The First Step to Becoming a Business Woman...Dream BIG with Diamond Branner
In this episode of The Kindling Project podcast, host Melissa Halpin speaks with Diamond Branner, the founder and creative director of Bland Material. They discuss Diamond's journey from being a teacher to a fashion designer, the inspiration behind her brand, and the importance of confidence and comfort in fashion. Diamond shares her proudest moments, including collaborations with community organizations, and reflects on the significance of being a Black woman entrepreneur. The conversation also touches on the pressures of entrepreneurship, the importance of self-care, and Diamond's future plans for her brand.
Catch Diamond out in the real world!
https://www.instagram.com/diax___/
https://blandmaterial.com/
Listen to the full episode:
-
Melissa Halpin (00:02.816)
Welcome back to the Kindling Project podcast where we talk to bold creative people who are building things that matter. And that is exactly how to talk about my guest today, Diamond Branner. She is the founder, creative director, the genius behind bland material. And I met her at an event recently and just fell in love with her and her brand. Welcome, Diamond.
Diamond Branner (00:27.407)
Thank you for having me and I appreciate your kind words. It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Melissa. It was such a pleasure. So I'm glad to be here and I'm glad to have this opportunity to speak on your platform and just like talk to you guys. So I'm excited.
Melissa Halpin (00:46.324)
Yeah, well, I think you really epitomize what we're about here at the Kindling Project is women pursuing their passion projects, whether it's a creative venture or whether it's a business venture. And I think what's so special about you is you're quite young and you're out there and you're doing it. And I was just so impressed by your poise and your success so far, your brand building. So I want to know if you saw somebody in the street wearing bland material.
What would you want them to instantly feel?
Diamond Branner (01:22.215)
if I saw someone wearing blend material or if someone was, was to see blend material on someone else.
Melissa Halpin (01:28.968)
was across the street wearing bland material and didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about them, but I could see what they were wearing. Like, what would you want me to feel? What would you want me to think about your brand, you know, walking around in my space?
Diamond Branner (01:44.183)
first thought that comes to mind would be, wow, they look good. They look good. I wonder how they feel. I think that's first thought is like, wow. Like just instantly like, wow, they look clean and good.
Melissa Halpin (01:50.142)
Yeah? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Melissa Halpin (02:00.008)
Yeah, I think that you're getting that. So that's how I was drawn to you. I was at an event with my dear friend, Brihanda Williams, who's also been a guest on our podcast and a speaker at one of our events. And we saw you walking around in this one-piece bodysuit, unitard, I'm not sure what you call, but it's a onesie. And I think you had on some cool boots, and I don't remember what kind of jewelry you had.
But you just look so confident. we just saw it across the room and we were like, check out that girl.
Diamond Branner (02:33.195)
thank you guys. That's like, that's honestly the whole purpose of my like my brand is to feel confident like you yourself in the brand and feeling good about yourself and confident and not like you're not overdoing it, but you're doing just enough to feel good about yourself and having people like, whoa, they look they look really good. They look really nice.
Melissa Halpin (02:35.753)
Yeah!
Melissa Halpin (03:03.166)
Yeah, and I was surprised. I went backstage, the event we were at had a fashion show and you were featured in it, and I went backstage and I wouldn't normally have thought that something that body conscious would necessarily be flattering on so many types of bodies, but I was surprised to see that there were young and old and thin and curvy and, you know, short and tall women modeling the item. And so,
Diamond Branner (03:19.594)
.
Melissa Halpin (03:32.8)
Tell me a little bit about the material, how it's structured, how it's cut that you're getting, you know, quite a nice little fit on a variety of bodies.
Diamond Branner (03:41.685)
Yes, so originally like I'm very so conscious myself
because a lot of women, like you're curvy and we get like, we have children, we have cellulite, we have those, you know, those body things that we're not the most comfortable with. And so, but I really do like to feel comfortable. And also like I do work out and I am a mom and I'm moving all the time and I still want to be comfortable and cute, but still like feel good and.
When doing that, was able to mix my materials with spandex and cotton and just put them together so it creates this smooth silhouette and this smooth line. So that way for women who are more curvy and or who want to hide a little bit bit more, but still feel, you know, really good about themselves, still feel sexy, still feel comfortable. They're able to put that on and not feel
hugged or tight or feel like something's gonna show because the material is made for you to literally be snatched in and it's made to stretch. even if you are an eye and usually like a large, sometimes depending on the fit, I could be an extra large, but with that body suit, I can fit a medium and still be comfortable because of how well it stretches and forms to the body.
