San Francisco Bay Area Fashion Shops You Must Visit
My favorite go-to's when looking for fashion pieces in the Bay Area.
Growing up in the Bay Area, I had no clue that there existed stores with an array of brands like those found in Los Angeles and New York (outside of Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman, etc,). It wasn't until I struck up a conversation with a store manager, inquiring about other cool spots around here, that a domino effect occurred. As it turns out, not only are there retail establishments offering these brands, but some of them have been here for ages. With this list, my sole aim is to shed light on the fact that the Bay Area harbors some dope havens for procuring fashion pieces, even if they aren’t widely known, I’m here to change that. Thus, I present to you a list of my current favorite go-to spots for fashion.
(I also have created a dedicated list of thrift and vintage locations that you can view here.)
CLICK HERE FOR A GOOGLE MAPS VIEW OF LOCATIONS
San Francisco:
45R: 1905 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
A Japanese brand that is older than Kapital. 45R formally known as 45RPM is a Japanese brand that started in 1977 that prides themselves on the quality of all their products. They have mastered the use of indigo in their garments and own the recipes for 33 different shades of indigo. 45R is known for their t-shirts, denim pants, and bandanas, but they also carry a variety of different items as well.
AB Fits: 1519 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
AB Fits, an extraordinary destination for denim enthusiasts, was established by Howard over three decades ago. This remarkable store offers a diverse range of denim products, including their own Denim brand, as well as renowned brands like Engineered Garments, GRP, Cotton Citizen, and FEIT. Howard's passion for denim is evident in the carefully curated selection at AB Fits.
Bait: 1091 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103
BAIT, founded in 2011, stocks brands like Bape, Adidas Y-3, Alpha Industries, Nike, and Reebok. Collaborating with iconic brands like Adidas, New Balance, Puma, and more, BAIT's influence spans from sportswear to entertainment franchises such as NBA, MLB, NHL, Bruce Lee, Transformers, Minions, Scarface, SpongeBob, Felix the Cat, Shrek, Domo, One Piece, Naruto, and Street Fighter, just to name a few.
Chameleon Vintage: 1581 Webster St Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94115
From iconic brands like Evisu, Number Nine, Issey Miyake, Comme Des Garçons, Undercover, Chrome Hearts, and more, this store is a haven for Japanese designer vintage. Not only will you find remarkable pieces, but the prices here are unbeatable. It has become my go-to destination for scoring amazing deals on coveted Japanese designer vintage fashion.
Cotton Sheep: 572 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
At Cotton Sheep, you'll discover a curated collection of Japanese brands like Kapital, Masato, and Visvim. Notably, Cotton Sheep proudly holds the distinction of being the first store in the United States to offer Kapital.
Evan Kinori: 1367 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Based in San Francisco, Evan Kinori is not only a designer but also a skilled pattern-maker, crafting garments with meticulous attention to detail. With each thoughtful piece, he steadily expands his collection of impeccably constructed apparel.
What sets Evan Kinori apart is his commitment to quality. Every garment is made in California and each piece is part of a hand-numbered edition.
Evan Kinori's designs have gained recognition beyond his studio. Select retailers, such as Dover Street Market, also showcase his creations, making them accessible to a wider audience seeking his craftsmanship.
Goldwin: 444 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Goldwin is a Japanese brand that started in the 1950s. They have collaborations pieces with GoreTex and even a sub-label, called Goldwin 0 which produces more experimental designs. Their aim create pieces that merge the outdoor and city life, combining technical aspects of apparel with distinct fashion sensibility. This is their only retail location in the United States.
Heath Newsstand: 2900 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Heath Newstand has an array of international publications like 032C, Magazine B, and System. There’s also a mix of curated gifts, home goods, snacks, and flowers. BUT, they also have items from GOLF le FLEUR which is 1 of 2 locations that officially stock GOLF le FLEUR.
Johnson Leathers: 1833 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Johnson Leathers is a leather workshop based in San Francisco that has been open for more than 40 years, founded by Johnson Tam.
Johnson Leathers has worked with brands like Comme des Garcons and Nepentus. and currently working with Beams Japan. If you are looking for leather anything, this is one of the gems in the Bay Area. They have ready-to-wear leather garments, but can also make your own custom leather garments too.
Mio SF: 2031 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
MIO, an amazing store that offers a fusion of brands. While you'll find labels like Plisse Issey Miyake, MIO curates a diverse selection of American, European, and Japanese designers.
Modern Appealing Clothing (MAC): 387 Grove St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Established in San Francisco in 1980, MAC has been a purveyor of esteemed labels such as Comme Des Garçons, Junya Watanabe, Guidi, and Engineered Garments.
Park Life: 220 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Park Life is an independent retail store and art gallery in San Francisco. Established in 2006, the store features a diverse range of unique items from around the world, including limited edition books, modern design objects, prints, local artist apparel (like Moon Collective), homewares, and original art.
