M A C Modern Appealing Clothing
Categories: Men's Clothing, Women's Clothing [Edit]
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley387 Grove St
(between Franklin St & Gough St)
San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 863-3011
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Sun 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
10 reviews
San Francisco, CA
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45 Reviews for M A C Modern Appealing Clothing
One hour and a nice charge on the old credit card later I had myself a new set of fashionable and right fit clothing.
At least I will look good and have something to talk about at the Shopaholics Anonymous meeting this week.
Great designers, service, and European/Japanese cut clothing (not baggy American). I just wish the prices were a bit more reasonable, but I guess you have pay up to look good.
Finally a bit of LA/NY fashion in SF (reminds a bit of the boutiques on Melrose)
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My secret life involves dressing up in fabulous clothes and shoes while my reality is sweats and tennies. I indulge my fantasies by shopping here for fantastical pieces that won't be appreciated by my husband, but by someone with an amazing eye like my imaginary gay best friend who takes me out to show off these masterpieces.
Scott is my favorite sales person here. He is so honest it hurts! Owners Chris and Ben have created a cool, non threatening environment to spend money that you don't have in. It makes it so much easier to go into debt when you feel you have some of the best eyes in town complimenting you. I also love they have greeters in the form of two dogs they rescued.
Also very important in a great store is good mirrors. The mirrors here are happy mirrors - i.e. you will be happy your cellulite isn't illuminated and your body isn't gigantified (if that is a word).
Fabulous range of unique one off pieces for men and women. I thought the mens wear was awesome, some really high quality different pieces with attention to detail and finished beautifully (hence the price!).
I can see why someone (someone completely different from myself)would like this store. It was mighty impressed with itself.
Personally, I did not. Prices here are outrageous. Literally... I was raged.
If you feel you can afford the prices they ask, then I hope your donating a pile of guilt monies to the various homeless, downtrodden and natural disastered out there. Otherwise your going to hell. I don't know how people can run these places. I'd crack from the guilt.
This place is bottled fall-of-the-roman-empire.
OK, so maybe it was the 40% off, but now that I think of it, no , that was just part of it.
I LOVE M A C! They are so real and nice there. My 8th grade english teacher would cringe. "really Rachael?, real AND nice?"
But really, I had a lovely experience there today and wanted everyone to know about it. It has definitely inspired me to a) lose weight and b) get a job so I can buy more stuff!
I can't wait to wear my new scarf!
I absolutely love this store!!!! Scott is fantastic.
We had just moved back here in the past year after living in Europe and traveling extensively, including Japan. What pleases me most about M.A.C. is that they carry timeless clothing with good design, and is downright reasonable when you compare them to ANY department of Barney's (including more "reasonably priced casual wear" at CO-OP.) The later has really annoyed me, since they seem fixated on this "little girl," "baby doll" look that is a just a half step up from what you always see Paris Hilton wearing. Or they go very pedestrian and have the most conservative items from Diane von Furstenburg or James Perse.
For a long time when I lived in San Francisco, I shopped at Workshop on Union, which carried Zucca (but discontinued it), Incotex (which no one seems to want to carry for women anymore), Guy Rover (ditto on never finding this as a woman anymore.) At last there seems like some hope for the intellectual, working woman, who wants fun styling clothing.
The big drawback about M.A.C. is that their selection seems less interesting and more limited in styles for women. I found tons of dress shirts, suits, cool slacks, and tops for my husband, however either you go somewhat pedestrian for the casual wear for women, or you can afford Martin Margiela (for which you can find a larger selection at other stores.)
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The people working here were super nice and the selection of clothing was unique and amazing. My bf and I happened to visit SF from NY while half the store was on sale for 50% off and he really scored! Had it not been for the sale, we might not have been able to afford anything. I love their eco-efforts using canvas totes instead of paper bags. Sadly, for some reason the place smelled so bad that I almost had to turn around and leave but I got used to it. They could also use some work on the dressing areas and mirror availability but the excellent friendly service makes up for any issues.