Melissa Halpin (05:12.576)
That's good to know. I mean, I totally encourage people to try it on. And I was reluctant to try it on that day, but I thought about it since then. And it's also a great layering piece. Like maybe I wouldn't walk around in it by itself, but definitely with like a duster or a scarf or a shawl, I think I could pull it off. It's like a 50-something mom, a business owner. I could do it. I could do it. I mean, I wear leggings. And it's really just kind of like an extension of leggings.
Diamond Branner (05:22.567)
Yes.
Diamond Branner (05:30.459)
Yay.
Peace out.
Diamond Branner (05:40.878)
Yes, actually you would look really good in it because like if you do go to the gym or are you if you do wear it with the duster because I wear mine in the wintertime I have there the color the dark brown one that I have I wore it with my brown long duster and my brown boots and it was really cute still like very I still I look very professional but still very like very sexy very professional very cute
and feel comfortable, because I was still able to move around. And I was also, if I got a little too hot, I could take my duster off a little bit and then kind of sit around and then put it back on. So yeah.
Melissa Halpin (06:23.07)
ladies. So you heard it here first. I'm gonna try one on. My friend Burhenda bought one. I think that it's definitely worth trying to add it into your closet. It's like almost a novelty kind of piece. You might not think that you can pull it off, but so the next thing I want to ask is there's nothing bland about it. How did you get the name bland? What does that mean to you?
Diamond Branner (06:34.555)
yet.
Diamond Branner (06:45.862)
So the name Blinn is originally from my son. He's really the whole thing behind it. I've been doing it, like I've been sketching and drawing and sewing since I was a kid. But like the name came when I was pregnant with my son and the tracksuit I originally designed, I was like dreaming and the model turned around and it had bland on it. And I was like, I woke up, I woke his dad up like, that's the name, that's it, that's it.
Melissa Halpin (06:50.336)
Okay.
Diamond Branner (07:16.109)
It's been that way, but then I had to figure out like, why am I, outside of it being my son's name, why am I calling it that? Because I know my style isn't necessarily bland. It's a clean look. It's a look that's supposed to take you from one place to another and from one season to the next without spending so much. And so I'm like, but it's not necessarily bland. And I don't want anyone to feel like it's, know, like they're not wearing something that's, know.
Um, not so I'm like, it's not bland, but the name is bland. I'm like, it's an oxymoron. It's a complete oxymoron. It's your. Yeah.
Melissa Halpin (07:46.698)
Right.
Melissa Halpin (07:53.726)
Yeah, there's a little irony in there, right? Like, it's like calling something fancy when it's on a paper plate.
Diamond Branner (08:01.276)
Yes, exactly. this whole brand is basically saying like, if the name is bland, but nothing about you is bland, nothing about you is basic, you are moving and you look good and more than likely, whatever setting you present yourself in, someone is watching and looking at you in this outfit.
Melissa Halpin (08:25.233)
So that's the beginning of the name. What was the beginning of the brand? Like when did you know you were going to build this?
Diamond Branner (08:28.973)
Yes.
Diamond Branner (08:35.459)
Um, I knew I was going, two things made me actually build this, like made me go, okay, I'm going to do it. I, I had, I'm a Head Start teacher and at the time it was about two.
maybe 2021-ish, like right after COVID, they started opening back school. The GSRP program started back, so I was teaching GSRP. And one of my students, I have this thing where we do our affirmations in the morning and our meditations. And we have this thing where when my children have a really hard time and they're trying to learn independence, I always tell them, you can do anything you put your mind to. You have to keep trying.
Melissa Halpin (09:04.117)
Mm-hmm.
Diamond Branner (09:23.042)
You gotta do it, you gotta do it. And one of my students, she was one of my students that everything that I said, she would literally like, she would mock me and repeat after me everything. And we were at large group one day and it's the end of the year and we are doing our portfolios. And by this time they are choosing like, what are you gonna do when we go off to kindergarten? Like, what do you think you're gonna be? What do you think, like pretty much their future. And...
Melissa Halpin (09:50.591)
Mm-hmm.
