440 Brannan Studio Showroom

I’ve been trying to love this place because I love nothing more than supporting a small business and especially local talent. The store does have beautiful and well made items. But the selection is limited and the turnover isn’t often. I’ve been here 4−5x in 2 years and I swear I see the same rack of clothes every time. This is also an expensive shop and while I don’t mind paying well for a unique piece, I also expect great material which is rarely the case.
But my low rating isn’t for the overall store, it’s for quality of service. My fiancé bought a great jacket that was made of this waxy material. The designer (owner of the store) didn’t share that the material the jacket is made of will «melt» or rub a waxy mess all over the clothe’s you are wearing every time you move or if it’s warm out. We took the jacket back and although we were offered a store credit, there was no offer to have his clothes dry cleaned from it.
We finally returned to use our store credit and purchased a jacket that needed the sleeves shortened. The assistant said they could do it and would have their seamstress call me with a pricing the next day. 2 weeks later I’ve heard from no one. I have made a phone call (which they don’t accept), wrote 2 emails and visited twice (on both occasions during business hours the store door was locked with no explanation). I lucked out this last visit, I saw someone inside and banged on the door until it was answered. Explained that I was very upset and wanted someone to call me today about my jacket. That was 4 hours ago and I have not heard back. That is a $ 300 jacket that we bought and do not have.
Well Roger returned the call and we got the jacket back AND it was never altered. We just gave up, we got offered MORE credits which just went into the trash. With that type of service, it’s worth zero in my book.

Awesome Selection of limited produced clothes means you’ll find something you love and don’t have to see across the BART the next day :-)
Our sales rep, Garheart (I’m probably slaughtering that), was super cool. He took time to tell us about the different fabrics used in production and the designer who made it then event gave us some tips on places to see and good area’s to get a home since we were new in town and looking.
Considering these are handmade, in America, by excited and fresh designers — and that just before this I was looking at a high end reseller with prices 4-​times higher — these prices are great.
I would have expected to pay more at American Apparel or Nordstrom for the quality I got and I would have never gotten the care or the unique experience you get from buying something where your sales attendant knows about the farms the cotton was grown on — I mean common! not necessary but super cool and adds a bit of uniqueness to the piece I got there.
Can’t wait to go back for a pair of pants next pay check ;)

Only place in San Francisco where you can walk in and see designers cutting and sewing garments right before your eyes. Most Fridays there’s a happy hour where you can hang out drink some PBR’s and hang out with some of the team. I worked at this place for a little over a year and the people there are my extended fashion family. Great place to check out!

They carry SFC San Francycle tees! Also this studio is a gem in SOMA one of the very very few retail spots to purchase clothing. The cool part about it is the well designed and produced collections are from local designers who make everything in the actual showroom. There’s a variety of apparel for men and women to shop! Stop by Fridays after work for happy hour, grab a drink on the house, meet some cool people and go home with a clothing item you won’t see on everyone else.

As I was leaving a gallery exhibit across the street, I noticed this orange jacket hanging outside of a store with the great name «WEAR SOMETHING RARE», I just had to check it out. Loved, loved, loved it. Bought both items I tried on. I appreciated the help I received from Marco who is an intern there (lucky him) and Roger’s recommendation that we go to the Brick House next door for some drinks and munchies. I will definitely go back to Wear Something Rare (and Brick House too). To tell you the truth, I thought the prices were reasonable considering I bought two items that are one of a kind original design and made in San Francisco. I would have paid twice as much from a boutique in Los Altos where I often shop. As Arnold says…“I’ll be back.”

I love the place the staff is very very nice and friendly and the merchandise is also super cute and original. I would definitely go back to buy more goods and stuff. As I said i love a hole in the wall and supporting local business owners.

Oh shit man! If you want hipster, you can’t do better than this.
Located in a runaway street, this place was quite hard to find. Once I started looking for the numbers on the streets instead of the shop names, I found the place much easier. There are no signs jutting out, just the number 440 on the glass window.
You see some stairs, walk down them and BAM! there’s a design table, some sewing machines, a few guys bent over that table using weird cloth cutting machines, one on the sitting sowing machine and the fourth re-​painting the walls. They greet you very family since it’s a co-​op with all 4 of them designing clothes and selling them.
There’s a warehouse in the back as well, which shows you that they are very dedicated to what they are doing which is very impressive.
Clothes are unique and beautiful; As I browsed around I saw that the price tags were too high for someone to just walk in and throw down on a fairly unproven in design, quality of fabric and longevity. I fell in love with an extra large hoodie and alas, because of the too high price I didn’t want to spend that much.
Do go here to check out the idea though; it is extremely brave and novel.

I went to 440 Brannan’s Holiday party a week or so ago. It was such a fun event. As an artist, it was fun to meet other like minded professionals and bask in such positive energy. The clothes, jewelry and accessories are all made by local artists (like that person sitting across from you on the MUNI) and it is very inspiring. Come here if you want one of a kind/​limited edition pieces that will fund some of the city’s up and coming designers!

