Melissa Marie /Fashion Initiatives Lead/Master of Manifestation

When thoughts go back far enough to remember Reebok high-tops, neon tights and jelly bracelets it takes it back to a time where individual style was at its peak. The outlets that were of inspiration were bright and glowey. The ’80s was a time for risks and pure sensationalism. Coming of age during that time period, Melissa was there like a sponge taking it all in. Using splatter puff paint and cloraxing denim to make her own wears is where all started for her. It was a time of DIY fashion. You wear what you’ve got and do what you want to with it.

Melissa made her way from the Deep South where the humidity is thick and the ice tea very cold. San Francisco has been on her radar since she was a mere babe hanging with Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead with her Mom.

In 1996 she moved to the Haight and lived in her Aunt and Uncle’s house. She got her first job at a little store down the street called Behind the Post Office. It offered the underground graffiti kids mixed tapes and graff tag books, fashionistas one of a kind threads and local SF artists a wall to hang their newest works. The community that was brought in by that small urban mecca was vast and wide. One Melissa identified and fell in love with.

In this day and age finding community in the one we live in is essential. To be part of the Gray Area Foundation community brings back the sense of needed community in the many areas of Art, Technology and Fashion to San Francisco. To head the fashion initiatives lead under Gray Area will be a way to gain more community involvement in an area of the city that needs attention and help designers and artists find another new stage to present ideas.

Opening the Archetype Boutique is a way for the community around artistic fashion and products to come forth and bring the wearable fashion in San Francisco to the forefront. We are looking to showcase up and coming designers for collaboration and explore more of fashioning technology.

Archetype Boutique
noon-7pm M-F
1-6pm Saturday
closed-Sunday
984 Market Street
San Francisco, California
415.465.0240
melissa@shoparchetype.com