Diamond Branner (09:51.185)
After, you I always take my turn in large group if we're doing anything. So my student at the time, she was like, Miss Diamond, what do you want to do when you grow up? And I'm like, I always wanted to be a fashion designer. Miss Diamond draws for you guys all the time. I fix your dolls clothes. I said, that's something that I always wanted to do. I either wanted to be a fashion designer or be a teacher. And she looks at me, he should be...
my old students, she should be going to the second grade after this coming up this fall. And she looked at me and she said, you can do it. You can do anything you put your mind to. And I'm like, my goodness. And I broke down crying. Yeah. And she's like, you can do it. And right there I started crying. I'm like, she's so right. And after that, I ended up doing my track suit and creating that and sketching that.
Melissa Halpin (10:31.264)
Right out of the mouths of babes
Diamond Branner (10:49.313)
getting with a team of people that helped me put it together. And then the next part of it was my friend, I let him, he was the first person to try the suit and he really liked it. And he was just like, he was like, you can do it. He's like, it's not like everything else right now. It's really clean. It's not, feel, he was like, I feel like a grown man. I feel good. And then I was like, that's good. He was like, you should really.
He's like, you should really do it. He's like, I know you're probably nervous, but do it. And I was like, OK. So just those two people, I was like, I'm do it. I'm going to do it. And I've been doing it ever since.
Melissa Halpin (11:28.224)
Yeah
That is the best story and I just love that you're living your truth and then you're modeling it for all these little people that you come in contact with Yeah, good for you, so what about fashion is a storytelling medium I feel like I Feel like more and more expressing yourself in like the age of social media in the age of all this brand-building that fashion itself is the storytelling medium
Diamond Branner (11:39.478)
Yeah.
Diamond Branner (11:43.403)
Thank you.
Diamond Branner (11:59.221)
Mm-hmm.
Melissa Halpin (12:00.66)
How do you think people are connecting to how they look and what they wear differently now?
Diamond Branner (12:06.315)
Genuinely, now, my whole life, like, I've really been into fashion and, it's always kind of like, some people have always used fashion to tell a story, but I think now, with me as a millennial and the new generation, we're trying to all find our voices and whether it's our own voice or speaking for an entire community or speaking for a cause.
Melissa Halpin (12:27.615)
Mm-hmm.
Diamond Branner (12:33.743)
we want to express it in any way possible, whether it's through painting, fashion. Right now, fashion has been the biggest speaker because it's it's noticeable and it's all over social media. And because it's on social media, it's spread a little bit faster. And I think everyone is using their voice in this time through fashion and through their creativity. And I think this is the best time.
Melissa Halpin (12:54.698)
Mm-hmm.
Diamond Branner (13:03.025)
to do so. this is one of the, because there's so much happening. And so I've been using my own voice to get across what I want through my fashion. And I've noticed that other people have genuinely used different forms of mediums in the fashion, whether it's painting on their clothing or expressing some form of like political views in their fashion.
It's been a really big thing and I think it's honestly it's made a difference because a lot of people they go they notice it and then when they're asking like What's this piece about or why are you wearing this? You can give the backstory of that and then more people are interested into it.
Melissa Halpin (13:50.368)
agree with that. I love this idea of fashion with purpose and fashion and storytelling. And I feel like you're doing a great job doing that. What is your proudest moment building the Bland Material brand so far?
Diamond Branner (14:07.579)
My proudest moment so far in building Blaine material would, I would say, would be
I would say I was able to, in so early on in doing this, I was able to connect and collab with Toys for Tots and launch my brand doing a huge fashion show in Pontiac back in November, November 9th of 2024. And it was a really great event. Like my nerves were really bad. It was all over the place. Like I was just so nervous. But like after the event, the feedback was great.
Melissa Halpin (14:29.609)
Yeah.
Melissa Halpin (14:45.598)
Yep.
Diamond Branner (14:48.826)
We had the mayor, our city mayor and our city councilman was there and I'm so grateful for the both of them for being there. We had a few of our police officers there and it was just a great event. We were able to donate a lot of toys to Toys for Tots for the Oakland County community. I was able to launch my brand and connect a lot of people together. There were many.
fashion designers and vendors that collabed that had never done it before and it was a really good experience. So I think that was one of my proudest moments was being able to do that.
