This Saturday, SF-based vintage fashion styling firm Retrofit Republic throws one fashionable party at Tank 18 to celebrate the launch of their latest Tastemakers Lookbook and its accompanying stop-motion film. What’s a “tastemaker,” you ask? Retrofit Republic hand-picked some of their favorite leaders and change-makers in arenas such as food, fashion, LGBTQ advocacy, and design, and then asked those leaders to model Retrofit’s vintage styles. Some of their featured tastemakers include vegan soul-food hero Bryant Terry, Four Barrel Coffee founder Jeremy Tooker, Anthology Magazine co-founder Meg Mateo Ilasco, and PUBLIC Bikes founding team member Dan Nguyen-Tan.
Heavy hitters, all of them. And at the Tastemakers Lookbook Launch Party, you get to mingle with them, grub with Off the Grid, dance with DJ Proof and DJ Vinroc, and have the chance to take home some pretty fly prizes, including a PUBLIC bike.
To get you even more excited about what’s in store, we asked Retrofit Republic co-founders Julia Rhee and Jenny Ton, housemates and BFFs, to give us some “top fives” about fashion and entrepreneurship.
Top five most surprising things about running your own business: 1. Your work doesn’t end at 6 pm. 2. But your work doesn’t have to start at 8 am. 3. At any given moment, you can and will wear all of the hats in your business. 4. You get to rub elbows and work with the most brilliant, creative, and passionate people. 5. It’s a constant game of adaptation to changing environments, economic trends, marketing, and consumer behavior. 5.5 Can we add one more? You define the nature of your work and your lifestyle.
Top five looks/trends we’re loving right now: 1. White and black color-blocking 2. Menswear on women 3. Mixing bold prints and patterns 4. Expressive accessories that translate into bold sock cleavage. This is where we see individuality really shine through. 5. Midriffs
Top five moments making the newest lookbook: 1. That moment when you forget how much time and work it took to make this endeavor possible because you’re having too much fun. It reminds us how lucky we are to do what we love. 2. Hearing each tastemaker’s journey and how they made it. 3. Seeing all the tastemakers come together in their final looks with hair + makeup done. It’s analogous to wanting to be a part of the “cool kids” group. 4. Choreographing the communal meal scene for the stop-motion video. It was super creative and silly. 5. Working alongside other creatives on this shoot, including the makeup and hair artists, the photography team, the video team, graphic designer, and food stylist. When you see all of these experts in one room doing what they do best, it’s magical.