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.

Since opening his doors in Union Square in 1966, Wilkes has been one of the world’s most influential men in fashion, 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 has long been part of San Francisco’s “local fabric.”


Born to a farming family in upstate New York, it was apparent at an early age that Wilkes did not have “farming in his veins.” He discovered his love of fashion during a work-study program at Federated Department Stores through University of Cincinnati. After moving to San Francisco as a buyer at White House Department Stores, then a stint as Fashion Director for Men at Federated in New York City, in 1966 he returned to San Francisco with some European buying contacts and a dream…

He opened his first store in a 2,000 square foot space, across from his current San Francisco townhouse. At that time, Wilkes recalls, “there were no American men’s designers. To succeed in high-end retail, you had to create an interesting ambience and image of your own.” With a vision to serve a high-end customer he deemed “the bold conservative,” Wilkes Bashford’s first designer was Brioni, a line that he has helped to evolve over the years and still one of the most important in the store today.

The first American men’s designer to emerge was Ralph Lauren in 1967. In Mr. Lauren’s first year, Wilkes took him on, boldly introducing his famed neckties for $12.50, when the competitors were under $4 at the time. The two have been friends ever since.

Over the years, Wilkes expanded his store to 12,000 square feet, eventually moving to his famed seven-story townhouse across the street 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.

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.

Wilkes is very involved in the community, hosting countless charity events and inviting entertainers like the late Bobby Short and Joel Grey to perform, as he believes fashion and show business are inextricably intertwined. He enjoys a lot of media attention, palling around San Francisco with his long-time best friend, Willie Brown, who was Speaker of the California State Assembly for fifteen years, Mayor of San Francisco for eight and is a renowned fashionista.

Wilkes Bashford stores are also renowned for their highly educated and diverse staff. Wilkes’ sales associates are fiercely loyal, as passionate about fashion as he is, and deliver a level of service that goes outside of the stores and into the customers’ homes and personal lives, when needed.

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 Bashford share a like aesthetic and commitment to community and customer service,

Wilkes Bashford’s merger with the Mitchells will enable him to realize, grow and evolve his vision for a new generation. “There couldn’t be a better or more natural match for us. In my opinion, it is a match made in heaven! How lucky it is in today’s world when that happens?”

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