Melissa Halpin (15:27.232)
Yeah, that's a whole other form of purpose. it's like we talked about expressing yourself with purpose, but then also using your brand for a purpose like fundraising, community building, giving back, philanthropic angle. That's just amazing for you.
Diamond Branner (15:48.409)
Thank you. I try. I love giving back because I am a teacher and I know what it's like to struggle. like one of those things is like if I'm able to pour into others, can, I try. Like it's the best thing to do. Like if I don't always have the resources, I do know I have people around me that are willing to help me build that resource. So that's also a blessing to be able to do so.
Melissa Halpin (15:50.079)
Yeah.
Melissa Halpin (16:17.248)
For sure, for sure. I feel like you're magnetic. You're going to continue to track that. Your pieces really do speak to your identity, to your struggles, to your joys. What conversations or what experiences in your own life have shaped that?
Diamond Branner (16:33.912)
really? really the conversations I would say a lot of the times the finances is what shaped how I I choose to design my clothing, how I've always chose to dress, how I've chose to style myself, just because like I went to school in West Bloomfield, but I lived in Pontiac.
So if you're from Michigan and you know that financial gap is huge, yeah.
Melissa Halpin (17:03.221)
Right.
Melissa Halpin (17:07.678)
Right. It's literally like the eight mile kind of divide. Like we have such affluent communities in Michigan and Metro Detroit right next to struggling communities. And there's always that sort of tension. Yeah.
Diamond Branner (17:18.859)
Yeah.
Yeah, so and going to that school and being surrounded by that and growing up around it, you literally like you go from like one area and you're it was a blessing and a curse because you're able to see what could be what you can have, what you can obtain those things. And I went to school and the children I went to school with, had new stuff all the time, new this and that. And I didn't necessarily have it. So
Melissa Halpin (17:40.628)
Yeah, yeah.
Diamond Branner (17:51.285)
And for me, I love to sketch, I love to draw, so I would either make my own stuff or I would fix the little holes in my clothes. And once I got old enough, I started working. Pontiac had like a summer program. So when you hit 13, you can work during the summer. And I did that all the way until I was about 15 years old, till I could get a real job. And I would use my money to, during the summer, I would save and I would use my money to get all of my school clothes right before the...
right before the school started. And I would shop for each season and I would be able to recycle the outfits throughout the year without having to constantly go back to the mall because I knew that I could not do that once the job was over. So I made it work. And if there was ever a time where I had extra money, I could go to the Salvation Army or a secondhand shop and just recreate a whole new outfit. Or take an outfit that I already had and just
Melissa Halpin (18:36.629)
Right.
Diamond Branner (18:50.009)
recreate and restyle it just because like I want to, you know, you go to those schools, you want to look great. You want to not like, you know, you get bullied, those types of things. But my outfits were a little bit different because I was able to, you know, create something different. So that's really why I continued the designing and why now as an adult, can, my designs are that way is for people that you want to look good. You want to feel good. You want to look clean.
but sometimes you can't always buy each season, every season or be on it, but you still wanna look good. And bland material, it's called that because it's not just bland. You're literally wearing this outfit or this clothing or whatever you just bought from spring to summer to winter to fall. Like you're able to wear that. Like our body suit, you can wear that body suit in the summer, the fall.
Melissa Halpin (19:24.864)
Right.
Diamond Branner (19:46.407)
the winter and the spring and you only bought it one time. So you don't have to keep spending or have to keep, you know, so that's really pretty much my story and I got joy from recycling my clothes.
Melissa Halpin (19:59.592)
I feel like your description of the name and now your description of your obstacles or the barriers, the constraints you had when building your own wardrobe and then designing, it all really is kind of making sense. It's beyond basics. It is sort of like neutral layering pieces that can go through the seasons. I love that idea. I think that's really actually quite clever.
Diamond Branner (20:21.799)
Yeah.
Diamond Branner (20:26.033)
Thank you.
Melissa Halpin (20:27.954)
Another aspect, obviously, of your identity that I want to talk to you about is what does it mean to you to be a black woman entrepreneur building in such a public space?
Diamond Branner (20:39.698)
It means a lot to me. It does. To be honest, didn't realize the importance or the meaning of it until I actually had to get out there and network and do it for myself. seeing that, it means so much because I have
Melissa Halpin (20:42.729)
Mm-hmm.
