The rainbow after the thunderstorm

Dear Friends,

After weeks of 15 hour work days, numerous meetings and my New England famous sugar/water diet, I am finally back to my fighting weight and somewhat normal sleep schedule. As usual, after weeks of hard work, the Fashion Week thunderstorm poured sheets of chaos over my entire life but then quickly vanished and left an amazing rainbow. Simply put, Phenomena 2011 was a great success, especially considering the highly tumultuous journey it took to get there.

The ever-so-talented Shea Rose rocked the stage live, right before the BBB Army of Love Soldiers marched onto the stage and saluted the crowd into our 20 minute BBB Runway Show.  One of Boston's latest and greatest restaurants Forum, pampered guests with an exquisite menu by their executive chef Jared Chiancoila. Cocktails flowed endlessly and music by DJ Sam Seng filled the exquisite Larz Anderson Auto Museum.

For those that missed the show, thanks to technology you are in luck, we have some remarkable images from our photographer Steffon John and a full video is marinating on the back burner till next week. 

Please visit www.war4love.com under the "Photos" menu and enjoy shots from both the runway and of our guests.

Finally, in celebration of a successful fashion week and my birthday I will leave you with an invite to come join me at The Ames Hotel downtown Boston this Friday at 9pm for drinks, music and for the brave, dancing. I will be raising one or two of my "fruity chick drinks" to celebrate my life, friends and family plus the end of a my fashion super bowl week.

See Image below or click here for details:
http://www.blessbybless.com/events/phenomena/bless_birthday_flyer.jpg

As always, thank you for your support. Peace Love & BBB!

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FASHION WEEK! MY SUPER BOWL!

IT'S FASHION WEEK!!! MY SUPER BOWL!!!

So, once again it's time to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall. Instead of getting sad, it's time to embrace the cool breeze, marvel at the amazing fall colors and if you are me, say hello to Fashion Week.

On a scale of importance, Fashion Week to me is like Super Bowl Week is to Tom Brady. So yes, I am under some serious pressure but I am excited to put BBB on the big stage.

On September 30th Bless By Bless is back at the prestigious Larz Anderson Museum for our annual Phenomena Black Tie Charity Gala. I invite you to join me for a night of models strutting to live guitars, champagne flowing from the open bars, live music and best of all, a night of giving.

Phenomena 2011 is the 4th Annual Black Tie Charity Gala featuring The BBB Army of Love Fashion show to raise funds for our favorite charity Christopher's Haven. It's a rock concert, fundraiser, museum visit, dinner treat and night out dancing all rolled into one great event with an amazing cause.

Please support this amazing event by attending, contributing to our silent auction (no gift too small), donating to our charity or simply forwarding this event to friends. 

See you there and remember, Love is all you need!

Tickets & More details on the website: www.war4love.com

Bless

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This is powerful stuff! I'll take two of those please

Now that summer is slowly melting away like ice cream cones, there is a sense of urgency in the air. Most of us haven't made it to the hot white sands and blue waters of Miami, we haven't hauled a kayak into the Charles River or even gone to the beach more than a couple of times.

Summer has been hot, sweaty and fun! Not fun because I was out doing all the above fun things - I was just happy for the simple fact that it was summer outside, didn't miss snowboarding as much as I thought I would. I slacked on my outdoor ventures, but I did try make it up by throwing a BBB Swimwear Fashion Show on a Cruise Boat on August 14th vid coming soon!

Anyway it's that time of the year again when Fashion Week creeps in and the 80 hour work weeks return for the next two months. Sept 30th Bless By Bless is back at the Larz Anderson Auto Musuem for the revelation of the BBB Army of Love Collection - I can't wait!!!

I was searching the world wide web for some ideas on army themed fashion performances and I came across this amazing piece featuring none other than the amazing Gisele and directed by the ever so talented photographer Nino Munoz.

See if this one moves you as much as it moved me!

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I am my brand - I am BBB

BBB vs Cupcakes!!!!

So a few days ago I had the pleasure of sitting in on a lecture by (in my eyes) one of the innovative marketing geniuses of my generation - Johnny Cupcakes. I am surprised how many people refuse to give him his props for creating a brand that has done nothing but grow and has a freakish cult following that won't quit.

I waited at the end and actually for to pick his brain and see what he had to say about my brand and some tips. We talked for less than ten minutes but one thing he said was i needed to push and be more different because some of my designs were to cliche. Which is true for my past collection and something I have to make sure is not true for the next.

