...and speaking of the best fall boots (we have them at Blanc!)

Blanc Fashionista, boots are totally on our mind right now as you can see from our last blog. Right now the store is filled with that YUMMY smell of leather, Italian leather! We get so excited when we open the shipment boxes, it’s like Christmas for us!!! Many of us here at the shop LIVE in our Blanc boots, month after month, year after year. We love them because they LAST, because we can be on our feet all day in them and not an ache, and because they just look so cool.

Whether you are walking with a stroller in the burbs or walking to your favorite event in the city, a WELL-MADE Italian boot will take care of your feet AND elevate whatever you’re wearing, giving it the perfect edge. Not to knock your sneaks, but a boot crafted of super-soft, hand-treated leather and designed with that tasteful, Italian aesthetic gives you a sophisticated cool look while still enjoying super comfort (for real). A boot you can wear for hours. Sounds too good to be true, right? Let us help you try some on and see what YOU think.

Our picks pictured here: Shoto and Officine Creative, made in Italy

Fall fashion no-brainer. The hand-made boot from Italy now at Blanc.

It’s true.
The essential go-to item you need this season.
The hand-made boot from Italy.
Why?
It’s hand-made using generations-old techniques and craftsmanship that has been passed down from one family member to the next. That means quality.
That means it’s FAR more comfortable than any other boot (or shoe) you’ve ever worn.
Really.
It means great design meets with only the best Italian leathers, hand-applied patinas and textures. Therefore, each tone and texture is unique.
Created one at a time.
Just for you.

Come into Blanc and try one on. You’ll see what we mean.

Known to last longer than some relationships. A great pair of Italian boots.

They've been known to last longer than some relationships
Boots you'll always reach for this year
Next year
Maybe even in five years or more
It's a well-made Italian boot
These are the boots Blanc girls can wear all day long, dash off for dinner after a busy day and STILL feel comfy.
Try on a pair and see what we're talking about.
 

Pictured:  Officine Creative

Coming soon, buttery soft and direct from Italy...Roncarati leather

Coming soon, some of the most beautiful leather we've ever found.
Crafted in Italy.
Soft. Feminine.
With an edge.
Roncarati leather.

Let's just get away....

You know the feeling.
It's been a long week. Like four weeks in one.
If you're feeling the need to just get away, we have the perfect oversized bags you'll need to pull off your great escape.
Just do it. You have our permission.

Shown: Linda Simpson, Numero 10, Ampersand & Apostrophe

Paint It Black

Black is everything
Coco swore by it and Mick sang about it
It's our fashion anchor
Especially for a Blanc girl
 

Happy Halloween from the Blanc Team

Pictured: Hazel Brown, Johnny Farah, Guidi, Giorgio Brato, Reinhard Plank, Officine Creative

A Fresh Spin on Your Old Cashmere

Today this Blanc girl is pulling all of her favorite cashmere sweaters out from their various hiding places and welcoming them back into the world because 'tis the season...yay! But not before I give them a yummy, fresh wash with Tocca "Laundry Delicate" with that scrumptious Italian Blood Orange scent.  If you could only smell what I am smelling in my laundry room right now....oh, but you CAN! Why stop there? If you're feeling ambitious this week like me, you can use it on your lingerie, silks and bed linens, too! Who knew fall could smell so delicious?!

Bond Girls and Bay Area Girls agree...

Bond Girls and Bay Area Girls agree. This time of year you need to stay warm and look fabulous doing so. From the Swiss Alps to Sacramento Street,  Parajumpers down jackets have you covered for whatever adventures a chilly day may bring.

Behind the Scenes: Blanc's Parisian Buying Trip for Spring '18 (Installment #7)

Chocolat! Sucre! Oh mon!

What does a Blanc girl do on her last few days in the City of Lights? She indulges in all of the sweet pleasures it has to offer, of course! Looks like Ouida found some worth bringing home!

Behind the Scenes: Blanc's Parisian Buying Trip for Spring '18 (Installment #1)

Today finds Blanc Boutique's owner, Nancy Mayer, at the Delle Cose showroom in Paris, perusing the many fabulous options, including one of our favorites, the Postal Italia bag. Nancy's husband, Willy, is on hand to assist and offer his advice, as well as to keep everyone laughing, including Delle Cose designer, Antonio!

Some things are timeless, like a great sweater...

The new Blanc sweater collection is here!
Cozy. Lux materials. Yummy colors. Timeless designs.
Come try one on.

Pictured:  Avant Toi, White + Warren, Brochu Walker

Ouida's Pick

"I like this outfit because of the shape and the fabric of the dress. It is sophisticated artistry.  The boots are comfortable yet edgy with a sensible 2-inch heel.  The hat is a fun, classic Georgia O'Keefe-inspired style." - Ouida Chichester, Blanc Boutique-San Anselmo

Pictured: Pas de Calais dress (Japan), Officine Creative black ankle boots (Italy), and Reinhard Plank lapin hat (Tuscany)

Catching Up With Blanc's Owner, Nancy Mayer....

