With fall shipments starting to roll in at the local boutiques, we were excited to find out what Amy Mautz was picking up at her Cow Hollow's shop Conifer. This season, she's drawing inspiration from from custom prints and unique fabrics to reflect what's most important to San Franciscans: individuality.
Also, look out for Conifer's big debut of Built by Wendy—she's one of the only suppliers of the New York-based independent label in town. She'll kick off the debut with a huge blowout trunk sale September 30–October 2. Here, she gives The Feast a hint of what else she has in store.
THE FEAST: What can we expect to find at Conifer this fall?
AMY MAUTZ: I just received my first Rachel Comey shipment with three dresses and two styles of shoes. The dresses are in her custom prints and beautiful fabrics—the silk wool blends have an amazing hand—soft yet sturdy. My first order from Demylee also came in—three cashmere sweaters—and we have MM6 in store now. My favorite piece from that collection is the draped wool jersey dress. It has just the right amount of draping. We also have t-shirts from Christina Lehr and Edith A Miller; and dresses from Lauren Moffatt, Whit, Steven Alan, Organic by John Patrick, Pendleton’s Portland Collection and H. Fredriksson.
What was your strategy for buying this season?
I focused on buying great pieces instead of buying stories. I love putting a story together from each designer but I realized it’s more important to focus on the styles individually. I also have to constantly take our weather into consideration. Everyone is always cold in San Francisco so I went heavy on sweaters and jackets. I love having a balance of styles, textures, and colors so I look at everything together after I narrow down my top picks. It’s a constant cycle of editing and adding trying to find that perfect balance.
What inspired you to pick up Rachel Comey and Lauren Moffatt this season?
Rachel’s craftsmanship and attention to detail is impeccable and she designs her own prints which makes her collections special. You can see the details in the gathers on the Deuce dress, or the pleats on the Delano dress. Lauren also creates her own prints and has a really fun quirky style. There’s something nostalgic and feminine about her collections that draws you in. The pleated snap top has been a hit every season.
What trends are you seeing for fall?
Leopard is everywhere. I flew through a faded leopard jean from Current/Elliott that I just reordered. The maxi dress is also continuing into fall. The MM6 jersey dress with a big chunky sweater over it is such a great staple. I have a couple of southwestern-inspired items coming: a unisex cardigan, dress, bag, and scarves from Pendleton’s Portland Collection, a shift dress from Lauren Moffatt and Vena Cava’s Clifton dress.
What's your favorite new item in the store?
Clare Vivier’s black messanger bag and her La Tropezienne tote in cognac. I feel like both bags would complete my purse needs for years and they won’t go out of style. They’re classic.
What piece would you love to see more people wearing in the next few months?
I have a combo wool-and-leather boot from MM6 that is amazing, and a little risky. They are more rugged and less urban than the other boots I carry.
