Maison K · Why This Brand Exists
Maison K started as a very simple idea: I love clothes. I love fit, fabric, and the feeling of putting on something that makes you stand a little taller. Designing elevated basics is my way of translating all the in-between moments of life subway rides, studio days, late dinners into something wearable. But I also knew I couldn’t build a project this big without grounding it in my values. I grew up watching how deeply the homelessness crisis has shaped San Francisco. On any given night in 2024, about 8,323 people in San Francisco were experiencing homelessness a 7% increase since 2022. More than half of them were unsheltered, living on the street or in vehicles, and around 4,354 people were counted outside of formal shelter systems.Behind those numbers are families, youth, elders, and veterans navigating impossible choices in a city where the cost of housing has outpaced what most people can realistically afford.
As Maison K grows, I want it to participate in the city that shaped me—not just aesthetically, but ethically. A portion of the proceeds from this project will be donated to organizations in San Francisco working directly with unhoused communities, including Swords to Plowshares, the Coalition on Homelessness, Larkin Street Youth Services, and Compass Family Services. These groups provide everything from legal advocacy and transitional housing to mental-health support, youth services, and veteran assistance. Supporting them is one way of acknowledging that fashion doesn't exist in a vacuum; it’s tied to real people, real streets, and real systems of care.
Every garment is designed as an elevated basic: familiar enough to reach for every day, considered enough to stand on its own. We lean into muted palettes, subtle texture, and silhouettes that skim rather than squeeze.
We design from a city point of view: layering for overheated trains and cold sidewalks, late nights out and early classes, shifting light and shifting moods. The goal is simple—less noise in your closet, more clarity in how you want to feel.