The Do List: San Francisco Fashion Events Aug. 29-Sept. 5

Inside new Pacific Heights boutique Curve

With a holiday weekend looming large, Burning Man in full swing and Fashion Week just around the corner, it’s a quieter week than most on the San Francisco fashion scene. But there are still stylish adventures to be had in the coming days, including a new boutique opening, a trunk show and the launch of an independent fashion line. You’ll find the details on the SF Indie Fashion Calendar.

  • Fans of luxe labels will embrace the opening of Curve, whose San Francisco location is now open in Pacific Heights. The upscale shop that owner Nevena Borissova first launched in Los Angeles in 1997 arrives in one of the City’s toniest shopping neighborhoods with racks boasting labels such as Alexander McQueen, Burberry Prorsum, Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant, Balmain, Christopher Kane and Gareth Pugh.
  • On Sunday, say no to short-sleeve farmer’s tans and hello to margaritas during the launch party at Sui Generis for new men’s tank top line Cute Tank.
  • Also on Sunday, head east for Convert’s Prairie Underground Trunk Show to sample the label’s looks for fall and take advantage of wardrobe tips from an on-site stylist. Grade school-themed treats (think PB&J cupcakes and spiked “Capri-in-the-Sun” bevs) will be on tap. Continuing the back-to-school theme, post a pic of yourself from your formative years on the Berkeley shop’s Facebook wall, and you could win a piece from the Prairie Underground fall collection – the shot with the most “likes” wins.
  • And although it should go without saying, the most fashionable thing you can do this week: enjoy summer’s last long weekend.

You can find details on all of these events and more happening this week on the SF Indie Fashion Calendar.

Photography courtesy of Curve

Reader Exclusive: Attend VIP-Only Launch for Hlaska Women’s Collection

We’re partnering with Hlaska to offer SF Indie Fashion readers a special, exclusive treat: the chance to preview the style-savvy menswear label’s new handbags and apparel for women before they are available in stores during an invite-only launch party on Friday. Want in? Read on for the details.

It stands to reason that we’d be fans of Hlaska, a Burlingame company known for functional menswear and accessories with a subtly sleek, contemporary edge. Not only is the label launched in 2005 by Anthony Mazzei and Chad Hurley (you might also know him as co-founder of a little company called YouTube) locally-grown in the Bay Area, but it’s also committed to producing its garments and accessories in the United States. And the tech-friendly vibe of the men’s line doesn’t hurt. We are, after all, suckers for anything at intersection of fashion and technology.

The first items from the new Hlaska women’s collection arrive in stores this weekend and will be available online soon after, but we can do you one better: we’re offering a limited number of readers entry to the company’s invite-only launch party on Friday, April 15, at the Fillmore Street store. Attendees will be the first to have an opportunity to view and shop from the collection, which debuts with handbags, jackets and hoodies. The party also promises a chance to peruse new menswear items, enjoy food and drink, mingle with the Hlaska design team and co-founder Chard Hurley and learn what’s coming next from the label. Also, in honor of tax day, Hlaska will pay the sales tax on any purchases you make during the event.

Ready to go? Just tell us this one thing: “Who is the Hlaska woman?”

We’ll also take your answers via email at giveaways@sfindiefashion.com, Twitter, our Facebook page or in the comments section below.

Attendees will be notified by Thursday at the latest.

Need a hint? See below for a little more background on the company.

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About Hlaska:
Co-founders Anthony Mazzei and Chad Hurley started Hlaska in 2005. Born out of a love for science and design, Hlaska combines elements of nature, science, architecture, and engineering to create luxury wallets, bags, menswear, and now womenswear. Each product is industrial designed with special attention paid to its inspirations and purpose. Using only the best materials, including Italian vegetable-dyed leather and custom metal hardware, Hlaska produces high quality and truly unique pieces. Staying true to Hlaska’s vision, all apparel is made in the USA, some even in Hlaska’s own Burlingame, California factory. Hlaska is bringing back honest American production, and Hlaska products are bringing in a new way of valuing science and luxury.

