While New York Fashion Week was getting underway, with showings of all the major American collections for Spring 2010, San Francisco was in the midst of its own kind of “fashion week” earlier this month.  It’s at the openings of the San Francisco Symphony and Opera each September where everyone appears in their most statement-making, fashionable attire.

We have gone through THOUSANDS of photographs, perusing everything from cell phone camera shots, Facebook updates and on-the-go Tweets, to the high quality imagery of our best event photographers, to come up with a selection of the 70 most impressive looks from the Symphony and Opera galas.

These women clearly went beyond basic in making their red carpet statement for the season.

(There were some fabulous looks from a few of the guys too, but let’s face it, it’s all about the gowns!)

So with thanks to Drew Altizer, Aubrie Pick and Laura Morton of Drew Altizer Photography, San Francisco Luxury Living presents San Francisco Fashion Week, 2009.

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FROM THE SYMPHONY GALA, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009

Yurie Pascarella

Lisa Grotts

Barbara Brown and Heide Betz

Daniela Faggioli

Marissa Mayer

Sloan Barnett

Urannia Ristow, Barbara Brookins Schneider, O.J. Shansby

Charlotte Schultz

Angelique Griepp

Juliet De Baubigny

Pamela Joyner

Rachael Mann

Victoria Yeager Sawyer, Emily Dumitrescu

Stefanie Roumeliotes

Michelle Curtis

Elyssa Thorp

FROM THE OPERA GALA, SEPTEMBER 11, 2009

Elizabeth Touw

Sobia Shaikh, Stefanie Tuttle

Sandra Go

Maria Manetti Farrow

Brenda Zarate

Cynthia Deever

Afsaneh Akhtari

Sonya Molodestkaya, Deepa Pakianathan

Katrina Barilov

Jennifer Siebel Newsom

Holly Peterson

Shannon Bavaro

Katie Traina, Dede Wilsey, Alexis Traina

Lindsay Bolton

Karen Caldwell

Arianna Huffington

Melissa Boxer Zill

Trish Ferrin Loucks, Virginia Lukkes

Kelly Grimes

Kim Miller

Shaina Rubin, Diane Rubin

Susan Dunlevy

Karen Plastiras, Olivia Decker

Sandy Mandel, Rhonda Mahendroo

Helen Chang

Sandra Elkins

Clara Shayevich

Elizabeth Thieriot

Amber Marie Bently, Rosalina Lydster

Mia Yamada, Tracy Chan, Elizabeth Storey

Alexandra Siliezar, Teresa Medearis, Diana Westnedge

Jennifer Raiser

Sarah Heidkamp, Amy Zierath

Robin Farmanfarmaian and Ebonina Evans

Karman Pave

Marie Carr

Photographers: Drew Altizer, Aubrie Pick and Laura Morton for Drew Altizer [drewaltizer.com]