San Francisco Independent Fashion
The Mission Pullover Hoody by Bush + Leavenworth features a slouchy neck, hood and side pockets at the waist.
Our very-visual, (almost) chatter-free snap judgment of the day: the guy-friendly take on a cozy cowl neck in the cotton-spandex Mission pullover hoody, $68, from the casual-cool fall collection of San Francisco-based menswear label Bush + Leavenworth.
More San Francisco style…
Photography courtesy of Bush + Leavenworth
A male model looks cool in a blue Fillmore Windbreaker, South of Market Dress Shirt and plaid tie.
A line wrapped around the block at Horizon Ultra Lounge in North Beach on Saturday night for the official launch of San Francisco-based men’s clothing line Prolific 54 Apparel, a company that offers stylish (yet affordable) clothing for sophistication-seeking men.
A female model sporting the Laurel Heights Long Sleeve Plaid Shirt and little else.
“We love our Gucci loafers, but we also love our Vans. That’s what makes it so important for us to have our wardrobe be versatile enough,” says Prolific 54 co-founder John Wang.
Prolific 54 Apparel was started by friends John Wang, Jonathan Tam, Alvin Chan and Nick Pham, all of whom say they share a passion for style and design. Inspired by San Francisco and the fast-paced “work hard, play hard” lifestyle of city dwellers, the designers searched high and low to find just the right fabrics to make socially-responsible clothing that guys really want to wear.
“All of our clothes in various combinations could be would be worn for a wide variety of occasions,” Wang says of the label’s style. “They were designed for the young professional in mind. For instance, if one of our customers wanted to wear our our Fillmore jacket to work, the hood could be rolled into the collar and worn over a dress shirt with one of our ties, and one of our white crew necks as an under shirt. Once they were off work, meeting a few buddies at their favorite bar, they could easily throw on a snap back cap, take off the dress shirt and tie, roll out the hood and wear it with our white crew neck. This look instantly goes from work to play within a couple of seconds.”
The South of Market Dress Shirt meets the Tenderloin Jacket.
For the launch event, the velvet ropes of Studio 54 came to mind as men and women stood dressed to the nines outside, waiting to get the party started. Inside, DJs A-Plus and B-Simple were warming up the atmosphere with fun early-90s club jams and Top 40 hits while event-goers sipped champagne in exclusive VIP booths.
Hey, a little Jersey-minded style has its place, as with the Marina Short Sleeve Plaid Shirt shown here.
The fashion show was an exciting mix of modern shapes and patterns, with looks ranging from ultra-light windbreakers to raw denim and colorful plaid button-up shirts. Male models strutted on the makeshift catwalk that coursed through the club and were joined by lingerie-clad female models wearing Prolific 54 button downs and jackets and not much else. Bright colors, sharp patterns, partial nudity, slick jackets, fun neckties, classic button-ups, big Jersey-style hair and feather earrings all added up to create an exciting show in line with the Saturday night club vibe.
More San Francisco men’s fashion
Photography courtesy of Mike Borja
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
The last party at Hayes Valley shop Cary Lane drew over 400 guests to its stylish subterranean environs, and we’re betting this Friday’s shindig will continue the store’s rep for combining fashion with good times. Reasons to go: free drinks and apps, 30 percent off storewide and the launch of the private label’s new online store.
Celebrating the arrival of the brand new web shop for the store’s in-house men’s shirt line, the Cary Lane Summer Party promises deals on the already discounted designer samples hanging from the racks, a 10:30 p.m. raffle featuring prizes from a slew of local sponsors, tunes courtesy of DJ Corey Sleazemore and plenty to eat and drink.
For more about the shirt line, check out all the fun we had at the launch party last fall.
More upcoming San Francisco fashion events…
SF Indie Fashion is a Cary Lane media sponsor
With a bundle of worthwhile fashion events on the horizon, we couldn’t resist packing this week’s list to capacity. On the SF Indie Fashion Calendar, you’ll find chances to shop for a good cause, indulge in fashion and tech, scope new work from local labels and take in eco and emerging designs during two separate fashion shows. Brace yourself, this week is a (delightful) doozy.
You can find details on all of these events and more happening this week on the SF Indie Fashion Calendar.
