The Kooples San Francisco
French label The Kooples opened up its very first stateside shop in San Francisco over the weekend on Fillmore Street, bringing the shopping drag one more notch in its belt and upping the fashion ante in the Bay Area. The store, which precedes a Los Angeles opening to come later this year. The Kooples joins French brand Sandro on the stretch of Fillmore as well as a slew of other contemporary labels, earning the area the monicker of “Bleecker St. West.”
The Kooples San Francisco
The Kooples is known for the same laid-back luxe that its fellow French labels offer, so think of it as an edgier alternative to Sandro, Maje and Iro, all of which are making a retail push here in the States. But while The Kooples might sound like a cartoon’s take on fashion, but it’s got more focus on tailoring that it’s French soeurs, earning it a slew of fan in Hollywood, including PYT Nina Dobrev, Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez, who have worn short suits, slick blazers and more on the red carpet. The store showcases the clothes (there are pieces for both men and women) in a sleek space that incorporates France’s favorite color combo: black and white. Accessories from the brand are also available, and this season they’re leaning a little bit Teddy Boy with a major dose of rock ‘n roll. Consider it a contemporary take on what Hedi is showing on the Saint Laurent runways, minus the grunge.
In addition to Sandro, The Kooples joins a soon-to-open Rag & Bone, Ella Moss, Alice + Olivia and Joie on the shopping stretch. Beauty brands such as NARS, Aesop and Jurlique have also chosen Fillmore to set up shop. San Francisco is known for its anti-chain store laws (Jack Spade famously decided to look elsewhere when it came against opposition in the city’s Mission neighborhood and formula retail laws), but this section of Fillmore Street is fast transforming into a mini fashion avenue. The monied techies of Silicon Valley might work down south in San Jose, but they’re flocking up north to shop. Union Square, which brings in big names such as Valentino and Christian Lobuoutin, is exempt from the formula retail laws that other neighborhoods impose, but like in New York and Los Angeles, contemporary designers and under-the-radar brands like to congregate away from the luxury heavy hitters.
For more information on The Kooples, visit www.thekooples.com.
