BIANCA STARR's FAVORITE ITEMS

Things are moving forward at Bianca Starr. Thanks to the support of all my customers. I am really happy to see returning customers and seeing that people are happy with their purchases. Here are so photos of some of my favorite items in the store right now. Come by and say hello. We always have Champagne chilled for those spur of the moment visits.
Welcome to B*STARR

OSCAR DE LA RENTA BLACK LACE DRESS AMAZING! $450.00

SILVER VINTAGE DRESS $55.00

CAROLINA HERRERA SOPHISTICATED DRESS $100.00

PINK VINTAGE WITH TOOLE $45.00

AMAZING CREME VINTAGE DRESS $275.00

Vintage Shopping Like a Starr

Here is an interview that I did for Mission Local.


By: Elisabeth Carr via Mission Loc@l

January 12, 2010 – 12:21 am
Elisabeth Carr is a guest blogger for Mission Loc@l and the creator of missioncloset.com missioncloset.com

For the longest time I considered myself a vintage admirer but not a true vintage shopper. I love the way a piece from another decade can turn a boring ensemble into something completely unique, but I’m overwhelmed by the big racks of clothes with irrelevant sizing, the funky smells, and the question of how I’ll incorporate vintage clothes into my contemporary wardrobe. All this changed when I stepped foot into Bianca Starr, the Mission’s newest vintage shop on 20th between San Carlos and Lexington.

The boutique is simultaneously chic and welcoming. It focuses on women’s clothing and instead of too many racks jam-packed with mediocre items, Bianca Starr is well-edited and well-organized. There is a mix of vintage and designer consignment clothing and all of the pieces are dry-cleaned (no funky smells!) and repaired prior to display. It’s also very well priced—I bought a fabulous Gucci sling purse for just $60.

Owner Bianca Kaplan is a San Francisco native and has been a Mission dweller for the past decade. She and her husband formerly owned the 222 Club in the Tenderloin, but when they became pregnant with their second child they decided they were ready to sell the bar. Bianca opened the store in October after taking a business course at the Women’s Initiative for Self Employment.

During my first trip to Bianca Starr, I realized Bianca would be able to help me understand how to make vintage shopping work for me, so I asked her for some expert advice.

Mission Loc@l: How did you first get into vintage?
Bianca Kaplan: I never have been a fan of going to a store and seeing multiple items of the same kind. I can’t and have never been able to shop like that. I have always been a fan of creative fashion. Mixing old and new to make a unique look.

ML: If you could inherit the closet of any celebrity, who would it be?
BK: Bianca Jagger. She is my inspiration and I was named after her.

ML: What’s the one vintage item in your closet you couldn’t live without?
BK: I couldn’t dare part with my Christian Dior sunglasses from the 1960’s. They are timeless.

ML: What’s your favorite piece in the store right now?
BK: I love this vintage Victorian blouse with lace sleeves. It was a long dress that I made into a blouse. When you put in on you feel quite majestic.

ML: What are your tips for novice vintage shoppers who feel like they can’t “pull off” vintage?
BK: You definitely have to wear these clothes, the pieces cannot wear you. If you feel confident about it, then you MUST get it! If not, I wouldn’t recommend it.

ML: How do you recommend mixing vintage pieces with current trends?
BK: I would advise wearing current, trendy accessories with vintage clothing or vice versa. I am not a fan of the full vintage look or the full trendy look. Mix it up! Try a vintage Gucci purse with the latest outwear trends.

ML: What timeless items should shoppers look out for?
BK: Vintage jewelry. Broaches, pendants, rings!

ML: Are there any vintage pieces we should avoid?
BK: Avoid smelly, moldy items at all costs!

ML: What if something doesn’t fit exactly right?
BK: My seamstress is my neighbor Sally from Sunny Launderette. She is the master of alterations and at a reasonable price. Often times when someone tries something that doesn’t quite fit, we walk over with the item on and ask Sally for her opinion. It’s pretty awesome.

ML: What’s the high school fashion trend you most regret?
BK: Parka jackets! I had my Raiders parka and I thought I was sooooo cool. I was a gangsta!

You certainly won’t find any Raiders paraphernalia at Bianca Starr. The store is open Tuesday-Sunday from 11am to 7pm. Stop by on Sunday mornings to enjoy champagne and DJs while you shop.