Melissa Halpin (20:53.364)
Mm-hmm.
Melissa Halpin (21:00.949)
Right.
Diamond Branner (21:07.021)
my son looking up to me and he sees that his mom is trying. And then I have other women who look like me who sees that I'm trying. And then I have little girls in my, like I have children, little girls that look like me and don't look like me, but they see that Miss Diamond is trying. And it's like, it makes me proud. So it makes me feel like I have to not necessarily be perfect, but it does make me reflect on
Melissa Halpin (21:10.09)
Yeah.
Melissa Halpin (21:26.826)
Ready.
Diamond Branner (21:36.677)
how I have to present myself or how to make sure that you're articulating what you want to do or what you're trying to present comes off appropriate. just like making sure you're making sure you're making space for other little girls to say, I saw you, I admired what you did and I wanna do the same thing you did and you're doing it with grace and doing it with.
confidence, even if you are shaking in that department, you're still trying. So it means a lot to me and being able to have people see me and someone who's always been really shy and like, ooh, and I had to like, kind of like stop and like, try to put myself out there. It's come a long way. Yeah, it's come a long way. So it means a lot.
Melissa Halpin (22:24.618)
Yeah, it's hard.
Melissa Halpin (22:31.2)
It's such an important message for young creatives, and I think particularly for young female creatives, young black creatives, or anyone that may be...
outside of the, you know, normal range of creatives. Maybe you're on one spectrum or another, but you're sort of unlikely to do it. It's important to get that message that you can do it and that others are doing it and they might be minorities in the space, but they're taking up space and they're putting something out there and there is space for you. And not only is there space, but we need
Diamond Branner (22:47.46)
Yeah.
Diamond Branner (23:03.029)
And there is space for you. Like, it doesn't matter.
Yeah.
Melissa Halpin (23:09.48)
We need the diversity and we need the different colors and flavors and points of view and creative spaces. I mean, that's what art is, right? That's what design is.
Diamond Branner (23:16.972)
Yes. Yes. Art, honestly, I believe art is without art, a lot of innovations wouldn't be a lot of things wouldn't be without creative minds. We wouldn't have a lot of the things that we have. So no matter how wild your idea may seem to you, I just say just do it because there's space or you could be the original or you could
Melissa Halpin (23:38.101)
Yeah.
Diamond Branner (23:46.594)
be making something better than what it was before. Like you have that and there's space for it. And if you feel like there's no space for it, make space, you make space for it. Cause someone's gonna see you. Yeah.
Melissa Halpin (24:01.216)
That's ultimately how creativity works, that if you listen to the messages coming to you and coming through you, they're there for a reason. You wouldn't have the idea if there wasn't room for it or if there wasn't an opportunity for it to spark. Does that put a certain amount of pressure on you? Do you feel pressure to show up perfectly and how are you handling that?
Diamond Branner (24:08.982)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Diamond Branner (24:24.327)
how do I say this? That's like a really good question. So, I'm really big on my faith and, one thing that my pastor literally just spoke on last Sunday, he said pressure, exceptional, like pressure comes with exceptional, like excellence, like complete excellence. So without pressure,
Melissa Halpin (24:50.643)
right.
Diamond Branner (24:52.926)
It's just mediocracy and I don't have to be perfect, but I do have to put in work. If I'm going to show up, I have to do the work and it has to be completed. would I say perfect because perfect that word is a lot of pressure, but I would say just being authentically you and showing up and doing what you need to do.
Melissa Halpin (25:14.368)
Right, of course.
Diamond Branner (25:23.107)
is just as good. if you do feel pressure, just know that literally pressure does not make a diamond. So you have to have that much pressure on you just to sparkle, just to shine, just to get that excellence. Does it take a lot? It does. But if you have that tunnel vision, if you have that drive and you know that you have a dream and it's something that you're going to work for, that pressure is just going to feel like
Melissa Halpin (25:35.775)
Right.
Diamond Branner (25:53.021)
It's there, but you know excellence is gonna come from it. So pressure makes excellence and it has to be there. If not, then anything you do, it's not gonna get done the way that you need to or the way that you see fit.
