Thursday, December 31, 2009

2009

Hi Guys,

I know, I know it has been forever and a day!!!!!! Do I need to mention that 2009 has been mad? It went by in a blink of an eye. Let me give you some insight to my 2009.

January: Pamela’s birthday. Sale. Arrival of some spring merchandise.

February: Met Fred the love of my life. New York for fall buying. Valentines Day, Portia joining the Bleu Crew.

March: Amanda joining the Bleu Crew. Spring arrives with beautiful new clothing as well. Anna Sui out did herself this spring as well as 3.1 and Alexander Wang!!! Beautiful.

April: Fred’s birthday - What do you get a guy that you’ve only spent 2 months with? Where do you go? I got him a pair of AG jeans and a Warrior of Radness t-shirt from American Rag and took him to Il Sole. Amazing date. Got in some awesome lower priced lines - Jenny Han, Patterson J. Kincaid, and Young Fabulous and Broke just to name a few.

May: Georges 13th birthday. He is my 13 year old whippet. The Bleu mascot and my very loyal companion.

May 31st - Bleus 11th birthday!!!! Whoooohooooo

June: 20 % off the entire month for our 11th Birthday...Falling in love with Fred, and having amazing appreciation for all of my employees. My girl’s rock.

July: The first of Fall merchandise arrives. Do you believe it was a hundred degrees outside and we are getting sweaters in????

August: Bleus semi annual sale 30%-75% off. Fred and I leave for Italy. We take Lufthansa into Rome via Germany. We spend 4 days in Rome at this amazing, tiny hotel right by the Spanish steps. We then drive to Sorrento and spend the next 5 days laying on our backs basking in the sun and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. Heaven (sigh). We then drive to my family in Brindisi. We spend our days in the ocean and having lunch with my grandparents and our nights checking out hidden cafes in Ostuni and Lecce. Did I mention my clothing? PerfectionJ I brought my white lace Sea dress, a little strapless navy number by Anna Sui, my mini Chrissie by Mrs. Roper, Alice and Olivia rompers and mini skirts, skin tight strapless dress by Alexander Wang, tons of Geren ford, and way too much more. I always, without a doubt, over pack. Fred loves to tell the story of us borrowing a piece of luggage from my best friends in Italy just so I can get all 12 pairs of shoes I bought back home.


The girls from the Hills filmed in the store, and Audrina Patridge does some filming for her website and her MySpace page in the store while I am gone.



September: Fall is here. The clothes are perfection. This is my favorite season in all of the years that I have carried 3.1.Phillip Lim. It is amazing. He did skinny black and green pants, beaded mini dresses, fantastic fur vests. Need I say more? It was wonderful. Kova & T were a top seller this year too. Pencey is someone to watch out for, and Elizabeth and James is a line we cannot keep in the store…It flies off the shelves. I go to NYC again to buy for Spring. I love Spring & Summer clothing. Nothing is better than a pair of 5 inch heels and a little summer dress. Very Feminine.

October: I open a Pop-up shop next door. Rachel Palley is the designer. Bring new blood to the area. Fun. See a ton of old faces. I have to tell you. That the Bleu client is a loyal, wonderful client that never stops shopping here. There is something so comforting about having these beautiful, strong, stylish women choosing your store to shop in. It’s the greatest compliment. Thank you to all of you. You are so special to me.

November: My favorite month. My birthday. Fred gave me a bike on my birthday. We rode all over Los Angeles then went for massages.

He took me to dinner at Asia de Cuba then we hung at the Sky bar. I wore my Camilla and Marc ballerina dress, with my Elizabeth and James tuxedo blazer with a pair of Jimmy Choos. Eddera butterfly necklace. He loved it.

The following Saturday was my girls birthday dinner. My only request was that everyone had to shimmer. Gina wore 3.1 Phillip Lim sequins jacket over her leather Geren Ford mini skirt. Jen wore a 3.1 Phillip Lim sequined back dress that is just beautiful. Lisa wore a ACT sequined mini with a Mara Hoffman top. Jeanine wore a Charlotte Ronson black off the shoulder dress with an Alice and Olivia sequined wrap in silver. Nancie wore Michelle Mason (1 of my very favorites ever) pair of cigarette pants with an Elizabeth and James blazer. Cathy wore vintage Bleu A Bensoni dress she got last spring. Chris wore a Society For Rational dress that looked fantastic with her very blingy ace by Robert Rodriguez and Nancy T. wore a beautiful Mrs. Roper. I wore a black and gold Robert Rodriguez little sequins number. Oh that party was fun. Harry Dean Stanton sang a Spanish love song to me of course it was held at my very favorite restaurant ever…AGO


The Bleu Crew took me to East on Hollywood Blvd for another night of celebrating. I swear I gained 10 pounds that month.


December: What a month. We had a 20% off postcard for the stores. I love to see everyone come in for them.. Look out for them in the mail if for some reason you don’t get them.. Be sure you are also on our mailing list. Both email and home. We went out for our holiday dinner. What a lovely night. Yes, every one of us emotional girls cried. Everyone who works here at Bleu loves each other as much as we love fashion. It was a wonderful night of appreciation. I have to tell you, this year, 2009, have been in some ways the toughest year of my life. In others the best if my girls were an army we would win any war. They are the perfect team and I am the luckiest person in the world to have each of them in my life. Know that when you walk through either of my stores doors or get one of my employees on the phone, you are working with a very hard working, honest, precious soul who would absolutely, with no doubt in the world, DIE FOR FASHION!!!!!!