California Apparel News

SAN FRANCISCO—Saunter into Pixie Boutique in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood and you’ll find an assortment of fashionable clothing and accessories for women. The pink-hued shop is feminine but not excessively girlie—a soft cotton-candy tone covers the walls, accented with deep pink trim.

So what’s in a name? After spending more than a year preparing to open, Carol Wu and Amy Newman couldn’t decide on a name. A week before the store’s opening, they stood in the parking lot of Home Depot, exhausted and close to tears, and Newman started throwing out names. She said “Pixie,” and Wu immediately knew that was the one. In the traditional sense, a pixie is a fairylike elfin creature or a playful sprite. They broadened the meaning to “any intelligent, independent woman who wears fun, sexy clothing.”

Their prime corner location is in a neighborhood that is not overly saturated with clothing boutiques. They chose the spot partly because of the area’s carefree indie feel. In March, they will celebrate their second anniversary. Not bad considering they had no prior retail or fashion experience. Both women have a background in science. Wu has a microbiology degree, and the two met while working in the pharmaceutical industry.

They relocated to San Francisco at the same time—Newman from Fresno, Calif., and Wu from Philadelphia—and became friends and shopping buddies.

As frequent shoppers and self-described fashion fanatics, Wu and Numan started with personal favorites, like L.A.-based Development. But they weeded out designers through extensive research. Their buying now consists of trips to New York and Los Angeles showrooms, as well as Las Vegas and Los Angeles trade shows, including Pool Trade Show and Los Angeles Market Week. They are established enough that most lines send reps to them too.

One of the greatest challenges they faced in opening the store (besides choosing a name) was fighting the urge to overbuy. Initially, they bought very prudently. But with the huge response they received in the first couple of months, they were thankful that they were able to reorder quickly. Pixie has had great success from the start with some of the lines they picked, including Development.

“We opened with Rock & Republic and James denim,” Wu said. “We were actually the first boutique in the city to carry James. It was serendipitous. hellip; We tried them on in the ladies’ room at the Designers & Agents show at The New Mart in L.A., and we fell in love. They were a huge hit and we still have loyal customers.”

TAG denim is also doing well for them. “They make great cords and have a lower pocket. hellip; They’re really flattering,” Wu said. “I think we specialize in denim. We can suggest what would look good on a shopper.”

Pixie also showcases such local designers as Latifa Medjdoub, who creates art-to-wear pieces utilizing a merino-wool felting process to make skirts and hand-knit layering pieces. You’ll also find unique accessories such as Urge to Adorn belts, from a local photographer who uses her own photos for the buckles. And there are plenty of local jewelry designers too. Wu and Newman stock basics including Cris cashmere and LAMade tees. The price points in the boutique range from $36 for an LAMade tee to $350 for a Development jacket. Other labels in the store include Woo, Joie, Paige Premium Denim and Generra, among others. “Ella Moss is great and flies out of the store,” according to the owners.

Pixie features both casual and dressier separates. “We learned that we needed to offer more quality pieces at a lower price, but people still come in looking for higher-end pieces too,” Newman said. Their customers recognize that they are concerned with quality. “That’s how we buy,” Wu said. “We inspect everything when it arrives at the store, and if it has the slightest snag or flaw, we send it back.” She was quick to note that they haven’t had to get rid of any lines due to defects.

Customers are also fans of the customer service offered at the shop, as well as the wide assortment of goods. Most of the inventory is based on the idea that items can be dressed up or down. It’s a fine place to get basics that are unique and different from what you’d find at other shops.

The two have developed a reputation for trying on everything before they place an order. Some reps even schedule extra time for them to do so. And each of the retailers has her own sense of style. Newman is a self-proclaimed jeans girl while Wu tends to dress up more. This dichotomy of style works well in their store. Most of the time, they agree on what will work for Pixie, but sometimes one has to take a leap of faith and trust the other’s judgment. So far, they’ve had luck following their instincts. They recently picked up the New York–based line Alvin Valley because both “really like his pants.”

Newman notes that one of the most difficult things to deal with is saying “no” to designers. “We see their passion, and it’s so tough to turn them down,” she said. So, whenever possible they suggest other places on the street or elsewhere in the city where the designs might make a good fit.

The pair is careful not to overlap with neighboring shops; nearly everything they carry is exclusive to their neighborhood. Shop owners on the street work well together. This fall, the area storeowners decided to try something new. Their “Wednesdays are divine because we’re open until 9” parties kicked off the Fall season and have proven to be very successful. —Dena Smolek