New In The Neighborhood: Kipper Clothiers

New In The Neighborhood: Kipper ClothiersPhoto: Sim Blakeney/Hoodline
Sim Blakeney
Published on September 29, 2014
Back in June, Kipper Clothiers quietly opened its doors at 78 Gough Street, the brand's first brick-and-mortar store.

Founded by Kyle Moshrefi and Erin Berg in July 2013, Kipper Clothiers was created to produce high-quality, hand-crafted, well-fitted custom suits and shirts for the Bay Area LGBT community. Tired of the lack of options for lesbians and trans men looking for a nice suit or shirt, Kyle and Erin decided it was time to step up.

After little more than a year in business, the company is thriving, collecting accolades and being featured in local best-ofs like SF Magazine’s Best of the Bay 2014, the Bay Guardian’s annual Hot Pink List and 7x7’s recommendations for custom suits made in SF.

We wanted to find out more about this new, highly fashionable addition to the Hayes Valley scene, so we headed down to the store and met with Kipper Clothiers co-founder Erin Berg. 


Kyle (left) and Erin (right). Courtesy Scott R Kline Photography

Erin, a neuroscience graduate, met Kyle two years ago when the two both worked at a past employer. Now, Erin runs the operations side of Kipper Clothiers, while Kyle, who has a background in fashion, is in charge of that side of the business. 

After working out of an accounting firm for the first six months, Kipper soon grew big enough, and had the client base, to justify finding a permanent location. Erin and Kyle really wanted something close to Hayes Valley, and a place that they could make a home. They found both in the space at 78 Gough.

Erin says they have been very lucky. The community has welcomed and supported them with open arms. And though most of their business is by appointment only at the moment, they are hoping for more walk-ins now that the new store is open to the public. 


Sim Blakeney/Hoodline

With the aim of “trying to make San Francisco a less casual city, one suit at a time,” Kipper Clothiers is the place to go if you are looking for a fine, fitting suit. The shop boasts a large range of fabrics, in all types of patterns, colors, and textures, and sourced from around the world. Stylists will guide you through the process to make sure you get the right style and fit for your body. They will also take full body measurements, along with photographs (front, profile, and back), to ensure a proper fit based on your proportions and posture.

While the company was started to cater to the Bay Area LGBT community, Kipper Clothiers makes suits and shirts for individuals of all shapes, sizes and orientations. 


via Kipper Clothiers

If you would like to know more about Kipper Clothiers or browse the shop's collection, the perfect opportunity is coming right up. On Saturday October 4th, from 6pm to 9pm, Erin and Kyle will be having their grand opening party at the store at 78 Gough Street. The party will include chamomile old fashioneds by Two Sisters Bar & Books, appetizers, a photobooth, and 20% off any accessory purchased during the event (provided you "like" them on their Facebook page). 

And if you do stop by the grand opening party, don't forget to to dress to impress.