Imagine going to work everyday next door to all your friends, who happen to be cool, creative types you can look (across the alley) to for inspiration. Yah, that’s Ali Golden’s life, as her little corner of Oakland, the offbeat Temescal, gains attention for everything from killer clothes and jewelry to good eats and hip hair. There’s so much amazingness close by that there’s rarely a reason to leave. “The shop owners in the alley have a whiskey cocktail named after us at Pizzaiolo since we frequent the place so often!” Ali humble-brags. Here, the places that Ali frequents and you should, too. —carly pifer Score the rockin’ silk top Ali made from her sweet set-up now! Temescal Alley Barbershop: “I originally found my studio and discovered Temescal Alley through Brad at the Temescal Alley Barbershop. Everything just came together when I met Brad and was introduced to this great community of people. I don’t get my haircut at the barbershop, but my boyfriend does—and he loves it. And it is just a super nice space to hang out.” Esqueleto: “Another great friend, Lauren Wolf of Esqueleto [Ed: And her own jewelry line, featured on this site!] moved from New York recently and opened this seriously great shop. Everything about it is perfect. Lauren is extremely supportive and such a good role model for me as a business girl and just a human being in general. We’ve done a few little collaborations and are planning on collaborating on a lookbook soon!” Marisa Haskell: “Marisa Haskell, a jewelry designer, is like a sister to me. Originally, I moved in next door to her then-studio, and a few days later we had Brad saw out a permanent doorway in the wood wall that connected our studios. So, for a year, we basically shared a studio, and it was so lovely. Sadly, last month she out-grew her space and moved eight feet, directly across the way. We’re looking into purchasing walkie talkies.”  Minds Eye Vintage: “Sarah Rainey and Maya Messoriano, who own Minds Eye Vintage, are two great friends of mine. I keep saying that, but it’s true in every case! Their shop is a perfectly designed, perfectly curated manifestation of their own rad personal styles.” Crimson Horticultural Rarities: “The owners of Crimson Horticultural Rarities, Leigh Okies and Allison Futeral, are more great friends, and theirs was one of the first shops in the alley. It has grown into something very special. Their shop is full of great little plants and objects.” Pizzaiolo: “These are the boys from Pizzaiolo taking a break in front of the vintage store—the owner, Charlie Hallowell, is on the left. Pizzaiolo is a restaurant that focuses on local, seasonal food, and the alley where my studio and store is located dead-ends into their backyard/garden/chicken-coop.”

Ali’s studio and store, set in a former horse stable in Temescal Alley in Oakland. “I’ve really tried to build my line and business the way I think it should exist, which is kind of out of the normal cycle of the fashion industry,” Ali Golden says of her namesake line of easy-fitting tunics and, more recently, rockin’ canvas bags. Here, a few of the ways that Ali gets her hands dirty. —carly pifer “I do all my own pattern-drafting and sample-sewing. Making my own patterns is one of my favorite parts of the design process. It’s great because the turn-around time per style is super fast when I can do the fitting, fix the pattern, and re-sew the sample quickly. Then I can sell ‘first-draft’ samples in the store—there is very little time or materials wasted.” “This kind of shows the process of how my prints come to life. I started using prints in my spring 2013 collection, and they have been hand-drawn and put into the computer—by me!—and then silk-screened. The above print was printed in two color-ways on two types of fabric.” “Peter and Mai are the owners of the San Francisco factory that does my production, and I have a very close relationship with them. Before me, they didn’t have clients who did silk garments, so I got to teach them how to sew with silk!” “I make all the bags in my line at the moment because it’s a nice excuse to sew and use my hands—I do all the cutting, sewing, and leatherwork with help from my dear assistant. It’s a labor-intensive process, but I love it! Originally, I was only going to be selling them directly, but some great stores showed interest—so I’ve started wholesaling them to a few good friends. At the moment, I’m working on finding a local production place to construct the bags because I can’t do it myself anymore!” To see what Ali made just for Of a Kind, come back tomorrow! Getting on our email list is the best way to make sure you don’t miss out.