When you walk past B Boutique’s window, be prepared to do a double-take. It’s likely that the fashion-forward window display is very different from the one you saw just a few days ago.
Owner Christina Gianni, a veteran of high-end retail in California and New York, likes to generate buzz. Nothing here is static.
Gianni, a San Francisco native who acquired the former Bling Boutique in 2017 and renamed it Bling By Design before reinventing it as B Boutique in 2021, spent 25 years working for luxury brands in California and Manhattan—Gucci, Coach, Prada, Dior, MaxMara and Christian Louboutin—on the sales floor, as a stylist and in management. She honed her eye on trends and staples and thrived on helping customers create their unique look.
After decades navigating the rigors of fashion retail, Gianni pivoted to a new career as an international flight attendant for United Airlines, which allowed her a much-needed respite. But she continued to dream of returning to fashion with a store of her own.
The opportunity presented itself when she moved to Bernardsville in 2016 with her husband and took a part-time holiday job at Bling and was intrigued when she heard that the owner was contemplating selling.
Gianni jumped at the chance. She bought Bling and put her stamp on it by incorporating her funky urban California vibe. For a time, she kept her flight attendant job, taking leaves of absence to work full-time in the store when there was less demand for European flights. She quit the airline in 2018 and Bling continued to take off.
“Bernardsville is a close-knit community that supports its businesses and are receptive to new concepts,” she says. “All the boutiques in the area are beautiful, and they all offer different merchandise. If I don’t have something a customer wants, I will let them know where they can find it.”
Customers delight in Gianni’s aesthetic for women’s jewelry, accessories and clothing. When they come into the boutique, she draws on her experience as a stylist to help them put together a complete look. “I don’t like to push boundaries, but I want women to get out of their comfort zone,” she says. “My collaborator, Tara Lynn Vitollo, owner of Shop Olcott, and I look for quality and affordability. Our customers can buy pieces that have an elevated look, but they won’t overspend for beauty.”
Fans of Gianni’s quirky design aesthetic now have another outlet: In 2021, she and co-owner Desiree Mazzarese opened Guest House, a home and gift boutique in Basking Ridge. “People love coming in to find fun pieces,” she says. “Where else can you find a monkey bowl with the monkey holding up a palm leaf alongside a bust of Marie Antoinette?”
Browse the latest styles at b-boutique-nj.myshopify.com, shopolcott.com and guesthousenj.com.