Zac Posen has been called fashion’s “boy prince” since he was barely old enough to drink. From the glow-in-the-dark Cinderella gown he made for Clare Danes at the 2016 Met Gala to the blush dress he drew for Princess Eugenie’s wedding reception, Posen has always leaned into the theatrical. “I’m a producer at heart,” he once told The New Yorker. “I like to put on a good show.”

Posen grew up in New York, raised by a painter and a lawyer in a SoHo loft. His fashion training began just a few blocks away at the Parsons School of Design, where he completed a pre-college course before heading to university at London’s Central Saint Martins. After staging his first show at 20, he came home to set up an atelier in his parents’ living room, where his mother helped him launch his first label, House of Z, in 2001. Fame followed instantly, only growing when he became a Project Runway judge in 2013. Though his label folded in 2019, Posen traded ballgowns for blue denim when joining Gap Inc. as creative director in 2024. Today, he works at the brand’s headquarters in San Francisco, where he’s created a true “Gapaissance,” most recently with a 20-piece GapStudio collection launched in time for the fall.

Posen lives in North Beach, San Francisco’s Little Italy, with his husband, Harrison Ball, and their two dogs, splitting time between there and New York. Here, he shares his favorite spots in his adopted city.

Rintaro

Rintaro has incredible food. The experience and the staff live up to its Michelin-recommended status for Japanese cuisine. (izakayarintaro.com)

LoveskI

Loveski has the best matzo-ball soup in San Francisco. It’s become one of those things I crave when I’m not making it myself. It’s comforting, delicious, and always worth a stop in Jackson Square. (loveskideli.com)

Jupiter Farm

Jupiter Farm, in Petaluma, has the most incredible curation of produce. The best of the incredible farmers’ markets in the Bay Area. (jupiterpetaluma.com)

Forest Books

An amazing vintage bookstore in Japantown. It’s one of those places where you can completely lose track of time—you never know what you’re going to find. They have an amazing collection of art, design, and theatre books, as well as a wonderful local literature section. Like City Lights, it’s one of the great bookstores in San Francisco. (instagram.com)

Noe Valley Bakery

The chocolate chip cookies at Noe Valley Bakery are the best, as is the cookie dough. It’s a necessary indulgence when you’re in the neighborhood. (noevalleybakery.com)

Filbert Steps

The Filbert Steps are one of my favorite ways to experience San Francisco. The gardens, the architecture, the views … It captures that wonderful combination of nature and city that feels truly San Francisco.

Heron’s head Nursery

I love to garden. Heron’s Head is one of the first places I discovered for indigenous plants—it’s unpretentious and tucked away. I usually go there and to Flora Grubb Gardens. (heronsheadnursery.com)

the Huntington Hotel

The Huntington is classic San Francisco at its best. My good friend Ken Fulk recently refurbished it with an incredible attention to its history and character. And it has a great spa. (thehuntingtonhotel.com)

SFMOMA

A world-class contemporary art museum. The newly reimagined Fisher Collection is particularly special and makes for a great family experience. (sfmoma.org)

Sherri McMullEn Boutique

Sherri McMullen has an amazing eye. She’s built such an important destination for fashion in the Bay Area. I love the way she champions designers with a distinct point of view, including Christopher John Rogers, who we recently had the joy of collaborating with at Old Navy. Sherri has created a real community around fashion. (shopmcmullen.com)

Monastery

Monastery was created by my friend and facialist Athena Hewett. Athena and her team have magic hands. With the number of bi-coastal travel trips across the country I take, it’s nice to treat myself once in a while. They also have a great line of products. (monasterymade.com)

Gap on Chestnut Street

I always tell people to visit this historic Gap store, which just re-opened. It has the best selection of Gap classics, as well as the latest collaborations, the newest collection, and the best assortment of kids and baby items. (gap.com)

Fraenkel Gallery

Founded in 1979, the Fraenkel Gallery features the most sophisticated, museum-quality shows. It rekindles my desire to collect great photography. (fraenkelgallery.com)