Haute Culture

So guys, I'm on my way to Detroit (I know, I know) and I see this individual sitting at my gate during my layover in Chicago. It reminded me of what I was going back to, why I left, and why I dreaded getting on that plane. Apparently, even after THREE bad albums, Eminem still influences Detroit fashion? The funniest part is that his shirt says "Flint, Michigan". I don't know why you would want to advertise a place like Flint, Michigan, or for that matter, that you're associated with it. It's true that San Francisco has a long way to go before it is on the fashion world map, but Detroit doesn't even stand a chance! To me, fashion is a symbol of progression. Progressive societies tend to evolve, and fashion can be used as a measure of that evolution. One of my favorite professors at Columbia, Scott Hemphill, said it best when he wrote "the practice of dress—captures a significant aspect of social life, characterized by both the pull of continuity with others and the push of innovation toward the new". Observing the way people dress, in my hometown especially (which is Troy, MI - a tiny suburb of Detroit) is just a reminder of the sad reality that this place is so non progressive. Enough about boring shit. The bottom line is, Detroit really sucks and will never be a city that is capable of influencing fashion. However, San Francisco is. So why doesn't it? Hm. Head scratcher!

I recently attended Chillin' @ Mezzanine. I can't begin to describe how sweet it was. For those of you unfamiliar with the event, it is basically a huge trunkshow where local designers can showcase and sell their work. Oh, and it's a freakin' sweet ass art show! With local artists like Ian Ross painting live, a ton of sweet artwork, local designer bling, man candy, and booze...how could I have not ended up buying anything? So basically I bought this hat (I'm the one on the right). You guys like? yayaya...it's a Fedora, but embellished with a vintage tie. So damn simple but also so baller at the same time. My friend Laura (on the left) is wearing a similar fedora purchased from the same designer but hers has some added bling! The designer extraordinaire herself, Santa Barrios, makes custom headwear too. Some of it is totally Lady Gaga-ish and rad! But she also has more subtle designs like the one I purchased. Regardless, they are all handmade in San Francisco.

Speaking of headwear....EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE GREAT HEADWEAR YOU GUYS! Another local headwear designer to watch out for is Kittenhawk. Check out this fantastic headband. So Claudette Colbert-ish 20s flapper style isn't it?


Check this one out. Still Kittenhawk. Wearing headwear makes you feel like such a badass.



SPEAKING OF! Has anyone checked out LitterSF? Check out this badass headpiece. They make body jewelry made out of scrap metal. Eco friendly and hot. Smells like local San Francisco to me!

After smooth talking my way into the Harput's Union grand opening sponsored by 7x7 and perusing through the goodies, I was particularly impressed by these effing sweet shoes. Effortless mega-cool on steroids. At first glance I thought Zero + Maria Cornejo? After a few more glances turned into stares of adornment, I realized that the shoe designer (who is not Maria Cornejo, btw) is a flipping genius. The way they are proportioned give them a bizzare-ish look like you don't really know what's going on but you know you like them. These shoes could easily make Kid Cudi say ooohhhh oh oh oh ooohhhhh. Could these be the next big thing? WAIT...the best part! The designer, Martha Davis, is a San Francisco local. She came here and never left. Like I mentioned in my previous post kids - there is something intangibly seductive about Frisco. Effing sweet sidenote: her shoes are made in the same Italian factory as Chloe and Chanel. WORD UP.

So I think we all agree that San Francisco is no Big Apple when it comes to the fashion scene. It is however, a city full of "transplants", change, social and technological innovation. That being said, there is definitely an active fashion scene here. But seriously, where the fuck is it? These were my first thoughts when moving to the city by the Bay.

Though perhaps not quite as influential as LA or NYC (yet) in fashion, SF lacks both the pretentious label whores of LA and the bitchiness of New York and has the ability to bring new and relevant ideas to the fashion world. And no, I'm not talking about the typical hipster sporting a pair of Cheap Mondays and a super obnoxious T shirt from American Apparel. Here, people give a damn about the environment, sustainability, and developing the local economy - but how does that translate into fashion? There's something intangibly seductive about Frisco. My quest to figure out the SF fashion scene has embarked...

stay tuned...