Melissa Halpin (26:11.936)
You know, you are just such an inspiration. You have your head on your shoulders at such a young age. I'm so glad to hear that you have faith, that you have ways of taking care of yourself. Is there anything else you can offer to other young creatives or young entrepreneurs around well-being or self-care or what it takes to build something like this?
Diamond Branner (26:18.936)
thank you.
Diamond Branner (26:39.118)
Yeah, honestly, it takes a lot and you have to have those days where you have to take care of yourself and like shut everything out. Like, if you have friends and you have family, I have a son and he's with me a lot and those days where I can get, where I can talk to his dad, like, can you get him for the weekend so that I'm able to just.
get this work done, he'll take him. And that gives me space to like, wusa and breathe and like, I'm able to build something. I'm able to take those quiet moments. I'm able to take a walk. able to like, I like to clean up or take a walk or go to the gym. So, and I like to color and sketch. So those are ways that I release and then meditation and prayer. I find myself
Melissa Halpin (27:22.018)
Thank you.
Diamond Branner (27:29.628)
When I am in meditation and prayer, I come up with the best ideas, like, because I'm able to shut things out. So as a creative, like, if you're starting to feel overwhelmed, because it is overwhelming, you can, like I said, pressure. Yes, it creates excellence, but it can get overwhelming because you're still human. Take those times to yourself, because when you do take that time to yourself, you get more ideas, you get your energy and your battery back recharge.
so that you're able to come back into the world and present not only yourself, but your talent and your art out without feeling like it's now becoming a burden. So I say always, I don't, you know, not everybody has like, has a media faith, but if you believe in like some type of meditation, prayer, just self-reflection, just time to yourself, or just anything that makes you happy, if that means...
Melissa Halpin (28:09.6)
Right.
Diamond Branner (28:25.138)
turning on a good show and eating some ice cream for like an hour. That works too, taking a nap. Just having some time to yourself is what's really important. Yeah.
Melissa Halpin (28:31.604)
Right.
Melissa Halpin (28:36.104)
It is, it is. I tend to, I think we're very much alike like this, like appear to be extroverted and I love people and I have a podcast and I have a community and I'm quite social, but it does drain me. I do need to recharge. I'm not the kind of extrovert who gets energy from being extroverted. I'm extroverted when I'm out in the world and then I need to refuel and...
Diamond Branner (28:51.24)
Thank you.
Melissa Halpin (29:02.782)
have that time alone to recharge and feed my creative self. So I completely relate to that.
Diamond Branner (29:09.267)
Yeah, that's definitely me, so I have to like, recharge.
Melissa Halpin (29:12.138)
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. speaking of recharge, refresh, renew, what's next? What's on the horizon for you?
Diamond Branner (29:23.013)
Well, right now, I had this after my last fashion show, I've been relaxing a little bit because right now we're just working on bland materials, packaging and shipping labels and things like that and getting our own like our own packaging done. Like I have designed this really cool packaging and I want to see how it looks because I really want it to be special.
we are working on our new jackets that are trying to be released. our new men's polos are coming, which I'm really excited about because I was able to mix my fabric. So it's like super breathable and I'm super excited about that. and right now my team are also working for our standard show, the part two, where we are trying to raise and donate, pretty much.
get backpacks and everything filled for people within the Oakland County community with toiletries and back to school stuff. So we're going to be working on that. And that's pretty much what's happening right now on the horizon for me, just slowly working on those things and releasing all of that.
Melissa Halpin (30:39.8)
I would love for you to jump into the Killing Project Ignite Group and talk about how we can support that effort. Can we sponsor some backpacks or can we get donations from our community? Reach out to us. Let me know how we can support you.
Diamond Branner (30:54.331)
Yes, of course, I would love that. And honestly, like, we've been talking to my team. So I'm like, when I met you, I'm like, I could talk to Miss Melissa. Maybe they can come to the show and check it out and maybe do a podcast. Yes, I would love that. That's something we could definitely talk about. Yes, please, please.
Melissa Halpin (31:05.641)
a hundred percent, you know I'm there. Yeah.
Melissa Halpin (31:14.846)
So where else can listeners find you?
