MEET THE CREATIVE

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Rule or be Ruled is built on a singular vision shaped by more than 30 years in the worlds of jewelry, art, and cultural commerce. It is not just a brand—it’s a lived philosophy forged through movement, reinvention, discipline, and creative rebellion.

Born in Brazil in December 1971 to a Puerto Rican businessman and a renowned Argentine theater star, fashion designer, and entrepreneur, Bruce was raised at the intersection of art and enterprise. Creativity, color, music, and ambition were constants in his household. Portuguese and Spanish flowed freely at home, English was the language of private schooling, and music from all three cultures became a lifelong influence. From an early age, he learned that identity is layered—and power comes from knowing how to move between worlds.

In 1980, the family relocated to Edison, New Jersey, where Bruce experienced his first sense of stability within a blended family. It was a formative time—America was changing, pop culture was exploding, technology was emerging, and the idea of the American Dream felt tangible. That sense of belonging would later become a benchmark he spent years redefining on his own terms.

By the mid-1980s, life shifted again. The family moved to Mexico City to support his father’s ambition of launching TIP (Tecnología, Industrialidad y Productividad). Soon after, his parents divorced, and Bruce’s world fractured. He eventually settled in Florida, where he graduated high school and began a journey of self-discovery that would deeply shape his creative voice.

In 1990, a year-long search for identity took him to New York City during a cultural flashpoint—the height of Wigstock, voguing, and nightlife as art. He worked VIP doors at the legendary Roxy, danced at the Palladium, crossed paths with icons like Grace Jones, and absorbed a raw, unapologetic creative energy that taught him the power of presence, style, and self-rule.

In 1992, Bruce joined the U.S. Navy at age 20, serving aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. The experience instilled discipline, resilience, and structure—but also ended abruptly due to a service-related injury. His rehabilitation brought him to San Francisco, where he fell in love with the Castro, unexpected country music influences, and the freedom of self-expression. Nights line-dancing at Rawhide and time spent at venues like the Trocadero Transfer expanded his understanding of contrast—hard and soft, masculine and fluid, tradition and rebellion.

After his honorable discharge, Bruce drove cross-country in a VW Golf, following instinct rather than plan. Stops in Phoenix and Dallas—initially fleeting—would later reveal themselves as pivotal chapters. The road became a classroom, teaching him that direction matters less than intention.

Drawn back to the ocean, Bruce returned to life at sea in 1998 as a Port Lecturer for Panoff Publishing aboard the Seawind Crown, speaking three languages and introducing international audiences to luxury, culture, and commerce. In 1999, he joined Nuance Global Traders with Holland America Line, leading jewelry operations aboard the Westerdam during the Alaska season. It was here that jewelry ceased to be product alone and became storytelling—emotion, memory, and identity made wearable.

The millennium brought in a new age and an already fantastic life’s journey continued. More to be revealed; visit www.robr.shop.

Rule or be Ruled is the culmination of all of it: discipline and freedom, heritage and rebellion, art and commerce. Jewelry, art, and apparel are simply the mediums. The message is clear—know who you are, define your own value, and never hand your power to systems that were never built for you.

This brand exists for those who choose authorship over obedience. You don’t follow rules. You make them—or you’re ruled by them.

How the Brand Began

My journey with Luxury Jewelry and DUTY Free