party’s entryway. And even though we knew they weren’t real, we marveled all the same. How often do you get to see snow on Market Street, even if it is fake?

The fun of flakes was hardly the only special effect at the inaugural event of the San Francisco Bay Area Fashion Network, founded by designer Joseph Domingo. Almost every guest at the event wore head-to-toe white and every look sent down the center aisle by the participating designers embraced the evening’s chosen hue. There were also cute-as-can-be mini cupcakes iced in white waiting around every turn in the predominately white-washed space.

After the show, which ended with each designer taking a turn before the crowd with models in signature looks, we were happy to find many of the designers chatting with guests and generally making merry (more than a few air kisses were blown and glasses of Chardonnay raised high) as the party continued into the night.

[Photos: Clockwise from top, looks by Bacca Da Silva, Joseph Domingo and Verrieres & Sako]

And a few more images, courtesy of Pigment Cosmetics:

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