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This place is way out of my price range, but I stopped in to browse anyway since the reviews were so good. Even though I was dressed like a schmuck, the Ospitals were really friendly. They welcomed me in and took the time to talk about the artist who made the necklace I was looking at. And the guy in the kilt really made my night. It takes guts to dress like that, even in SF. If I was a slightly older, slightly more stylish person with a huge budget, I would love this place. For now I'll just have to keep ogling the merchandise with wishful eyes.
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I popped into MAC with a friend today after having a few dreamy bites of cupcake and a cup of coffee at Citizen Cake (almost right next door, another bonus to shopping at MAC!). As usual, the staff was super friendly, Chris Ospital was there...she is so nice, stylish and interesting to talk you.... My friend immediately scored and bought a lovely green jacket - she was thrilled. I just drooled over the clothes as I was lucky enough to have walked in a day or two after Christmas into a 50% off sale. I totally scored on two jackets, 3 tops and 2 dresses! (I told you I scored!). I lugged it all home in the cool canvas bags they use and was happy as a girl can be! The Ospidals are expecting Spring clothes in about 3 weeks! I can't wait to go back and see what is new. Sure to be as beautiful as ever. Don't miss MAC.
The place that introduced me to Tsumori Chisato (a great Japanese designer using the best fabrics) -- what more can I say? A good selection with prices ranging from the contemporary to luxury.
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Nobody could be bothered to greet us -- seriously, one of the salespeople walked around the corner to see who came in when the little door buzzer rang, saw us, and turned around and walked off... You'd think that we'd just pushed our shopping cart in off the street to load up on $1,000 sweaters. Oh, and if you are looking for Paul Smith, head to Neiman Marcus -- the selection is much better.
UPDATE:
The store owner sent me a personal message regarding my negative review of M A C and invited me to come back to the store -- I thought that was a nice gesture, and makes up somewhat for the fact that I was ignored when I visited the place a while back.
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Beautiful clothes, outstanding service, no attitude, and environmentally conscious. They've stopped using paper bags for purchases, so instead I got a fantastic reusable cloth bag. They're taking other steps (like reusing shirt boards) to reduce waste, and they're sourcing many of their Christmas gift items from designers and craftspeople within 100 miles of San Francisco.
I love this store!
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The Ospitals are by far the most stylish people in SF.
I started building my wardrobe of worthy clothing here about 3 seasons a go (1 year and a half ) and I try not to go anywhere else, ever, for anything my fashion appetite might crave.....they satisfy it all so completely!!!!
Margiela, Zucca, AF Vandevorst, Maria Cornejo, Sophie O'Dhoore, Chisato, Dries van Noten, to name a few of the wonderful intenational designers they carry; the Ospitals, however stress the importance of supporting your local community and scene, therefor you will also see labels like Podell and Dema.
A stop at M.a.c. always turns in to a fab time and a great conversation is always struck up.
My wardrobe is specially thankful to the special and fab attention of Scott, sweetest person i've ever met.
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I love Belgian designers. M A C loves Belgian designers. Ergo I love M A C.
M A C has a great selection of the usual suspects: Margiela (1, 6, 10, 11, 14, 22), Dries, Elbaz and Ossendrijver for Lanvin, van Beirendonck, Vandevorst. They'll also be carrying Raf Simons for Jil Sander this F/W.
It is an absolutely superior boutique. Scott is a model salesperson in every way. He was professional, knowledgeable, friendly (without being too solicitous), and honest in his assessment of what worked and what didn't work. He also dutifully brought items in my size that he felt would suit my tastes, and spent a lot of time explaining the aesthetics of those designers unbeknownst to me. He could talk trailer trash into buying that beaded Dries scarf.
Of course, you will need to open your wallet -- wide -- and drop some major coin in order to shop here. But it's oh-so-worth-it for these designs. And with the level of service M A C devotes to each client, you will not mind it one bit. "Mortgage? What's that? Foreclosure is so NOW."
