2010- April.  Legacy Through Giving. West Coast Leather and Cocoa Jeans shared the runway at the annual Legacy Through Giving Charity Fashion Show at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Burlingame.  The Legacy Through Giving organization was founded with a mission to empower smaller non-profit organizations to raise funds for their causes by providing them with elite venue annual fundraisers and online referral donation program opportunities.  Cocoa Jeans, founded in Colombia 8 years ago is made in Colombia from raw materials and machinery all coming from the USA.  Cocoa Jeans were designed by two sisters to appeal to Latin American aesthetic qualities – sensuality, sexiness and curves.  USA based DuPont developed the high tech fabric that Cocoa jeans are made from, creating a fit like no other jean.  Great fitting jeans and sexy leather have always been a great combination.  This fundraiser was a big success and West Coast Leather is now featuring Cocoa Jeans in its stores.


2010 – February. Baby Be Mine – Haitian Relief.   West Coast Leather supports “Baby Be Mine” charity fashion show for Haitian disaster relief.  Produced by Charleston Pierce Presents and held at Temple in San Francisco, the show featured West Coast Leather’s new Spring/Summer 2010 White Leather Collection.   We donated one of our new antique biker jackets from the City collection and it was auctioned off during the silent auction for this worthy cause.   All the models went down the runway in either all white leather or white and black leather combined.   Our model Nico Rodney was featured in the men’s Black Leather segment of the show.  Lots of local San Francisco designers showed off their newest pieces during this show and the event received loads of press from the local media.   Please see pictures on our website.2009-October.  This Old Bag – The Power of the Purse. West Coast Leather designed and donated an original corset handbag to This Old Bag annual charity fundraiser for The Breast Cancer Emergency Fund at the W Hotel.  Our signed bag was created as part of our Corset Collection released in the stores this Fall, with corset lacing detail, crystals, a crystal heart and hot pink lining.  Our bag was featured on the dais along with bags from Prada and Dior.   The Breast Cancer Emergency Fund helps people recovering from breast cancer to pay their bills and be able to concentrate on getting well.

2009-May.  Wounded Warrior Benefit. West Coast Leather attends the Stars and Stripes function at the Playboy Mansion to benefit the Wounded Warrior Benefit.  WCL makes two custom moto jackets for the event.  Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends—the twins Karissa and Kristina Shannon, modeled the jackets at the mansion.  The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) was founded on the principle that veterans are our nation’s greatest citizens.  The WWP seeks to assist those men and women of our armed forces who have been severely injured by providing them with unique programs and services as well as a means for veterans to connect with and help each other.    The custom jackets, both WCL Style #6040, were made from a special pink fascia  washed skin with white exposed zippers, silver hardware and the Playboy bunny  insignia in crystals on the backs and sleeves of the jackets.   The event was hosted by Playmates Victoria Fuller, Jessica Burciaga, Sara Stage, Masumi Max, Metal Sanaz, Maria Venus, Mindi Smith and Kina Tavarozi.  Please see pictures from the event on our website.

2009-February.  Operation Helmet and Cher. Originally founded by Dr. Bob Meaders, Operation Helmet provides helmet upgrade kits free of charge to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The helmet kits consist of shock absorbing pads and a new strap system that provide troops with more protection, stability and comfort.  To date, over 7000 troops have received these new helmet upgrade kits.  Cher teamed up with Dr. Meaders in 2006 to appear before the House Armed Services Subcommittee to urge support for these helmet upgrades.   In the Fall of 2006, Cher auctioned off artwork and memorabilia to benefit the Cher Charitable Foundation, which supports a number of charities, including Operation Helmet.  West Coast Leather donated 2 custom jackets we made for Cher duplicating the famous biker jacket she wore on the USS Missouri aircraft carrier during her “Turn Back Time” tour in the late 80’s.   The jackets were auctioned off to benefit Operation Helmet.   Please see the pictures of Cher autographing the jackets on our website.

2009-February.  Kyle Busch Nascar Event and Operation Helmet.  This NASCAR Fundraiser, headed up by Kyle Busch, ties in with Cher’s Operation Helmet and was held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the 2009 NAASCAR Weekend races, which featured the Shelby 427 NASCAR Spring Cup Series event and the Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series event.

2009-February.   San Francisco Benefit for Injured Firefighter.  A benefit held by the Fat City Club on February 26th in San Francisco was held to raise money for firefighter Chris Posey and his family.   Chris was critically injured while fighting a fire in Portola in February.   His family lives in San Jose and could not afford to be by his side during his stay recuperating at San Francisco General Hospital.  Fat City, with the support of lots of local firefighters, put on an amazing benefit.   West Coast Leather supplied all the fashions (which were modeled by some of the firefighters) during the event.   Charleston Pierce and Sterling James from KBLX emceed the event.  100% of the door admission costs went straight to Chris and his family.