Diamond Branner (31:17.923)
Well, listeners can go on if you have social media, Facebook, Instagram, if you have a Twitter, we are on all of those social platforms under Bland Material. We can stay updated on those social medias for any of our pop-up shops that we'll be producing, so we'll have a pop-up shop coming soon. Also, any fashion shows that we're doing, any new clothing.
all on our social medias. You can also check us out at www.blandmaterial.com. On there, you can shop there. You can also find our social medias on there. And also anything to do with the standard fashion show and why that was created. You can also find us on our social media again, but if you want to like see us in physical like form, we'll always have some form of
announcement of where BlandMaterial will be hosting or vendoring at.
Melissa Halpin (32:20.288)
Awesome. You know, we will include all of those links in the show notes for this show and Diamond, you can find her also in our private Facebook group, The Killing Project Ignite. And I'm just so happy to have had you today and to share your story with our audience. Do you want to do a rapid fire closer, a quick few questions to end this interview?
Diamond Branner (32:32.477)
Yes.
Diamond Branner (32:44.552)
Yes, sir, I'd love to. And I just want to say I'm happy that I was able to be here. I'm really excited to be here. And thank you for having me.
Melissa Halpin (32:52.768)
Yeah, I can see it. I can see it your smile and in your energy. And I know people are going to just fall in love with you and with your brand. And just be encouraged that just such a young Gen Z founder is doing this. And if you can do it, I really think anyone can do it. Let's do a few quick questions to end this. What's one word to describe your 2025 energy?
Diamond Branner (33:08.906)
Thank you. Yay!
Diamond Branner (33:17.248)
Blessings, on blessings.
Melissa Halpin (33:21.706)
How about a quote or a lyric or a mantra that you repeat to yourself?
Diamond Branner (33:31.082)
can do anything. Honestly, that's literally it. Anytime I'm having a hard time, I can do anything. I can do it.
Melissa Halpin (33:37.472)
You can do anything. What would be a dream collab for bland material?
Diamond Branner (33:43.538)
A dream collab? Can I have two?
Melissa Halpin (33:47.84)
Sure, you can dream as much as you want.
Diamond Branner (33:51.07)
My dream collab would be Prada and Louie Vuitton. Yes. Yes. Love.
Melissa Halpin (33:56.958)
Yeah, listen to that. Okay, let's manifest it here today. Last one, what's one message you want the world to hear from your brand?
Diamond Branner (34:01.896)
Yes!
Diamond Branner (34:09.77)
from my brand.
The thing that has been sitting with me since I've launched my brand that has kept me going, that has, even through my struggles in doing this brand, I, this thing, I don't know, this thing for me, I told myself, I wanted a bouquet of flowers, but God is giving me tools for me to build me a garden. And so,
This dream that I had has become bigger than what I even expected. And God has put people in my life for it to go beyond and to take off at a pace that I wasn't even ready for. And I'm thankful for it because now I'm just, I'm getting in there. that's one quote and one message.
Melissa Halpin (35:11.248)
I'm so proud of you. You know, it takes a lot of courage to be open. You know, when the universe or when God starts showing up and building a bigger and bigger garden, a lot of us go inside and shut down and are afraid of something that's too big. you know, congratulations to you for being aware of it and being open to it and just walking through it. I can't wait to see where it goes.
Diamond Branner (35:17.117)
Yeah.
Diamond Branner (35:25.426)
Mm-hmm.
Diamond Branner (35:35.89)
Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it. I'm excited.
Melissa Halpin (35:41.792)
Well thank you for showing up with all of your humor and your charm and your message. I know it will resonate with a lot of people. We're really lucky to witness what you're building and come back. Come back and tell us where you are in a year or two.
Diamond Branner (35:57.602)
Yes, of course I would love to come back. I would love to be a regular visitor. my gosh, and I am excited to even have the opportunity to be on this platform and even meeting you, Miss Melissa, was a blessing. So like, I appreciate you and Miss Brenda meeting her. She was a blessing. Like, you ladies were amazing and you guys helped me out a lot and made me feel really confident. So I'm thankful for that. Thank you so much.
Melissa Halpin (36:04.0)
Yeah.
Diamond Branner (36:26.832)
Thank you guys.
Melissa Halpin (36:27.23)
You made our night. I mean, it was a great night. It was a great event, but you were definitely a highlight.
Diamond Branner (36:32.86)
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Melissa Halpin (36:34.88)
All right, well, thank you. Have a great day. I'll talk to you soon.
Diamond Branner (36:38.778)
Yes, ma'am, I'll talk to you soon. Have a great day. Thank you.