In all seriousness, small boutiques like M A C are great places to 'raise the taste level'.
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Not much more to add here that other reviewers haven't nailed to the wall. Wonderful clothes, superior service and a very refreshing decor. So tired of pretension - in restaurants, people and their dogs.
MAC is in my top ten clothing stores in the U.S.. Very rare that I won't pick up a little something here.
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Every article of clothing in M A C is unique and warrants a first and even second look. I think Modern Appealing Clothing has the most avant garde approach to dressing in San Francisco; and that is a seriously good thing! I love that they carry a selection of local designers among some of the kookiest international clothing labels. Everything is interesting in this shop.
The store is owned by a brother and sister dynamic duo. Their mother is absolutely a joy to talk with and she will tell you how things look on you in the way that your loving grandmother would. The fact that it is a family run boutique makes it that much more endearing.
Prices tend to be on the high side, but that is just the nature of the game when it comes to the plethora of underground labels.
The store artwork is super cool to look at. They have told me that the collection of portraits strewn throughout come from every part of the world...people think of them and bring them art; which shows how loyal their clientele is!
M A C's selection of men's clothing is also really good...go get 'em guys!
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OK. I will eventually move to SF! I LOVE this city!
In the meantime, when I visit, I have 2 favorite stores that are the best ever on this planet. They are de Vera (union Square) for one-of-a-kind jewelry and objects d'art. AND this fabulous fabulous fabulous store!
MAC is by far the BEST boutique in the world. I grew up in NYC, so I know the shopping there. I now live near LA and know the shopping there.
MAC has the best collection of clothing and accessories that put other boutiques and stores in the above cities to shame, folks, TO SHAME! And that is because the owners, brother and sister, Ben and Chris have such a wonderful sense of style, fashion, color, and clothing that I have ever seen.
They are wonderful sales people as well. They make you feel right at home and will personally assist you with such warmth, like you are family. I always buy something here when I visit. I LOVE IT!
and their store LOOKS beautiful with wonderful furnishings and decor.
Do NOT, DO NOT and I repeat, DO NOT leave SF without stopping at this store. You will thank me!!!!
ps. They carry all price ranges too, which is nice... and have fabulous sales!!
ENJOY THIS BOUTIQUE!!! I WANT TO SIP IT THROUGH A STRAW!!
Hands down, the greatest store in San Francisco.
Everything is beautifully laid out with original artwork and displays. The clothing is top notch and incredible. I love that they have lines from all over the world (Dries, Maria Cornejo, and Margiela), as well as lines from SF (Dema and Turk+Taylor).
The owners are really sweet and helpful. Always willing to give you info on any of their lines and recommend new restaurants. I always have a great experience here and find some of the most beautiful garments I have EVER seen.
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Fantastic store, amazing selection of hard-to-find clothes and the staff knows so much about style and fashion trends, it is always a pleasure to talk to them. I visit this boutique at least once a month and never leave empty-handed. A well-deserved 5 stars!
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Here is what I like: obviously the clothing, which for the most part is not made in china and marked up 1000%. Everything you buy is tailored. The people there are friendly and are serious about what they do. You will never run into an employee who tells you that what you are trying is great just to make a sale. And yes, the clothing is unique and carefully considered and every time I go there I leave feeling good whether I have purchased something or not. SF could use more businesses like this one. Say no to chain stores and support local business.
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The guys are great, very laid back and not pushy. They have the best Engineered Garment selection in the city. The 2 dogs, especially Misu (sp?), the briard, were awesome. Great place to stop by after Citizen Cake on a Sat afternoon... :)
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The people here (and their dogs) are totally great. The men's section is my favorite as my husband got his very stylin groomsuit there. The man the owns the shop with his sister is very knowledgeable about style, fit and alterations (very important for your wedding day suit). I tailor most of my clothes and it was great to see how much attention to detail he put into the way the suit fit. He even gave us a bunch of excellent recommendations for shirts/ties/shoes at other stores. Go there, pet the pooches,
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After reading a the reviews here on Yelp, I sought out MAC yesterday just to look at a few of the designers they carry there (Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten...) and found that most of the reviews here were spot on.
