minnie wilde san francisco designers

Minnie Wilde is the collaborative effort of Designer Terri Olson and her Retail Partner Ann D'Apice. Terry and Anne find inspiration in vintage finds which they rework, infusing the style, quality and details of the original. Minnie Wilde has just launched their first fragrance, "Magic". Magic is blend of tiger lily, pink grapefruit, vanilla, Egyptian tuberose, and other dreamy essential oils. The blend of fruity notes are infused with a delicate aroma as magical as a sweet dream. Catch the Magic at Minnie Wilde...

When and why did you start your company and collection?

We started as a wholesale clothing company with a spring 2000 collection. We?e both avid vintage shoppers and bonded over the fact that we were always altering pieces to fit. We love the details in vintage clothing and the feeling that each piece is unique. We wanted to translate the quality, construction and thoughtfulness of the vintage pieces in details like buttons, fit, an unique fabrics and limited editions of each style.

What is your inspiration for the latest collection?

Foxy French Disco

On your path to starting the line, were there any major challenges in the beginning?
The biggest challenge that we faced was the lack of cohesion in the San Francisco? Fashion Community. We had very few industry experts or brands to help act as a mentor. We started our company on a shoestring, so we had to and (still have to) do everything ourselves. We were very excited when we won the Bay Guardian? Best of the Bay for Best new women? clothing store, just 1 month after we opened.

Where did you grow up? Did this influence your design vision?
Terri grew up in the Bay Area. With easy access to great vintage clothes and a penchant for cowgirl and rodeo looks, her designs have a definite western edge with big city savvy. Ann grew up on the East coast. With a similar draw to vintage clothing, she likes to blend her New England roots with a New York edge.

Did you have an early interest in design and fashion?
Terri and Ann both obsessively played dress-up, sometimes acting as stylists to their friends and family. Terri? first design triumph was her high school prom dress. Ann went to Catholic school, and the only detentions she served were for uniform infractions. In 1998 Terri began her own line, Pinky Palace.

Favorite designers, places, stores, people, things that were formative to your current creative vision?

Vintage hunting grounds: Flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores.

Anything that we liked when we were 8 years old: pink, shiny, horses, unicorns, gauchos, and knickers, corduroy, anything mini.

Music: sixties rock; 70s disco, glam rock, no wave, and punk rock; 80s new wave and a little metal; 90s indie; 2000s electro, experimental, bluegrass and folk.

The staircases and hills of San Francisco!

What is your vision for your brand and collection?
We want to continue to produce the collection in limited quantities. We? like to avoid mass production. This is because we'd like to appeal to women who want something special. We?e recently expanded to include t-shirts, accessories, and perfume. We? like to open other stores to sell our line as well collections of other local designers.

What cities, neighborhoods inspire you?

NY: Lower East Side, Williamsburg, the West and East village

LA: Echo Park, Silver Lake

SF: The Mission, Baker Beach, the weird nooks and crannies of Russian Hill and Chinatown.

What about them appeals to you?
The grit and glam of NY; the artists and boutiques of LA, the beauty and playfulness of San Francisco, the romance of Paris, the crazy street fashion of Tokyo, the Mods of 1960? London.

Name a few of your favorite stores in LA, NY, San Francisco, London Paris or anywhere?

New York: Built by Wendy, The Good, the bad & the Ugly
Brooklyn: Mini mini market, Beacon? Closet
Los Angeles: ShowPony, White Lions, Apartment 3, Fred Segal
San Francisco: Static and those special places in Chinatown that are a secret! shhhh?

Any unique non-fashion stores that you love?
Kinokuniya bookstores for Japanese fashion magazines.

Favorite stores for clothes, accessories, beauty?
American Rag has a great collection of vintage and indie designers. Gimme shoes and Paulo for the best collections of shoes and boots to die for. Out of town - undiscovered thrift stores.

Favorite shoe, denim, tee, or fashion labels?
Glory Chen shoes
Frye Boots
Superfox jewelry
Sergio valente jeans
Pink Spike
Built by Wendy,
Marc Jacobs,
Stella McCartney,
Chloe,
Daryl K,
Judi Rosen,
C. Ronson,
Miel Accessories handbags

Anything new on the horizon for Minnie Wilde?

Our Minnie Wilde Magic perfume is just hitting the shelves. It? extra special because it? only essential oils. We mixed it with the help of YOSH, a local perfumer.We?e constantly designing new styles for the store. We basically make new items every few weeks or so. We?e pretty good about putting the new styles on our site, www.minniewilde.com