Our Story

The Atelier:

Nestled in the quiet neighborhood of Russian Hill right off the iconic Hyde Street cable car line is our little shop in San Francisco. All of our products are designed by Suzanne Hanley and hand crafted in our atelier, or workroom. In our garments we use the finest silks from Italy and laces from France. Our in house beading is done with crystals, rhinestones, semiprecious gemstones, and freshwater pearls. Our veils, headpieces, and accessories are all designed in house and often made with amazing vintage trims from France and adorned with semiprecious gemstones for that added touch of luxury. Please browse the collections knowing that each piece was made by hand, with care. We offer couture bridal gowns, evening wear, lingerie, veils, headpieces and jewelry. We also carry a small collection of jewelry from local designers; Camille Torres, Denise Heffernan, Melissa Joy Manning, shoes from Harriet Wilde/London and natural perfume from Fitzgerald & Guislain.

The Designer:

Suzanne Hanley began designing and sewing clothing with her Mother and Grandmother at the age of 6. She began her fashion career in Boston by apprenticing for five years at a small couturier on Newbury Street. She then opened her own studio in the North End before moving to San Francisco in 1990. Suzanne has always focused on bringing out the most lovely features of each of our clients, and maintaining an exacting standard of quality and excellence in each of our garments. Each client who walks through our doors meets and works with Suzanne from start to finish, making sure those standards are always met.

The Process:

The couture process begins with a 90 minute consultation with Suzanne, our designer. We have samples from the collection (floor sample sizes range from 2,4,6) to try on, and you are always welcome to bring pictures of what inspires you. If you are outside of our floor sample range, Suzanne will select a muslin “toile” or test dress that is closest to your size and style to try on for a better idea of fit and structure. Suzanne will help you choose the neckline, bodice structure, skirt shape, fabric and trim details of your dress. After your consultation, Suzanne will follow up with a price quote including photos and notes of specific details and pricing. Veils, accessories and lingerie are also available and can be custom ordered to match your gown. Couture gowns generally require 6-9 months lead time as the textiles are custom ordered from Italy, France and Switzerland.  Rush orders may be possible, it just depends on our schedule. The price range of our couture gowns is $3,000.-$25,000. which includes a series of three fittings and are made to your measurements, made by hand in our San Francisco Atelier.

If you would like to schedule an appointment at the Atelier please Fill out our form, or give us a call at 415.775.0545.