The people working there were amazingly nice and helpful. Letting me browse, and showing me a few items that were of their own interest without being pushy. And extremely knowledgeable about all the labels they carry.
I found the full collection of Engineered Garments there, and was able to find a jacket I was two months ago unable to afford at American Rag. The people there told me about the history of the company, where it is made, and is helping tailor the jacket which is included with the price. They seem to know their stuff very well, and make the shopping experience great.
I found my new favorite store, but unfortunately I am not going to be able to afford a large portion of their clothing for a long long time.
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What an amazing place, unlike any other boutique out there. Where else can I buy the latest Dries VanNoten or Lanvin or Elie Kishimoto other than ofcourse Paris, Brussles, or Japan! Fabulous staff and doggies. Walking in there is like entering that fantastic movie " who are you Polly Magoo?" and if you don't know it , don't call yourself stylish nor fashionable. It's tantamount to having never watched a single episode of "sex and the city". ....oh you haven't, I seeeee.....well, the place is a combination of great style, quirkiness, odd ball and every inch of it yummy! Ben and Chris are international superstars and Kelvin, well...tres fab darling! I'm not rolling in the dough, but they have everything I can afford or save up for!
The MAC store has an eclectic collection and good range of prices. I can spend hours browsing the store looking at their unique pieces. The staff is super helpful and will even advise on different looks.
Great staff (live for you scott!), adorable dogs (total dr.suess action on those). Definitely heavy on the Belgian (Maison Margiela, Dries, Raf Simons for Jil Sander, etc...). They also carry lines which aren't carried elsewhere in the city (or the country for that matter): I just picked up a Final Home jacket the other week, I didn't even know they were still in business!
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I've been to MAC about seven times, each time I end up buying something. The store design is one of the best I've seen since I moved to San Francisco. They sell dries van noten, martin margiela and walter van beirendonck (one of only two stores in the US that stock his line) to name a few. The Sales staff is super knowledgeable and friendly. Simply put, the post progressive fashion boutique in San Francisco.
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UPDATE:
Ive decided to up to five stars b/c what i truly love abt this boutique is that it is at once high brow high fashion but the setting is completely downtown approachable.
Let's face it: fashion people can be fucking snooty. To me that's intolerable. I can play the game, sure, but it's so silly to put on airs and front your insecurities like that. So anyway, if you know shit from shinola about clothes and designers, ppl at M.A.C. won't begrudge you. They don't mind you looking through the garments or asking questions. The staff and owners are friendly and genuinely want to share their knowledge abt the label/collection/fashion back story with you. For this, FIVE FUCKING STARS.
ORIGINAL:
Okay. I'm something of a clothes connoisseur. Surprisingly, I mostly dislike the act of shopping. I do, however, enjoy MAC because they are (1) not aggressive, (2)knowledgable about their fashions, (3)helpful when you ask, and (4) allow the shopper he/r freedom to browse uninterrupted. The owner/buyer of this store knows her market and has a focused style that she represents well. Theirs is a nicely edited selection of designers, both popular and marginal, from Belgium, Japan, UK, and others. One of the few stores in SF that carry risky, high-end, fashion forward items that you won't find anywhere else: Eley Kishimoto, Tsumori Chisato, Walter van Bierendock, Margiela, etc. Really, check them out. I refrained from 5 STARS only b/c the dressing rooms are wanting.
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I wish I had a chance to even like this place. I was strolling Sunday afternoon with Beau, I needed to pick up a birthday gift for my little bro. I heard this place carried Turk +Taylor which is so perfect for him. I didn't even get a chance to walk in the door. The two shop dogs charged their way to the front door and the owner? is yelling at me NO, NO!!! Don't open the door!
