Anyone can go to the mall and buy an outfit, but the really chic will look at a high fashion boutique. You’ve probably heard that New York City is the fashion capital of the United States, but San Francisco can rival that reputation with its local high-end shops and specialty stores. Purchase at these locations, and you’ll be on the cutting edge of editorial expression and style.
Taylor Stitch
Let’s face it; high-end fashion for men is often overlooked in favor of dressing women. However, in San Francisco, you can find stores that offer fine clothing for gentlemen as well as for ladies. Clothing from Taylor Stitch is produced locally in California, and the store receives small collections of new items each week to its location in the trendy Mission District. This small inventory keeps you stylish and unique. If you don’t find the right size or exactly what you want, this shop will even custom-make something for you.
Acrimony
You’ll find both men’s and women’s fashion at Acrimony. Focusing mainly on urban and minimalist street style with high-end quality and prices, you’ll look sleek and modern when outfitted with the designer brands found in this boutique. The store also offers online books, blog articles and in-house stylists, to help you put together and maintain your individual style.
Weston
Another place to get locally designed and curated clothing in San Francisco is Weston. The owner and main designer, Julienne, favors a fashion-forward look, and she stocks her Mission District boutique with carefully selected pieces that you won’t find anywhere else. Weston has expanded to some locations nationwide, but the best and most exclusive pieces are kept in the original shop in the Bay Area.
Philanthropist
You’ll find Philanthropist in the Presidio Heights neighborhood. Inside you can comb the racks of prolific designers such as Phillip Lim and Stella McCartney. The coolest part of this boutique is that not only are you getting fabulous and fashionable clothing, but part of your payment for the clothes is given to a charity chosen by the store. This means that you’ll look good while you’re helping others, and there’s nothing better than that.
Cielo
For a little taste of European fashion on the West Coast, check out Cielo in the Fillmore District. This boutique specializes in women’s fashions from some of Europe’s best designers, including Ann Demeulemeester, Yohji Yamamoto and Rick Owens. Because these in-demand designers don’t ship many of their pieces overseas, you’ll look truly unique when you pick up some of the specialty items from this shop.
With many different boutiques in San Francisco that cater to high fashion, it was difficult to narrow this list to five great choices. Have you been to a shop that we should have included? Let us know about your hidden gem!