Sneak Peek: Clary Sage Organics Spring 2011 Collection

After SF Indie Fashion scoped out the latest apparel from Pacific Heights shop Clary Sage in a recent update on Fillmore Street shopping, we were happy to snag a few shots of their Spring 2011 collection for women, now available in-store.

Check out these looks from Clary Sage’s yoga-inspired collection, whose casual pieces will compliment a session at the studio just as easily as they’ll tag along with you on weekend brunch. To view the entire collection, visit the store at 2241 Fillmore Street:

Photography courtesy Clary Sage Organics

A Trio of Reasons to Shop Fillmore Street

As a compact city, some of the best shopping San Francisco has to offer is in neighborhood shopping districts. The Fillmore Street drag in Pacific Heights is one such area always worth keeping an eye on, and lately we’ve noticed several stylish developments popping up there.

  • First up, there’s a new yoga-inspired women’s spring collection in store at Clary Sage Organics on Fillmore at Sacramento. Get a fresh look for yoga class and after with this eco-friendly line of organic apparel.

Clary Sage Organics

  • Next, a menswear labels entices us with the promise of apparel for the other half. After making its stamp with wallets, fine accessories, and menswear, Hlaska (on Fillmore and Pine) is anticipating its first womenswear collection soon.  Keep your eyes out and take advantage of the discounts being offered to make space for the women’s collection in its stores.

Hlaska started with wallets, like this Evergreen model. The company now eagerly anticipates its first womenswear collection.

  • And last but not least, Athleta, a Petaluma-based company of women’s athletic wear that started out small and is now owned by Gap, opened its first flagship store in January on Fillmore Street. You’ll spot their eye-catching exposed brick space under the Junior League outpost between California and Sacramento Streets. It’s always nice to see a brand that started in the Bay Area choose the heart of the San Francisco for its latest venture.

Athleta at 2226 Fillmore, opened in January

Photography courtesy of (top to bottom) Clary Sage, Hlaska and Athleta

Shop It To Me, Unzipped: San Francisco’s Favorite Brands

shop-it-to-me-san-francisco-unzipped2

This post written by content partner Shop It To Me (www.shopittome.com), the free online personal shopper for clothing, shoes, and accessories.

San Francisco’s got a reputation for being an independent-minded city, and the city’s preferences for fashion lives up to that image. Here’s what Shop It To Me’s zip code analysis of popular fashion brands reveals about our city:

The active, sporty lifestyle is strong in…The Marina & Cow Hollow

Amid the Marina and Cow Hollow’s upscale preppies, sportswear label Nike tops the list of best-loved brands. Also ranked highly: Ella Moss, the California-born line of yoga-casual tunic tops, tees and striped dresses. 94123-ers like their jeans, too: Comfy, premium jean line Paper Denim & Cloth is a favorite.

S.F.’s most “label” conscious neighborhood is…Pacific Heights
No surprises here. The neighborhood that’s always defined itself as capital “P” posh (and the world of Danielle Steele) has a serious thing for designer fashion, albeit of the kind founded and helmed by strong, forward-thinking women, including Tory Burch, Diane Von Furstenberg and Kate Spade.

But if you’re looking for a conscience, head to …The Mission
Where else would Kenneth Cole with its strong liberal message—and urbane leather goods for women and men—resonate as loudly? When not shopping for Kenneth Cole, Missionites also favor the fierce designer minimalism of Calvin Klein.

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“Brands Unzipped” Methodology: Shop It To Me (ShopItToMe.com), the popular free online personal shopper, took a random sample of its members in major metropolitan cities, and analyzed the most popularly selected brands within each geography.  We compared the top 20 most selected brands for each area.  {Randomly selected sample: San Francisco 10,360 members.}

About Shop It To Me: Tell us the brands you love (we have over 600 designers to choose from), select your sizes, and we’ll send you personalized email alerts when items that match your preferences go on sale. It’s just that simple! Sign up here.