No Dress, No Problem: 3 Local Designers Who Slay at Women's Suits

Photo via Emily Meyer

Photo via Emily Meyer

When it comes to your wedding, you should wear whatever makes you happy.  It doesn't matter if it's a dress, a jumpsuit, a suit suit, or a swimsuit, as long as you feel confident. Come to think of it, that rule applies to life in general.

While most wedding publications dedicate all their attention to froufrou frocks, it's a mistake to ignore the growing number of women who want to get hitched in a perfectly tailored suit. And when you're looking for a suit that says "Let's celebrate" instead of "Ask me how I can lower your insurance premiums," it's time to go custom.

The women's custom suiting market in San Francisco retracted in 2016 with the exit of Saint Harridan and Tomboy Tailors, but the remaining options are top notch. Let's discuss the top three.

Photo via Jake 

Photo via Jake 

Jake

619 Sansome Street

JAKE offers custom suiting, shirting, and separates for women and men, and the brand does lots of weddings. Suiting from Jake stands out in a crowd. Designer Jake Wall (a former Project Runway contestant), loves a good pattern, and isn't afraid to play with camo, florals, toile, polka dots, textures, or lengths. (Want a linen short suit for your summer wedding? Jake is more than happy to oblige.) But you don't need wild colors or textiles to walk away satisfied; even Jake's solid tuxedoes are timeless statements that you'll cherish for your big day and beyond.

Photo via Kipper Clothiers

Photo via Kipper Clothiers

 

 

 

 

Kipper Clothiers

78 Gough Street

Kyle Moshrefi and Erin Berg launched Kipper Clothiers in July 2013. The company specializes in custom, hand-tailored shirts and suiting for women and men, and has earned major props within the LGBTQ community for designing pieces for women and transmen who prefer masculine styles. For a complete put-together look that includes a custom shirt and a three-piece suit, the brand's stylists take a total of 36 body measurements to ensure that the final fit is absolutely perfect. 

 

Photo via Emily Meyer

Photo via Emily Meyer

Emily Meyer

Emily Meyer, a former lawyer, knows more than a little about great suits. The San Francisco designer left her legal career behind to start her own bespoke label in 2013. She currently specializes in suiting and separates—exclusively for women—in luxe materials. (Think fabrics from Europe's most storied mills, like Dormeuil, Ermenegildo Zegna, and Ariston Napoli.) Meyer's services are by-appointment-only, but she'll happily meet with you at your office, home, or in her Cow Hollow studio. For first-time clients, the custom suit process takes about six–eight weeks. Suits start at $1230, and there's a 30 percent surcharge on tuxedos.