Great place to go if you are looking for some of the best apparel San Francisco local designers have to offer! The studio is owned and staffed by some of the nicest people on earth! Roger (the owner) is very amicable and chances are you would have also been helped by Jill Giordano and Brian Sheyer, the designers behind gr.dano.
Students interested in fashion also have the opportunity to land an internship here and learn about the fashion design business first hand! For more than two years, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work alongside Jill and Brian for gr. dano and continue to learn about fashion design while enjoying it at the same time!
Definitely swing by to find unique and avant-​garde apparel made right here in the city! ^_^

I plan to rule the world! I don’t think I’ll succeed, but I I’ll look good trying: D
It was girls day and we decided to start at south park area then to Haight. A few hours later we had a hand full of bags so we were going to make a pit stop at my place to unload. I remember walking by 440 and never having the chance to look inside. So we decided to check it out. We never made it to Haight.
gr.dano was getting ready for their next line so they were having a huge sale on their older line. If I was rich, this shop would be my closet. They had business, formal and causal clothes. Hmm… no shoes though.
Extra plus was the service… super nice and helpful but not intrusive… perfect!
Anyways, I was giddy and still am giddy thinking abt all the great finds!

I work right next door and always make it a point to peek in to see what they’ve got going.
I’ve bought a couple of shirts, t-​shirts and a jacket from them and liked what I bought. Well tailored, good cloth, nice lines and great fit. The folks down there are friendly and get into explaining things.
My only wish is that they had more of a men’s line. Everytime I go there, its the same clothes and I guess their turnover for menswear is slower than for women’s.
But I l always find something cool here… even if I just look at it and sigh.

Looking for locally-​designed *and* locally-​made unique clothes that look like they could walk the Barney’s fashion show? Bada-​bing, this is the place. It’s a combo of a shop and a workroom where the designers themselves sew away in the back, and in the front, the finches tweet while you try on the most unique clothes you can find. I highly recommend the «gr.dano» line, where they work in architectural elements into the clothes for tailored yet quirky-​in-​a-​not-​cookie-​cutter classiness. I get comments on my clothes from there all the time, especially a stunning red wool coat that has a tailored button-​through swoosh around the collar. And the best part– the prices are extremely reasonable! Why buy a boring bourgeois plaid skirt from JCrew when you could get a kickass one with a funky underlay here for the same price?

I found A Motion Studio (now 440 Brannan) back in early 2004 because there was an orange coat floating in the wind above a doorway, and it peaked my curiosity. Walk downstairs to the well lit underground gallery/​showroom to find originally designed, unique, sexy ladies clothes, and very cool line of urban menswear. Not to mention, Roger the owner is very personable, will tell you all about the designer, and will let you freely roam the racks and try on all that you want — you will likely find something great. The prices are very reasonable, especially since the quality is high and the design is unique.

I can’t believe somebody got to this before me. It just open on the 19^th of April 2007.
I just happen to walked by and saw this sign with a guy at background saying «wear something rare». How could I resist not going in. I’m always on an eye out for one of a kind and unique pieces of clothing. Their man’s line is wonderful.
This is a gallery/​boutique. It’s kind of hidden somewhat underground. They really have one of each size for any given design. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. That’s a bit of a bummer, finding something and they don’t have it in my size. But hey, that mean you’ll definitely have the one of and go often to get it first.

If you happen to be going to Bacar and look just to the right there is an unassuming door and stair way down to a wonderful little art gallery and boutique show casing a couple local clothing designers. I happened upon this door and year ago and just went back for their grand opening.
The designer cuts (Hieros, GR Dano, and Vex) are modern, sleek, and slim. I am very partial to the Vex line and met Viktoria, a beautiful Bulgarian girl, who travels to Greece and Italy to have her clothing made. The material she uses in her men’s shirts is supple and soft, FANTASTIC! The cut is perfect for me — more tailored at the wiast yet full in the shoulders. I ended up purchasing a white polka dot shirt and would have bought more had she had my size.
I hate to give this place away because it is nice to have a secret designer to yourself but hopefully Unilocal can help support more of our local designers.
Going back for more shirts, definitely!

For the uniNishiated, Hieros used to be the fashion forward fashion fun A Motion Studio for years, turning out some of the most original urban wear and at reasonable prices too. They’re still putting out some items but owner Roger and his crew recently revamped the space, morphing it into Hieros Gallery. We had the chance to stop in on opening night for the Louis Walden exhibit (he of Warhol Factory fame), and aside from the gorgeous, slightly pretentious art, it was great to see some old yet familiar faces from years ago.
Hieros is definitely going to be a gallery worth keeping an eye on, and their soon-​to-​be monthly receptions will once again be THE spot to be to start out your happy weekend, meeting fresh faces and mixing it up with a hip crowd who knows what’s hot in the city tonight (check out the website to be added to the mailing list, and tell them Nish sent you!).