Wilkes Bashford

Wilkes Bashford was founded by the fashion icon of the name. Renowned for an impeccable eye and unsurpassed customer service, Wilkes has defined Bay Area style for close to 50 years. One of the world's most influential men in fashion, Wilkes Bashford has been a fixture on Esquire's "International Best Dressed List" since 1972. The first retailer to... bring many top designers from Italy including Giorgio Armani into the United States, Wilkes set the stage for men's fashion in Northern California and is part of San Francisco's "local fabric." Wilkes opened his original Union Square store in 1966, across from his current location, with a vision to serve a high-end customer he deemed "the bold conservative. Over the years, Wilkes expanded his store, eventually moving to his famed seven-story townhouse in 1984. He added a women's department in 1978 and in 2001 opened a Palo Alto store, to cater to the Silicon Valley crowd. Wilkes is very involved in the community, hosting countless charity events and inviting renowned entertainers as he believes fashion and show business are inextricably intertwined. He enjoys a lot of media attention, palling around San Francisco with long-time best friend, Willie Brown, the former Mayor of San Francisco and a renowned fashionista. Wilkes Bashford stores are known for their highly educated and diverse staff. Wilkes' sales associates are fiercely loyal, passionate about fashion, and deliver a level of service that goes outside of the stores and into the customers' homes and personal lives, when needed. Though men have become "more adventuresome" in their dress, Wilkes has always believed in the "total look," helping many men and women who might know how to run major organizations, but need help in defining their own style. In December 2009, Wilkes Bashford became part of The Mitchells Family of Stores, owned by a family he has known for 25 years through industry events and European buying trips. The Mitchells family and Wilkes share a like aesthetic and commitment to community and ...Read More