Presidio Post: 1301 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94133
A cool establishment in San Francisco that debuted in 2023, Presidio Post showcases brands such as Corridor, Officine Générale, and Andersen Andersen. There’s even a curated vintage section in the back of the store!
Self Edge: 569 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
One of the coolest places to find denim and leather. Pieces range from quality flannels, t-shirts, and hoodies as well as accessories like jewelry and sunglasses. As a bonus, they even stock Rick Owens DRKSHDW. The owners have a great relationship with Rick Owens and have even produced collaboration pieces. This is also the place that sells the t-shirt that everyone is going crazy over from the show, “Bear.”
Supreme: 1015 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103
You most likely know what Supreme is already. I had to put this in here because it’s one of the foundations of streetwear. It’s always cool to stop by and see what’s up.
SVRN: 1928 Fillmore St, San Francisco CA 94115
New menswear store from Chicago landed in SF. So many brands like mainline Rick Owens, Maison Margiela, Jiyong Kim, Lemaire, NAMACHECKO, Our Legacy, The Row, Vetements, Y/Project, and soooo much more.
The Archive: 5911 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
Since its opening in Fall 2005, The Archive is a destination for progressive and emerging avant-garde designer labels, known for their striking use of dark and monochromatic color palettes. There are over two dozen labels available (like Guidi) from designers based in Europe and Japan.
The Darkside Initiative: 969 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
One of the stores that kicked off streetwear in San Francisco in the early 2000s, carrying iconic brands like Nike, Jordan, Acronym, Veilance, Neighborhood, and Cav Empt.
Oakland:
3319 Marché: 3319 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland, CA 94610
3319 Marche just opened in Oakland and this is something that is needed for the Bay when it comes to fashion stores.
At the bottom floor you’ll find all the vintage where upstairs you’ll fine designer pieces. Vintage brands range from Levi’s, Ben Davis, Carhartt, and more. Designer brands range from Kiko Kostadinov, Drives Van Noton, Craig Green, Maison Margiela, and more.
On top of all this, they also offer tailoring and styling services. Tailoring includes basic alternations to custom artisanal work.
McMullen: 2257 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612
Serving the Oakland community since 2007, McMullen curates a captivating selection of brands like Jacquemus, J.W. Anderson, Dries Van Noten, alongside a host of local designers.
Mira Flores: 486 49th St, Oakland, CA 94609
Mira Flores opened in September of 2022 and they are known for their tailoring, embroidery, and chainstitching. (Primarily focusing on denim/workwear pieces) If you have something you need done on your denim and workwear items, this is the right place for you! On top of the amazing services they provide, Mira Flores also showcases local artists/sellers from a curation of vintage clothing to custom accessories.
Two Two: 3221 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610
Two Two is a gallery-shop with a mix of curated items from local and international artists. They also hold pop-ups and workshops that you can attend that are lead by different artists.
Bonus fact, every Thursday from 12PM-6PM, they host “Daytime Dinner” where you can stop by, sit, and do quiet work from their store.
Understory: 484 49th St C, Oakland, CA 94609
Opening its doors in 2021, Understory houses a curated selection of sought-after outdoor brands including andwander, Snow Peak, Satta, and District Vision.
Berkeley:
510 Skate Shop: 2506 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
Started in 1998, 510 Skate Shop was one of the first skate shops in the East Bay. Their goal was to be a representative of the entire East Bay community and create a hub; be that place, club house, for skateboard kids, skateboard humans, outside of San Francisco.
Bows and Arrows: 2513 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
Established in Berkeley in 2005, Bows and Arrows boasts an assortment of brands such as Stussy, Brain Dead, Nike, Jordan, Asics, Needles, and Comme Des Garçons Homme. This store is right across from 510 Skate Shop and is owned by the same owner.
Standard & Strange: 755 Hearst Ave Berkeley, CA 94710
Known for their denim, leather, and boots, they have notable brands like Kapital, Visvim, Samuel Zelig, MotivMfg, and Bode. What Standard & Strange sells is simple: It has to be something the owners would wear; it has to be built to last; and it has to be manufactured ethically.
San Mateo:
Atlas Skateboard Store: 209 2nd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401
Opening in 2007, Atlas is a retail store and art gallery that features a well curated stock list of brands as well as a place to host events to coincide with special projects mainly exclusive to Atlas.
San Carlos:
Brogue: 638 El Camino Real, San Carlos, CA 94070
Nestled in San Carlos since 2017, Brogue houses a distinguished array of brands including Alden, RRL, Freewheelers, Good Art Hlywd, and WWCHAN bespoke.
San Jose:
Coldwater: 205 Jackson St, San Jose, CA 95112
From San Jose, a remarkable collective of brothers is making waves. Their brands, including Jubo, BigAve, and Madebyrila, have been seen on celebrities like Blxst and Karl Anthony Town, among many others. Their store offers a mix of their own brands alongside curated vintage and secondhand items.
That sums it up for now! If there are any stores you think that are worth the add to this list, please let me know. Until then, peace!