He herds them to the back, I make my way in and ask the sales lady if I should tie Beau up outside or if he is OK inside.Not really a biggie. She said he's fine and I ask about T+T. The owner? comes back out and is all in a huff, You really need to ask before bringing your dog! UHHHH, Excuse me! I didn't even get a chance to stick my head in the door and ask. Fine, let me show you the T+T.
You know what, No thanks! I said and left. Villains carries it too.
*****Side note, Beau was raised as a shop dog and he would never bolt for the door like that.
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This has to be one of the best clothing stores in the country - innovative, smart, sassy, stylish beyond belief. They have consistently been on the leading edge of fashion not only here but throughout the region. I baought an Anne Duelmeester (sp?) about 15 years ago - long before she has the name she does today - they were early-pivotal- supporters as they we as well of people like Todd Oldham and Hank Ford!
We are more than fortunate to have the Ospitals here in town...as an active part of the community - socially conscious - environmentally conscious - and dog friendly!
Beautiful collection with unique pieces. Comfortable layout in the store and great sales people. It's high style with San Francisco charm.
Oh god. I could spend every cent I make here. I'm not the most label aware fellow and I don't recognize most of what's here and, truth be known, I'm a bit intimidated by how beautiful the clothes are.
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The coolest, most current place to buy men and women's clothing in SF. Always a great combination of new designers, obscure labels from around the world, and well known, hip designers. Chris and Ben always know what's going on.
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Found the most unique t-shirt here.... Great service, excellent collection and all these years I didn't know they carried men's clothing... this is now my new favorite store...
That's all folks
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(Updated 2008 Apr 17)
Men's Designers they carry:
- Armand Basi (Spain)
- Dries Van Noten (Belgium)
- Engineered Garments (NYC, and MAC is one of the largest stockists in the US)
- Final Home (Japan)
- Jil Sander (Germany)
- Josh Podoll (SF)
- Margiela (Belgium)
- Robert Geller (NYC)
- Seize Sur Vingt (NYC)
- Troglodyte Homunculus (NYC)
- John Bartlett
- Cubane de Zucca (Japan)
They'll tailor your purchases for free and the owners' and staff are really nice and well dressed. Store has wooden floors and smells like Hermes (that's a good thing).
I've been a MAC enthusiast for some time now, and feel I owe it to anyone who has never been here: it is a Destination. You might find t-shirts that function like mini-blinds, shirts with 4 armholes, or just incredibly tailored and classic cuts. The clothes are amazing, unusual, classic or heady, and you will not find the selection anywhere else in SF or maybe anywhere else in the US. You will enter the store and imagine yourself in another world as the space itself is magical, with 2 charming dogs doing diligence to the charismatic setting and some kind of curious music in the background. They know their clothes, and are nothing but honest about how things fit the wearer. I have never been pressured to buy something I did not love, and have never felt any remorse (except for the bright green Margiela top that I bought on sale that couldn't be passed up given the amazing deal).
The best thing about MAC is their attention to small production designers, high craftsmanship, unique offerings and an incredible integrity to their customer. It's an old school retail behavior where the customer is treated like a king or queen upon visiting.
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Modern Appeal Clothing (affectionately referred to as MAC) is the best place to find unique, upscale, and cutting-edge clothing in San Francisco. A wide selection of contemporary Belgian designers--Dries Van Noten, Martin Margiela, and Walter van Beirendonck, among others--accompanies a number of (generally less pricey) local and other American designs. The owners, siblings Ben and Chris Ospital, are completely charming and it is obvious that their store is a labor of love. We San Franciscans are indeed lucky to benefit from their passion.
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This place is wow. I just happen to walked by and stepped in and there was one other person in there shopping. They have pretty great stuff and deffinitely one of a kind for the price that they have on. The only reason I gave it four star instead of five is because they price is wayyyy too high for me to afford any of it, then again that's what you'll pay for one of a kind of great garment.
Hit or miss kinda collection. Nice people without attitude, but prices are sometimes astronomical for type of fabrication.
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