March 11, 2010 - San Francisco's Clothing Revival: Affordable, One-of-a-Kind and Eco-Chic

A small mother-daughter shop, tucked in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, is adding a touch of haute couture to the city's eco-scene. Just as Parisian design houses have done for decades, this tiny shop offers shoppers a very personal touch that includes custom alterations and handpicked contemporary designs.

Where the similarities end, however, is that what's on this shop's racks are used clothing items that through the skill and craft of expert seamstresses has been turned into up-to-the-minute, trendy fashion items.

Revival is everything you'd want in a clothing shop: hard-to-find pieces, custom tailoring and affordable prices, all set in an eco-friendly location.

The small shop is conveniently set a few blocks from Hayes Street, the fashion center of the city. When owner Salpi Sleiman and her mother opened the shop in 2005, she bought recycled wood laminate for the flooring and scoured the city to find an antique table and vintage case. 

And it was this sustainable attitude that set the tone early on for Sleiman's clothing selection. Most of Revival's handpicked clothes are recycled, with a small selection from designer sample sales." We carry more contemporary design items that are the higher quality kind of clothes with labels that girls know about," said Sleiman.

Sleiman also encourages her customers to tailor their current wardrobe instead of buying new clothes.  Her mother offers affordable alterations in-store. "We hoped that people would come n and buy our stuff and tailor it to their own size. No one else is really doing that. It took off from there," Sleiman said.

Revival uses a "buy, sell, trade" business model.  In addition to purchasing Sleiman's handpicked selections from thrift stores and sample sales, customers can sell an item from their wardrobe for cash or a slightly larger store credit, good for both merchandise and alterations.  Revival also offers a discount on alterations to pieces bought in the store.

Sleiman believes the culture of San Francisco and most people's overall appreciation for style and an artsy flare are what allowed a shop like Revival to be successful.

"A lot of people in San Francisco like to shop at smaller shops and not have that cookie cutter style," said Sleiman. "There is a lot of support for small businesses and for mom-and-pop shops here. The biggest reason why we do well is because we have people in the city with individuality and style. However, they can't really afford to go out and buy designer clothes, so they shop at used clothing stores like mine."

Revival. Store Hours: Monday - Friday, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Saturday / Sunday, noon - 6 p.m.

112 Gough St, SF, CA 94102. Tel. 415-626-2831.