I have heard and read about his journey many times but I decided to go see the man, the legend for myself after all, seeing is believing right? Well at first I thought this guy is going to put me to sleep because he is so chill and monotoned, but after ten minutes I warmed up to his mellow almost west-coast-like tude. Turns out to be quite the jokester.

So the three things I got from him besides all the knowledge he dropped on his methods and rules he abides by are this:

1. Packaging is everything, he works so hard to make sure he goes an extra mile to create a unique branding experience with his packaging and his store interiors. He almost splurges on these things and it always pays back because he creates a unique buying experience.

2. Exclusivity: He turned down making quick millions by refusing any and all offers to sell his products through any other place other than his store and his website. So his customers are always special and are always in hoards when they cram his few locations, making the demand high and keep brand longevity. So by this decision he makes less money now but lots of it in the long run, he doesn't get the Ed Hardy syndrome - Flood the market in any which way possible until people get so sick of you they throw up in their mouths at the sight of your product. Not to knock that way because Ed Hardy made millions and that money is prob going into a new brand which is doing the same thing... who knows... or people are on boats sipping champs and laughing at us all. I prefer the first I am strategising for BBB to one day be an exclusive brand that is controlled and avail in only so many ways - that way I can convey my message exactly how I want to.

3. You are Your Brand. After the lecture there was a Q&A and of the lets say 30 questions, about 28 were kind of personal questions about Johnny himself. All the people were barely interested in the product ( a few did ask ) but mostly they are interested in the guy himself, it's him they want. So I realized that his success is based on his personality, his message he conveys and then the products come out but even those are simply an expression of what he thinks is cool, so again they are an extension of his personality mostly. I realized that contrary to all the people who keep saying "Let's see how long that lasts!!" he is not going anywhere. His fans look at him as regular underdog fella just having fun and making millions and unless he one day decides to quit self promoting he is not going anywhere. People will love Johnny for as long as he does his lectures, cracks jokes and makes t-shirts that's how he strives by making you fall in love with his humble self. Guess it works coz here I am blogging about him.

Anyways I just have a lot of respect for someone so original, someone who has never spent a dollar on traditional advertising and pushing 4 million a year in sales in ten or less years in business with no outside investor money. I think that's amazing!

Thanks for the inspiration Johnny!!

Love Peace BBB

Bless

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First Inspiration For 2011! Happy New Year!

I love this video it inspires me on a day i was feeling tired, uninspired and somewhat down...a little burnt out from the end of a long year 2010. I am very grateful for all the wonderful things that happened to me in 2010, the progress and the love from friends and family. BUT! I am glad it is over and look to start fresh!

Anyways I love this video.....

i love her beauty, her simplicity, her voice, her message, and the creativity of the video. It had me from the the way it starts, way she blinks slowly and then licks her lips.... then he magic begins. Hope it inspires you too or at least entertains ya. Bee

HAPPY NEW YEAR! HOPE U R INSPIRED TO HAVE AN AMAZING YEAR!

Love, Peace & BBB!

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it's 2011 & I Can Still....A Happy New Year of Love!

Another year gone by, another year added to my age, another year I have lived.......

As I look back to 2011 I see a long hard year, so many challenges, so many obstacles but yet I am still here.

I can still smile, I can still wake p each morning and make a decision on what it is I want to do for myself:
I can still laugh, I can still sing my favorite songs, I can still call my family or friends, I can still ask for forgiveness from those I have wronged, I can still forgive those who have wronged me, I can still dream of my goals, I can still dance and above all I can still love......

I am going to not focus on any of the struggles of 2010 but be grateful for all the accomplishments and all the blessings I have in the form of family, friends and loved ones. I have so many angels that look out for me and I should focus on what I get not what I don't.

This year my goal is to LOVE better, I discovered a verse in the Bible by chance that many people probably know but I didn't know this verse and I want to live by it, it simply says everything I want to be and have been trying to do for so long.

1 CORINTHIANS 13: V 3- 8

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

This is what i have printed and framed to hang on my bedroom wall and my desk.

2011 is my year to re-learn how to love! We are all guilty of throwing the word around and thinking we know how to really love when we really don't.

Happy New Year....


With Love

Bless

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Dear Friends, Family & Associates

Just wanted to personally thank you for all your support and love in the last year and beyond.
If it wasn't for all your love, I would not be still here chasing my dreams with a heart full of hope and promise for 2011.

Wishing you hope, faith and above all wishing you love for 2011, may all your dreams come true.

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