Lisa Says Gah
Design by Grace Han
Brand Overview
Lisa Says Gah was created to be an anti-shop shop. Seem impossible? Not for this brand, who has created a community for independent makers and designers to market unique and mindfully crafted pieces. “Gah” is defined as the opposite of “Ugh,” like a positive exclamation of joy and shock. Gah! is the feeling that Lisa Says Gah elicits from their wearers, from the fantastical prints to the oh-so-soft textures.
Lisa Says Gah stays up to date on their factory conditions, creates relationships with their production teams, and uses natural fabrics and biodegradable packaging whenever possible, all to work towards becoming a more sustainable business. They know that carefully curated and lovingly made clothing can, and should, be for everyone and last forever.
Source: St Agni
Designer Bio
Lisa Bühler started Lisa Says Gah in 2014, with just a Squarespace website and inventory stored in her kitchen cupboards. She had just gotten to San Francisco to move in with her then-boyfriend, now-husband, and they were living in his tiny apartment together. She was thinking about starting a new website for a fresh kind of shopping, and one day, took a baby step in the direction of Lisa Says Gah. Originally from Southern California, Bühler had a penchant for nostalgic fashion: vintage silhouettes, eccentric fabrics, and dreamy styles.
Before starting her own brand, Bühler worked as a buyer for Nasty Gal, and found her niche there before moving away from the fast fashion cycle. Now, her e-commerce destination that rose from humble beginnings has a tightly knit team working behind it, and a newly opened office space in Los Angeles. Everybody at Lisa Says Gah are working towards Bühler’s vision of community-focused retail, and we are happy to say Gah! along with them.
“Work with what you’ve got to get where you’re going. Be dedicated, do it every day, and love it. If you’re doing it yourself you probably already love it, so start by getting that help along the way.”
Brand and Designer Highlights
LSG is largely considered the very first “Instagram brand”, as they grew using unorthodox photography and using Instagram as a commercial space. LSG was was a trendsetter for utilizing customers as their models, and kickstarted many other companies doing the same.
One of LSG’s goals was to expand the sizing of their stock to be more inclusive, and have recently began dedicated a section of their website to “extended sizing.” Their in-house line always goes from XS to 3XL.
These bubbly, swirly pants are a triumph by Uruguayan brand Mandinga. The funky design and straight-leg fit perfectly encapsulate LSG’s retro, high-quality, and whimsical curation.
Bühler was extremely excited to start LSG’s in-house brand, starting with some linen fabric and a trip to a local factory. Now, LSG’s own fall collection has their own accessories and blankets, with this flower clip being one of the highlights. Bright and eye-catching, this is a hair piece that is worth investing in.
In 2020, Lisa Says Gah’s sales skyrocketed, due to the shift towards online shopping during the pandemic. The team was able to double to 10 employees, and is still growing!
Lisa Says Gah is committed to putting money back into their community, and makes charitable donations an annual priority. They have donated to nonprofits like the San Francisco Marin Food Bank, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, and more. Since 2020, they have donated over $14,500 to organizations for a good cause.
Edited by Kieryn Alexander