Soon, the heart and matriarch of Blanc Boutique, Nancy Mayer, will be off again for another Parisian buying trip.  Hard work, but someone has to do it, as they say!  However, it is many miles, hours and legwork (and even injuries as you will read, no kidding!) that go into finding just the right things to fill those racks at Blanc and bring Paris home to us all in the Bay Area.  We caught up with her recently to get the inside scoop.

Editor: Hi, Nancy! So I hear that you are getting ready to jet off for another buying trip to Paris in October to do the buying for Spring '18. Is it still just as exciting each time for you as your first buying trip was years ago?

Nancy: Yes, I am still just as excited as my first trip, less nervous and more trusting in the outcome, but I do get more tired now, so I have to take more time at night at my apartment going over orders with a plate of cheese, bottle of wine or champagne from a wonderful small French winemaker. It is like going home for me each time I go to Paris. I love the way the Parisians live and take time to enjoy life, and I say "when in Paris..." The smells and sites excite me and I am so lucky to return there each year!

Editor: What is your favorite arrondissement in Paris and why?

Nancy: I love to stay in a little apartment on the Rues des Francs Bourgeois in the Marais. It is in a very old building yet remodeled in a simple modern style with windows that open to the street.  I can hear the church bells and watch the Parisians walking by. I love Saturday and Sunday mornings early before the shoppers come out and I can look out my window and watch the fathers and sons walk to temple. It is an old neighborhood where people still live and go about their daily business. It is a mix of boutiques and shops, the Picasso Museum, and great small restaurants like Le Taxi Jaune on rue Chapon.

Editor: Do you go with a predetermined group of things you are focused on finding or do you let it happen organically and let those designers and pieces find you?

Nancy:  I always go with the appointments made to buy the lines I need and always find new lines on each trip.  The new surprises are the really exciting part and keep me fresh and enthused! I also go to see my friends, the designers, I have been carrying since I first went to buy for the store. Yet I always hear about new designers and go to seek them out. I trust their vision, so buying is really fun and easy for me! They know what colors, fabrics and looks are popular for the season and it is fun to pick what I like from all of the offerings. I never like to leave a rock unturned,  and even if I hear about a new designer and it is ten minutes before the taxi arrives to take me to the airport, I have to run to their showroom and have a look. That is literally how I found the Japanese designer Divka who made one of our shop’s favorite, stunning coats. I ran into his showroom and wrote up an order in 15 minutes just before the taxi was coming to our apartment to take us to the airport!

Editor: Is there any one thing or things you are specifically focused on finding and bringing back this time?

Nancy: I am a textile lover and lover of the mix of classic and asymmetrical, elegant and interesting, sophisticated and daring, a mix of menswear dressing and women's dressing, beautiful fabrics and fine tailoring yet casual and wearable. Those are the elements I look for each season.

Editor: I've heard that initially you use a very tactile method to selecting the clothing, almost using your hands to glide across the racks to find the fabrics you love the feel of, versus visual. Is that true?

Nancy: I definitely am a tactile buyer. I try to never buy from pictures. I need to feel the textures and buy by touching each piece. I like to decide quickly by instinct by always touching the fabrics and seeing how they look on the model and trying on what I can.

Editor: Do you have a favorite designer of the moment or a certain new line you have brought into the shop recently that you are exceptionally excited about? I know it's like asking who your favorite child is, right?

Nancy: Delle Cose is a designer that I love and I missed last time because I fell down and had to stay resting and on ice! But I iced with my leg up on a chair in a cafe sipping pastis and eating pomme frites. I fell because I was so excited to walk by the Commes des Garcons store and was looking up instead of down. I love seeing new things from Antonio and his Delle Cose line of bags. I will definitely be buying the Italia Postal bags in fun colors for spring!!!

Editor: Last question. What is your favorite restaurant in Paris, and will you be there sipping your favorite glass of wine before you have even unpacked your suitcase? Are you the fastidious, organized traveler or do you like to fly by the seat of your pants? I suppose that is really three questions in one isn't it?

Nancy: Le Taxi Jaune on rue Chapon in the Marais. I will be there sipping wine. The owner, who is a great chef, has opened a fabulous wine store just across the street. It is a popular local restaurant and I go there as often as I can for a lunch between appointments. I definitely am a mix of fastidious and fly by the seat of my pants!

Editor: Thank you, Nancy! We look forward to seeing what goodies you bring back from Paris for us all!

 

 

Blanc SF 2-Year Anniversary Celebration & Jasmine Wang Trunk Show 9/7/17

Join us to celebrate Blanc's first two years at our San Francisco Sacramento Street location for sips of champagne in the garden, snacks AND $100 gift card drawing and raffle!  We are proud to host San Francisco designer, Jasmine Wang who will be showing her beautiful collection of Spring '18 dresses available for pre-order. We look forward to celebrating with you!

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Blanc Boutique
3615 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
Thursday, September 7
1-6 p.m.

(One raffle entry per purchase)

Happy Holidays From Blanc!

Stop by for some Holiday Cheer this week while enjoying a single item 20% discount (excluding jewelry). Happy Holidays from your girlfriends at Blanc!