SF STATION thinks we are coolio

Bianca Starr
Timeless Glamor
By Grace Chen (Jan 07, 2010) via SF STATION


Sometimes the most fashionable look emerges not from a runway show but from the back of a closet. In these dark corners lie forgotten and hidden vintage looks that withstand and defy the fickleness of fashion. Bianca Starr, the latest vintage boutique to open in the Mission, features such timeless clothing and accessories from every notable decade.

There is a soft touch to Bianca Starr. Oversized pink tissue flowers hang in the window display where the afternoon sun casts a glow on the pink walls and blonde hardwood floors. Stepping inside the shop, I feel as if I am entering a cozy but expansive walk-in closet.

To my immediate left rests a shelf of designer shoes. A fuchsia pair of pumps by Evan Picone is a steal for $25 (Size 9). Nearby, a pair of brown leather heels by Salvatore Ferragamo retails for $45. My favorite is the calf boots ($40) by Acme. Boots may come and go out of season but they are a staple in any shoe collection.

A display case of high-end accessories, featuring a standout mustard yellow suede bag by Yves Saint Laurent, is just steps away. The handle is shaped into an ivory tusk that serves as a handle. The bag is in very good condition.

“If we wouldn’t wear it, we wouldn’t sell it” is Bianca Kaplan’s motto. As the owner, she ensures that her team curates items that are wearable, and each item is inspected and dry cleaned before it is displayed. There is care taken to all of the items in the shop. In fact, the musty smell that lingers at many other vintage shops is the only thing amiss.

Bianca’s entrepreneurial spirit emerged long before her dream shop had opened. She and her husband formerly owned and operated 222 Club in the Tenderloin. After selling the business and putting the night owl shift behind her, Bianca now books DJs only when there is an event at her store. Call in or check Bianca’s blog on the store’s website to see what is happening. She often posts information on events and special sales.

On my recent visit, it was 15 percent off all dresses. That meant a sleeveless cream fan dress was marked down to $46 and a cream baby-doll dress by Norma Kamali for Spiegel was a mere $22. There were a number of other classic finds such as a black sheath dress by French Connection ($34).

For those who are trend conscious of this Spring/Summer 2010, editors are proclaiming that military jackets and embellishments are “in.” Rather than buying the mass-produced pieces in current store collections, try the one-of-a-kind forest green jacket ($479) at Bianca Starr. It may be a men’s jacket, but after a bit of tailoring it can be a fitted dress worn with commanding presence.

Other great finds include a velvet blazer ($50), which can step up any humdrum pair of jeans. The bronze metallic leather jacket by Jordache ($60) is a cheaper option to the explosion of metallic looks that continue to dominate at equally blinding prices. Lastly, a double-breasted coat with a large boat neck done in bright turquoise ($175) has a heftier price tag, but if you want to pull off something bold 80s (sans the crimped hair), then this is the Reagan 80s excessive way to go.

No matter what era you favor, Bianca Starr is a good bet for capsule pieces from decades past. The inventory of high-end and unknown labels has something in common — it’s fashion that has been rediscovered from someone’s dark closet, and if you’re lucky, it can be yours to wear in plain sight.

Movin' on up

Wow - we are really getting some press! So excited about the great response to our boutique. We are really stepping it up with the pieces. Come and and see what is new. We have some A M A Z I N G items just in. I am not going to say too much but it is so worth it. BIANCA STARR has arrived!!! Two and half months later and here we are. Thanks for everyone who has supported us.

Attention artists!
We are looking to have rotating art shows. if you are interested in showing your art at our boutique please send pics to Biancastarr09@gmail.com - - - - - - Small pieces only as we are a small boutique.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

MORE FRIDAY NIGHT PARTIES ARE IN THE WORKS SO KEEP CHECKING THE BLOG!!!!

944 knows WHAT'S UP!

Bianca Starr Boutique

Written by: Calin Van Paris via 944


“If we wouldn’t wear it, we wouldn’t sell it,” is the refreshing motto of the fashion lovers at Bianca Starr, a high-end vintage store that San Francisco’s Mission District recently welcomed with open arms. Self-described as “a women’s boutique where you leave your inhibitions at the door,” the ladies of Bianca Starr promise a positive, satisfying secondhand shopping excursion.

The unique space boasts hardwood floors as well as shoppable and well-edited racks, a far cry from most vintage stores in the area. Another wonderful difference: Bianca Starr repairs and dry cleans every item before putting it on the floor, making the musty smell associated with shopping vintage a thing of the past.

With attainable price points and a multitude of primo pieces including accessories, handbags, separates and dresses, Bianca Starr’s relaxed and tidy environment will allow shoppers to rediscover their love of the secondhand shop.