In my last blog, I revealed the exciting news that we are hosting an Il Mercato pop-up on the east side of El Paso.

When we confirmed the deal, I immediately begin the preparations, which include one of my favorite parts of the business: the buying! And let me tell you, buying for this highly curated pop-up was quite the adventure!

It’s long been a dream of mine to open a store on the east side, but I never knew exactly where to go, and if my concept would be met with success. Although I’ve had multiple visits to The Fountains in the past seven years, for whatever reason, the spaces just never felt right. Another east side space opportunity was presented last year, but again, my intuition said to pass.

But like with everything in life, timing is key. This time, an opportunity arose, the stars aligned, and I was able to offer a resounding, full body YES! I was soon on my way to a Los Angeles market to stock up for the new store. What an exhilarating experience it was to buy for this brand-new space. I scooped up new brands and designers that we don’t carry at our flagship and, staying true to the Italian inspiration behind “Il Mercato,” I opted for affordable luxury: think romantic gauze, luxurious cotton, breezy linen, and casual (but not basic!) basics like denim, classic and graphic tees, and vibrant, one-of-a-kind novelty pieces. I gravitated toward fashion-forward sunnies, candy-colored hats, fabulous new fragrances… and the best part? Almost everything retails for under $200!

I patronized every showroom on each floor of the marketplace to really curate for the best pieces for this shopping experience. Being able to try all new things was so exciting! I felt very unrestrained – like I was some how free to try something totally new! I touched all of the fabrics, feeling for the best quality possible within a reasonable price-point, keeping in line with our GAL signature.

As for the store interior? The design concept is coming along as well! It is so much fun to create and cultivate this new dream. My hope is that the east side community will come and support, shop and enjoy, and see what GAL is all about. I invite everyone to allow yourselves to feel transported! If this goes well maybe we’ll stay a little longer… the mystery is part of the excitement.

One more note: We are still hiring! So if you want to be an expert stylist, send your resume along. And whether you live on the east, west, or anywhere in between, mark your calendar for April 7!

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I have heard the expression, “When one door closes, God opens another door,” several times in my life, but these words have never rung as true for me as they do now.

It’s been a while since I made the time to sit down and write. Writing it my favorite creative outlet because the process allows me to share my experience… my hope is that you can relate to some of it and in turn, we all feel less alone.

For my team and me, 2023 started off with a bang! GAL celebrated our 7-year anniversary, and it’s hard to believe it’s been that long already. Several opportunities have come my way, from being offered a division of my own clothing line (a Bucket List goal!), to a couple major events and non-profit collaborations. While my team hummed along in early 2023, I was surprised with this curve ball: I lost two of my staff in the span of as many weeks; the unexpected exits happened abruptly and right before important events (hello, anniversary party and a market trip to NYC!).

To be honest – and at the risk of being really vulnerable – the sudden stressors coupled with all of the plates I was attempting to spin at once left me really rattled. For the first time in a long time, I was on the verge of a relapse. These seemingly minor setbacks left me feeling defeated and demoralized, questioning everything.

But through the work I have invested in my recovery over the past two years, I have come to believe that we always have choices. In this case, I had two options: To give up; or to accept my reality, learn from it, and grow. After about three weeks of soul-searching, I committed to the latter and leaned into my source, God. I reminded myself that I am not the director of my movie, rather, I’m living the role God has created for me, so I chose to let go and let God do His thing.

As I loosened my grip, the next opportunity came quickly: the chance to open a second GAL location on the Eastside! For 30 days, we will offer an Il Mercato pop-up experience, a curated marketplace offering hand-selected merchandise not usually available at GAL. The asthetic is rich, inspired by Gucci Gardens. Save the date for April 7th through April 30th, location to be announced here soon.

While the season started off with some epic highs and lows, things feel like their finally beginning to stablilize. I was able to attend NYC Market and find all new beautiful things for 2023. I also hired lots of fashion interns at GAL Fashion to help out with the new store.

Just as Spring has sprung, so have new beginnings and new adventures at GAL.

As we continue to grow and evolve, I am making the time to reflect and remind you, dear reader, that we are not alone. Whatever your challenges, don’t give up. I am so grateful to God for giving me the strentgth and courage to perservere and move forward with this amazing venture, and I thank you for your support along the way!

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