Let Me Introduce You To… Joanna

Three years ago I was lured by the hum of machines down a back alley and into an unmarked building - generally not a good idea on Capp Street. There I was greeted by the warm smile of Joanna. A complete and fortunate coincidence, Joanna’s sewing shop was just a half block down Capp from Distilled’s studio. Since that day she has become our primary resource for sewing Distilled. 

To say she is one of our most valuable assets would be a gross understatement. Rush time-lines, super complicated garments, eccentric details, she’s done it all for us. When we showed other shops our plan to use bungee cord as a Toggle Coat closure they laughed and said “too hard.” When we showed Joanna she had solutions for how to do it. This positive attitude, refined sewing skill and hard work has kept her shop open for business as almost all other SF sewing factories have closed.

Sewing since she was 17 years old she first worked in Hong Kong creating blouses and then men’s pants. In 1969 she moved to San Francisco where she has run shops in Chinatown and the Mission working with companies like Giorgio Armani, Bebe and Distilled, sometimes employing up to 30 people. She is a pillar of San Francisco’s sewing industry, a valuable contributor the city’s economy and a great friend. Thanks for all your hard work Joanna! We <3 you!