2009-February.  Baby Be Mine  Valentine’s Fashion Fundraiser. The Baby Be Mine Fundraiser held at Temple in San Francisco raised funds for the San Francisco Museum of the African Diaspora.    Produced by Charleston Pierce Presents, West Coast Leather donated clothing and provided all the leather fashions for this worthy cause.

2008-October.  7 by 7 Hot 20 Under 40. Sponsored by 7 by 7 Magazine, this is a yearly event to highlight San Francisco’s local movers and shakers under the age of 40.  West Coast Leather donated a beautiful suede shirt.   This year’s Hot 20 under 40 featured such diverse talent as a nanotech professional studying new ways to deliver chemo drugs, the visual effects supervisor at ILM, the Bay Area Derby Girls and Jennifer Siebel Newsom.  One of the most notable Hot 20 under 40 individuals is Jim Green, the California Finance Director for the Democratic National Committee.  In one 3-hour fundraiser for Barack Obama and the DNC held at the Fairmont in San Francisco, Jim raised a record $7.8 million.  The common thread for all of these talented individuals is that they not only share San Francisco’s ideals, but that they are all making an impact far beyond the City.   Held at the California Academy of Science, this event is always well received.

2008-October.  Leather Meets Lace Charity – Playboy Mansion.   Held on October 4th, this was a benefit for Jenny McCarthy’s Generation Rescue Charity.   Generation Rescue is a foundation dedicated to helping children with autism.  West Coast Leather donated two custom made white leather moto jackets with the Playboy Bunny insignia inlaid in Swarovski crystals on the sleeves and backs of the jackets.  Both Jenny McCarthy and Victoria Fuller, Playboy’s in-house artist, signed their jackets and we have one on display in our store.   Please see pictures on our website.

2008-Summer.  San Francisco Museum and Historical Society.   Now in its 20th year, The San Francisco Museum and Historical Society serves as the focal point for discovering the history of the Bay Area, including the creation and ongoing operation of a world class museum in San Francisco’s Old Mint.   This National Historical Landmark at Fifth and Mission is being transformed into an exciting new center where visitors can experience Sawn Francisco stories and history through state-of-the-art interactive exhibits.   West Coast Leather donated a beautiful leather blazer.  The celebration was held at the Westfield San Francisco Centre to coincide with the 100 year anniversary event for the dome.

2008-June.  Blossom Charity.   West Coast Leather donated a leather dress to Jessica Rae’s “Step Into the Beat” fundraiser at the Starlight Room to raise money for her foundation which gives disadvantaged children the opportunity to work with professional choreographers, learn to dance and gain opportunities for their future careers.  Jessica’s amazing dance troop entertained the crowd; Willie Brown attended and the fundraiser was a big success.

2002-2007.  Marin Breast Cancer Society – Celebration of Life. West Coast Leather has been an integral part of the organization for five consecutive years, dressing breast cancer survivors for their yearly Celebration of Life Fashion Shows in Marin.  We started supporting this organization in 2002, while we were still North Beach Leather and continued when we became West Coast Leather.  Each year, the ladies from this wonderful group work with Joe Crane and Skip Pas to coordinate incredible leather outfits for each of the participants showcasing the latest leather fashion.   This event is all about fundraising, talent and fabulous survivors.

“EASTERN PHILOSOPHY MEETS WEST COAST BOUTIQUE” –        PRIMA JIVA LINEN YOGA & CASUAL WEAR 2010 SPRING LINE LAUNCH EVENT AT WEST COAST LEATHER BOUTIQUES
San Francisco, California:  May 8, 2010.

West Coast Leather is pleased to present the new PRIMA JIVA Spring 2010 line of luxe natural linen and bamboo clothing in its San Francisco boutiques on Sutter Street and the Westfield San Francisco Centre on May 8, 2010 from 12 to 6.   Prima Jiva, which means Prime Soul, is an ecofriendly line of tops, jackets and pants made from flax fiber.  Produced in the Bay Area, this organic flax clothing brand is sustainable and uses much less water and energy in its production than cotton goods;   West Coast Leather’s sexy leather designs work well with this comfort and yoga line.  Inspired by Eastern philosophy, this elegant resort and lounge/yoga wear goes from day to evening.   Prima Jiva, like other West Coast Leather brands, donates a portion of the proceeds to local and global children’s charities.   The Prima Jiva line can be found in boutiques in New York, Miami, Boston, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Portland and now San Francisco.

      
Meet Salma Schempp, Prima Jiva Founder and Designer at West Coast Leather at the San Francisco Westfield Centre from 12-3 and from 3-6 at the West Coast Leather Sutter Street Boutique.   We will have informal modeling, drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Please RSVP to 415-543-3392 for the Westfield San Francisco Centre store or 415-362-8300 for the Sutter Street boutique.

For more information, please contact: Carole George, Marketing Director

West Coast Leather
865 Market Street, #308
San Francisco, CA 94103
415.543.3392

West Coast Leather Sutter Street Boutique
290 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA 94108
415.362.8300