I loved reading all the great feedback online about the GAL stylists I introduced last week. I feel very fortunate to be able to start the store with a fantastic team, and thrilled to announce that GAL Fashion will be open for business on February 6, 2016!

Opening a business has been one of the hardest endeavors I have ever encountered in my life, but by far the most fulfilling. Along the way, I have learned so much and met so many great people. I sincerely believe God has placed so many people in my path in order to guide me through the purpose and plan for my life. From day one, I’ve be immersed in meetings, decisions and research, and have experienced nothing but growth along the way. The making of my dream business was not all rainbows and sunshine, it’s been a lot of hard work and responsibility, but I am extremely proud to have made it to opening day.

I’ve shared GAL’s mission statement and what sets us apart from other shops in El Paso, but I want to offer a more intimate look at what drives us, and how we will fulfill our mission locally and to the fashion community at large.

As a team, the GAL girls have been busy undergoing intense style training, from product knowledge to customer care and in-depth fashion bootcamp. This week, we launched our social media platforms led by stylist Morgan Maxwell. In fashion, retail is detail, and we’ve collaborated with a talented group of local young El Pasoans to bring our messaging to life. Morgan introduced me to 17 year old photographer, AB Gonzalez, who will be doing some photography for the store. He’s just 17 years old but brilliantly talented. I will be releasing teasers of the merchandise on Snapchat (Gal.Fashion), GALFASHION Instagram and https://www.facebook.com/galfashion/ very soon so please follow!

Another fabulous new team member is Sophia Lowenberg, an incredible 18 year old Coronado student with passion for fashion and drive! I am so excited to see so many young people in El Paso with talent and work ethic such as all the team from GAL Fashion. Full of self expression and positivity, they embrace new ideas and embody our vision.

In today’s world, tech savvy, creative young people are more resourceful than ever, and I am very excited about working with this generation of El Pasoans who are engaged in the community. Through plenty of brainstorming and trial and error, we’ve developed an extremely efficient and Eco-friendly retail system that utilizes technology in a fun and accessible way—plus we are rolling out a price matching feature that we will honor both locally and online.

Stay tuned for even more updates and news about GAL and our team, and please join us on Feb. 6 when we open to the public!

-

If you’ve followed my journey from buyer at a local boutique to owner of my very own shop, you may have noticed a few changes around here, like blog name and link. It was only natural to transition “Tres GAL” to “Gal” after my departure from Tres Mariposas, and after months of trying to come up with the perfect name for my boutique and next chapter, “Gal Fashion” was born. “Gal” works on many levels— GAL are my initials (Gesuina Arianna Legaspy), but also alludes to the energy, spirit and vivacity of a young woman.

I have been empowered and inspired by women in all facets of my life, “gals” of all ages and with a variety of stories. My new office is adored with black and white photos of all of the powerful women that have inspired me in my journey to business owner, like Rachel Zoe, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen and even a photo of the legendary Diane Von Furstenburg from when she began her own fashion empire.

I am officially CEO and owner of GAL FASHION ENTERPRISES, and our brick and mortar boutique is called Gal Fashion. The name is clean, it’s easy, it’s me. In the next series of blogs, I will introduce you to the “Gals” behind Gal— Gal Fashion’s very own stylists that survived fashion bootcamp. The girls are everything that I was looking for, driven, ambitious, and have a passion for fashion.

I hope you will join me in this exciting countdown! Just T minus 3 weeks until the grand opening of El Paso’s newest and most eclectic high-end clothing store.

Above is a short video of the creation of Gal Fashion from the very beginning: Five months of hard work, a team of dreamers, and my vision. This is a small preview of what is to come, so follow @galfashion for more, and read the updated “About Me Page” on this blog.

The best is yet to come, and I’m thrilled to have you along for the ride!

-

I am very excited for this new year and all its possibilities. One of the best things to have come from last year, for me, is the creation of this blog and being blessed to be able to reach and touch people’s lives through it. I’m grateful for that connection and I want to encourage you, dear readers, to join me in setting some goals for 2016.

With age also comes wisdom, knowledge and and maturity. This new year offers another opportunity to better yourself and get closer to your goals.

After so much change and refinement, and some setbacks in 2015, I am ready to take on the world!

Here are a few goals I made for myself in 2016:

-I have encountered a lot of people lately who have told me they wish they would have taken better care of their health when they were younger. I never realized how important it is to truly take care of and nourish your body—we only get one. It’s a temporary flesh that we need to keep clean and healthy and if you want to be able to enjoy your later years, sacrifice now and live a better happier you.

• In the past, I admit I was a bit lazy and hated to wake up early. Now my husband and I wake up at 4:30 am to get our days started, and I have never before felt so accomplished than now. Starting the day off right and early and with exercise will get you energized, focused and ready for whatever comes up in your day. It’s important to not just rise early but also to spend some time exercising– whether your choice is yoga, stretching, running around the block or even personal training. This has already made a huge difference in my life.

My last goal is to make my new store a place of hope and comfort, and to fulfill not just my customers’ apparel needs but most importantly, their confidence. Clothes and accessories are important of course, but my vision is about so much more than that. I know God gave me the opportunity to open this business to serve my clients and community in so many more ways besides just fashion. I resolve to operate the store with integrity, sincerity and passion, and through this, I really hope I can help change lives! These are my 2016 resolutions, and I would love to hear yours! Facebook me your questions and comments at Gesuina A. Legaspy or tweet me at Gesuina _Legaspy

-