You cannot deconstruct unless you know how to construct. - Alexander McQueen

Delilah Crown: A Jewel in San Francisco permalink

Delilah Crown is a puzzle piece that fits perfectly into the larger picture of North Beach, San Francisco. Otherwise known as Little Italy and a casual home to the Beat Generation, North Beach and its tradition of eclecticism is as authentically San Franciscan as it gets. Owner of Delilah Crown and designer of the namesake label, Kristina De Pizzol, says of her shop, “I fell in love with the space. The original small paned window from the early 1900s and the fact that it was next to Danilo’s Bakery - a fixture in North Beach for 40 years - sealed the deal. I love coming in early in the morning and smelling the bread and then going up to my loft studio to work.” With an atmosphere such as this it isn’t difficult to understand why the shop and its creations are irresistible.

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Delilah Crown - 524 Green St., San Francisco

I’ve been gone from San Francisco almost a year, but I can’t shake the feeling that my departure was premature. I vividly recall sitting in the Drawing Room of artist Wayne David Hand’s Victorian, filled to brimming with priceless collectibles, warm hospitality and good conversation. I admitted to him that I wasn’t getting it - I wasn’t experiencing the soulfulness of the city that I knew had captured hearts like a true religion for some of my friends and relatives. He told me that you have to be patient. You have to dig harder. It took him three years to start peeling back the layers and uncover the real substance of San Francisco. Near the end of my term there I started to unearth real substance. Then I left.

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view of San Francisco from Telegraph Hill

When I go back to visit San Francisco now I experience everything with acuteness because I’m at the mercy of a timetable relentlessly being cut short. Consequently, the shops I visit are few, but one that is a consistent pleasure is Delilah Crown. In keeping within the context of authenticity, De Pizzol keeps production close to home. “This way I can work directly with people and get to know them. In addition, this allows me to design something and have it made quickly. I have been fortunate that I have found some wonderful people who will work with me and take pride in making a beautiful, well made product.”

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the Daisy Shirt, Delilah Crown

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the Greta Dress, Delilah Crown

The “bright little world” of De Pizzol’s shop is a perfect habitat for her experiments in color combination. “I love fabric and love to think of new ways to combine colors that are fresh. I am drawn toward the natural world for inspiration and find a lot harmony and beauty in plants and flowers. I just came back from Japan where I fell in love with the design aesthetic. They have a wonderful appreciation for subtlety and balance.” Her designs bring purpose to the deadstock fabrics she sources. “There is a family run business where they have untouched rolls of fabric from the 60s and 70s. I love to dig around and treasure hunt. The colors and patterns are unlike anything you can find today.”

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girls’ Pintuck Dress, Delilah Crown

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Delilah Crown for kids

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girls’ Capri Pants, Delilah Crown

With products ranging from women’s and children’s clothes to accessories such as handbags and cards, Delilah Crown is also a diverse little world. “Drawing the illustrations for the card line is always fun - more pleasure than work. I love designing for children as well…I made some adorable wool jumpers for Fall as well as tunics and long gypsy skirts, and I am sure I will design more soon - I am expecting a little one later this month!”

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Delilah Crown accessories

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assorted cards from Delilah Crown

With her expanding children’s line and accessories being sold in nearly one hundred stores across the country, De Pizzol’s drive to bring “grace, whimsy and a sense of fun to our everyday lives” through her shop and designs is headed in the right direction.

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