Walls featuring repurposed wood and black-and-white photographs set the stage for displays made using vintage suitcases.
Faedi (right) and friend Heather (also the curator at Hotel Biron) put the finishing touches on a print before the opening party last night. The counter was made by Kelly Malone using the top of a cast-off desk and old fencing.
Faedi's prints ($25) of neighborhood names are an inexpensive way to add a local, graphic touch to a room.
The new Gangs of San Francisco store opened with a bash in Hayes Valley last night, and we were able to stop by for a sneak peek of the space before the shindig. The shop, built by Kelly Malone, impressed with its creative reuse of materials, while the San Francisco-themed t-shirts gave us a stylish lesson in local history.
Founded by designer Laureano Faedi, who’s designed t-shirt graphics for such companies such as Levi’s and Gap, the homegrown label has long been a staple at local shopping events such as Capsule and Indie Mart. The diminutive retail shop, formerly Fecal Face Gallery, doubles as Faedi’s workspace and offers a chance to shop the entire line of shirts inspired by Bay Area history.
“It’s almost like a way to help keep that history alive,” says Faedi of his shirts ($30-$50), which are printed almost exclusively using water-based inks and feature designs adapted from signs, lettering and imagery culled from photographs and ephemera depicting now-defunct local landmarks, businesses and sports teams.
A limited edition t-shirt featuring long-closed restaurant Zim’s was on offer for the opening night. Only 50 shirts were made. Others pay homage to the Sutro Baths, the Greater San Francisco Speedway, Ohlone Native Americans and Playland at the Beach. In addition to shirts, the shop also carries sweatshirts, prints featuring San Francisco neighborhood and landmark names and graphic pillows.
Want to see it for yourself? Find Faedi in his new shop on Sundays (12-4 p.m.) and Wednesdays (3-8 p.m.) for now. He’ll also be tweeting special hours.
