“I discovered this designer on Pinterest,” says Lisa Williams, pointing to a woven necklace from South African brand Pichulik, “I also don’t sleep very much,” she confesses. Williams launched a pop-up shop, an extension of her new retail lifestyle site, Lisa Says Gah, on Thursday March 26, at the Jules Maeght Gallery in San Francisco to show such hidden gems. The former buyer for NastyGal who recently relocated from Los Angeles to the Bay Area is combining her experience with fast fashion and her appreciation for one-of-a-kind designs in her new online retail endeavor. “I’m excited to do a fashion project in San Francisco,” said Williams “We’re bringing in brands from all parts of the world, and giving people something that they [previously] couldn’t find in the Bay Area.” Williams’ site includes a host of women’s clothes and accessories by independent designers such as modern Maryam Nassir Sadeh sandals, minimalist dresses by Comeforbreakfast, Amo Denim made in Los Angeles, Japanese clogs by Mizutori, basic shirts from Calder, angular bracelets from Miansai, and leather Martiniano shoes made in Buenos Aires. Her resources for spotting what’s next range from late night browsing to relationships formed during her days as employee number nine at NastyGal. Following the tried-and-true Bay Area startup model, Williams is managing her retail site from her Hayes Valley studio, but she’s already planning additional shopping events slated for the summer months. And she’s not in a rush. Williams says she’s taking time to find looks with staying power. “We’re not dictating trends, we just want pieces that are timeless, interesting, and well-made,” she says. So catch up on your sleep, there’s no need for late night label browsing when Williams has it covered.

By Jennifer McCullum

 

Pictured: The pop-up shop Lisa Williams created for her retail site, Lisa Says Gah, inside the Jules Maeght Gallery in San Francisco.
Photo courtesy of Lisa Says Gah

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