32 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} deep sigh of relief and knew I was home.” After emigrating from Lebanon in 1979 and spending her first few years in Las Vegas, Gloria had a similar visceral reaction when her family relocated to the South Bay. While dating Sam in the late ‘90s and visiting him at his family’s business, she too fell in love with the Burlingame-San Mateo area. Today, as co-owners of Burlingame’s upscale boutique, Sam Malouf Authentic Luxury, the duo harmoniously work side by side. They continue to build an ever-evolving life based on mutual respect and shared heritage and interests, all while running their thriving store stocked with sleek sport coats and blazers, classic dresses and clutches. Sam and Gloria, both of Lebanese descent, met in the late ‘90s at a local Lebanese-American Association fashion show that Sam’s family business, Malouf’s, was sponsoring. Gloria’s cousin, who was helping with the fashion show, was short on models and asked Gloria to fill in. “The rest is history,” smiles Gloria. Sam has been part of the Burlingame business community for 34 years, first with his family’s business, Malouf’s, and then with the couple’s own enterprise for the last 15 years. Sam’s ties to Italian menswear and Neapolitan tailoring run deep, and brands like Zenga and Brunello Cucinelli are part of his core lineup. Gloria has been by his side since they wed, first helping with Malouf’s while working full-time as a corporate retail buyer to now heading up a robust womenswear section ranging from established brands like Missoni, Proenza Schouler and Khaite to Australia’s Aje and Swedish sustainable fashion brand BITE. As partners in business and life, Sam and Gloria Malouf have had 23 years to perfect that elusive balance that so few couples get right when working together. And they both credit the Peninsula with being a foundational bond. Sam recalls his first reaction when he arrived here from Texas: “The moment I stepped out of SFO on April 1, 1991, my whole being felt refreshed. I took a
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