7x7 editors pick their favorites from the latest shops, goods, and happenings in the Bay Area and beyond.
Material World
Australia native Jessie Black has recently opened her beautifully curated boutique in Sacramento Street’s design corridor, stocking it with luxury clothing and home accessories in a soft, natural palette. Her private label has heritage roots: The Egyptian cotton bedding is manufactured by the Frette family, and Chanel artisans craft Black’s effortless cashmere apparel.
Heavy Metal
Sad fact: When Caltrans demolishes the now-defunct Oakland span of the historic Bay Bridge, the agency plans to scrap most of the metal. But if local tech entrepreneur David Grieshaber has his way, many of the pieces—from whole sections of the road to trusses to wire—will be used to build the Bay Bridge House, a modern, Earth-minded live/work domicile. A planted roof and solar panels will be installed to keep the energy consumption down for the massive 19,000-square-foot building’s single-family home, condos, and coworking spaces. The BBH is slated to break ground in an undisclosed neighborhood (with views of the Bay Bridge, natch).
Prints Charming
San Francisco–based Banana Republic has teamed up with Marimekko for a 25-piece summer capsule collection, featuring tunics and maxidresses emblazoned with the Finnish textile company’s signature splashy landscapes and folksy motifs. Next up: the fall collaboration with French designer Roland Mouret.
Flame Keeper
Chef Todd Shoberg, formerly of Town Hall, has recently opened Molina, a charming eatery with a Nordic aesthetic (fluffy sheepskin rugs, nautical bead board walls) and a cozy spin on Northern California cuisine: Many of the dishes—the cast-iron New York steak, for instance, or the pork and lamb meatballs—are prepared in a wood-fired Alan Scott hearth.
True Blue
The McDixon chandelier, a new lighting creation by Lauren Geremia (who, incidentally, has made a name for herself as the design visionary behind such tech HQs as Instagram and Rdio), clusters glass orbs handblown by one of the designer’s RISD cohorts. The buzz around town is that Geremia will launch a new lighting collection with McGuire Furniture this summer.
Shopper's Paradise
Following the money trail to Silicon Valley, luxury fashion labels Halston and Mulberry have recently taken up residence in San Jose’s Westfield Valley Fair Mall; this summer, Balenciaga, Giorgio Armani, and Saint Laurent are rumored to follow suit. If you venture south in the name of extravagant consumerism, hit up the new Intermix in Palo Alto first to whet your wallet.
Sunny-Side Up
CPA–turned–resin artisan Tina Frey opened her new, light-filled Dogpatch gallery and studio in April, just in time to display her cheerful spring 2014 collection—a bright assortment of vessels, platters, and tables saturated in a rich golden hue. “I was inspired by sunshine,” says Frey. We’re looking forward to her fall collection, which will feature a textural tension between the smooth resin and fat wool pom-poms.
Denim Made Easy
Former Google employee Manuel Rappard put his tech training to good use when he launched his online denim brand, RPM West. Straight-leg and slim-fit men’s jeans, made of Japanese selvedge (quality and style on par with A.P.C. or Nudie), are offered for just $95 per pair, thanks to no costly middlemen or brick-and-mortar overhead. The “home try-on” includes three sizes shipped to your door; just keep the best fit and send the others back.
Artful Lodging
Where once there was Loma Prieta earthquake devastation, a new Stanley Saitowitz–designed condo building, 8 Octavia—the first of three design-forward residential developments in the area—now stands. A scaffolding mural by graffiti artist Ben Eine foreshadows the building’s edgy aesthetic; inside, you’ll find sleek model units innovatively appointed by The Future Perfect and Propeller.
That's a Wrap
Hermès silk scarves undergo chic reimagining in the legacy label’s new Maille à Soie campaign, which launched in San Francisco in May. To create your custom twillaine (hybrid garment-scarf), first choose one of the eight classic scarf motifs (including the famous Ex-Libris and Astrologie), then select your preferred garb (dress, sweatshirt, cardigan, or sleeveless top), and finally a knit color (from a rainbow of 15 hues). Paris, here you come.
This article was published in 7x7's June 2014 issue. Click here to subscribe.
