Fashion & Retail Events San Francisco 2019

You won’t find a more picturesque fashion show than Saks Fifth Avenue’s Fashion at the Lake, benefitting the League to Save Lake Tahoe. Entrepreneurs and socialites alike gather on the lakeshore for the luncheon and runway presentation, which features dramatic looks from Oscar de la Renta. “This is a wonderful opportunity to allow our customers to experience luxury fashion from Oscar de la Renta with a one-of-a kind backdrop, as well as raise money and awareness surrounding an extremely important cause that is beloved throughout the Northern California community," says Tracy Margolies, Saks Fifth Avenue chief merchant. In 2019, the event will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Next: August 3, 2019

Academy of Art University’s fashion show isn’t just a victory lap for collegiate designers: It’s a chance for brands and fashion press to scout the next generation of talent among the school’s matriculating students. In 2019, the professionally produced event showcased 29 clothing collections for women, men, and children in front of nearly 2,000 audience members. Next: May 2020

"Each year the C.C.A. Fashion Experience debuts collections from the next generation of audacious designers and celebrates the newest voices in fashion," explains professor Lynda Grose, chair of the C.C.A. Fashion Design program. This year’s event included 12 professionally juried thesis collections from graduating students in the college’s Fashion Design program on a runway at the Minnesota Street Project. The event, which is open to the public, uses both street-cast and professional models as a reflection of the Bay Area’s diversity. More than 850 people attended in 2019. Next: May 2020

New to the list
Gaultier! Comme des Garcons! Chanel! Vintage stores can be hit or miss, but this massive pop-up regularly lives up to its motto of curating “the best vintage under one roof.” Organizers have been hosting spring and fall events at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond since 2017, drawing retro-fashionistas en masse for the eight-hour sale. A community of more than 150 vintage retailers and private dealers from across the country converge for each show. For those who choose to make it an all-day effort, or who simply need to refuel along the way, there’s food and coffee available for purchase on site. Next: November 2, 2019

Fashion is cyclical. Whether it’s Laura Ashley-style prairie dresses or Doc Marten combat boots, what’s old will eventually become new again. Alameda-based Antiques by the Bay has built a business out of that concept with its monthly flea market, but it’s the company’s twice-a-year Vintage Fashion Faire that sends fashion collectors swooning. The event, held in March and October each year, brings more than 70 vintage vendors and 1,800 enthusiasts together under one roof with fashion from every decade. Next: October 18-19, 2019

The guests are part of the fashion parade at Wine, Women, and Shoes, a fund-raiser for the St. Francis Memorial Hospital. Ticket-holders are encouraged to wear their most fabulous footwear for this daytime event at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, and organizers recognize the best shoes during afternoon tea. In addition to a runway show, the event includes a pop-up bazaar featuring designer shoes, jewelry, and apparel. (Past brand partners include Trina Turk, Kendra Scott, and Joan Oloff.) In 2018, the event raised more than $200,000 for the St. Francis Foundation. Next: October 2019

The Art Deco Society turns back the clock to the 1920s to 1940s at the Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate each summer in a lawn party for the ages. Period-appropriate ensembles set the tone for Gatsby Summer Afternoon—so much so that guests are directed to the Jay Gatsby Costume Closet of vintage accessories if they fail to dress on-theme for the event. (Suggested donations for borrowing items from the Gatsby closet: $5 cash.) The event’s website includes instructions on how to properly “Gatsby,” which extends to wardrobe guides, shopping, and picnic tips. Prizes at the event are awarded for outstanding outfits, Charleston skills, and picnics. Next: September 8, 2019