Mayor Daniel Lurie and Zac Posen were on hand to toast the Chestnut Street Gap’s big glow-up.
Plus, Lan Jaenicke unveils a jaw-dropping new collection, and Vacant to Vibrant welcomes two new pop-ups downtown.
Fall into the redesigned Gap on Chestnut Street.
The Gap returns to Chestnut Street with a very "future is now" refresh.
(Courtesy of Gap)
All is right in the Marina District now that the newly made-over Gap store has reopened its doors. The months-long closure was an alarming state of affairs for shoppers looking to refresh their hoodie stash, snag infant-sized denim jackets, or grab a pair of distressed barrel jeans. The Chestnut Street store, first opened in 1987, is now back and better than ever, celebrating its return with a full-on rager (ribbon-cutting included) at which a bevy of Gap bigwigs, including president/CEO Richard Dickson and creative director/EVP Zac Posen, joined mayor Daniel Lurie, local entrepreneurs, and a crowd of beautiful people to toast, shop, and make merry.
The refreshed space is bright and modern, paying homage to the brand’s San Francisco roots and the city’s tech-slash-creative culture. White walls, wood floors, and vinyl records nod to Gap’s original Ocean Avenue store (born in 1969), while wrap-around LED screens, interactive denim displays, and AI-powered styling tools are very “future is now.” Altogether, the shopping is a delight—especially with newly dedicated sections for sweatshirts, denim, kids, and more.
// 2159 Chestnut St. (Marina), shop online at gap.com
Meet Lan Jaenicke’s ethereal and infinitely wearable new collection.
The cashmere Cocoon is just one of our favorites from Lan Jaenicke's Series No. 26.
(Courtesy of Lan Jaenicke)
The show notes from San Francisco designer Lan Jaenicke’s recent fashion presentation—an intimate and fabulous affair in collaboration with Bonded By Butter and Perliss Estates—perfectly capture the spirit of Series No. 26: “Tonight unfolds in three movements, shaped by the enduring spirit of West Lake [Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou]. Its devotion to hands, its clarity of proportion, its quiet lasting beauty.”
The dreamy lineup of dresses, skirts, tops, pants, and jackets bears all of Jaenicke’s signatures: meticulous craftsmanship, sumptuous natural fabrics (think double-faced cashmere, silk charmeuse, merino wool), and silhouettes that whisper simplicity while delivering precision detailing and magical, fluid draping. The neutral-yet-impactful palette, flush with shades of olive, navy, cream, brown, burgundy, and black, is tailormade for stylish and practical San Franciscans.
Another notable thing about Series No. 26? It features both unisex and men’s designs—a first for the 15-year-old label. And while choosing favorites feels impossible, duty calls. Our top three: 1) The Cocoon: an ultra-voluminous, double-faced cashmere top with a delicate exterior zipper that can be worn in front or back; 2) Japanese Selvedge Denim Trousers: cool unisex jeans with an elastic waist and oversized leg, handmade at Jaenicke’s Jackson Square atelier; and 3) The Hand Pleated Kimono Dress, a made-to-order silk stunner featuring butterfly paintings by local decorative artist Caroline Lizarraga. Slip in and float away.
// Visit Atelier Lan Jaenicke at 431 Jackson St. (Jackson Square) and Maison Lan Jaenicke at 3307 Sacramento St. (Presidio Heights), lanjaenicke.com.
Vacant to Vibrant debuts two fresh SF pop-ups.
Fibers of Being is one of two new pop-ups to arrive downtown via Vacant to Vibrant.
(Courtesy of Fibers of Being)
Doom loop, schloom loop! The downtown San Francisco revitalization continues, thanks to Vacant to Vibrant’s mission to turn empty storefronts into lively businesses.
Last week, Fibers of Being, a queer-owned boutique offering fashionable collections of gender-fluid clothing, opened a second location at 645 Market Street, marking V2V’s first project on the Market Street corridor.
Founder Elizabeth Stewart is grateful her four-year-old NoPa shop now has a sibling: “Expanding into downtown with Vacant to Vibrant is a powerful moment for us. Our mission has always been to create a welcoming, expressive space for all people through fashion, and bringing that vision to Market Street means showing up with pride in the heart of the city.”
A few blocks away in Union Square, another V2V newcomer, The Best Bookstore, also debuted. Co-owners Paul Bradley Carr and Sarah Lacy are thrilled to return to the Bay Area with a mission to rekindle literary culture in the neighborhood.
“I have so many happy memories from when I first moved to San Francisco in 2007 and spent hours wandering through Borders on Union Square and Alexander’s a few blocks away,” says Carr. “There’s an incredible tradition and history of independent bookstores in SF that define each neighborhood. We’re so excited to represent the new, local retailer-driven rebirth of Union Square.”
// Visit The Best Bookstore at 226 Powell St. (Union Square), bestbookstore.com; and Fibers of Being at 645 Market St. (FiDi), shopfibersofbeing.com
