BLOOMINGDALE'S ANNOUNCES ITS HOTTEST PINK OCTOBER YET

NEW YORK, NY; October 2008 . . . Beginning with those ubiquitous pink ribbons, in the last 16 years Evelyn H. Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of The Estee Lauder Companies, has advanced every aspect in the fight against breast cancer, from awareness to education, to early detection, treatment and possible prevention. Bloomingdale's remains on the road to a cure with Mrs. Lauder and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), promising the hottest pink October that Bloomingdale's customers have ever seen. The store has unveiled plans for Breast Cancer Awareness Month that include special-edition merchandise, an electronic gift card, custom publications and special events - all to raise funds and awareness.

"Breast cancer has touched all of us in one way or another," said Michael Gould, Bloomingdale's chairman and chief executive officer. "Until we can talk about this cancer as a thing of the past, we can never do enough; but we will fervently do all that we can to help."

A Pink Glow on 59th Street
For the first time ever, Bloomingdale's flagship store on 59th Street will be illuminated in the color now synonymous with breast cancer awareness for the entire month as a symbol of the company's steadfast support of this important worldwide health issue. The building will be first lit on Thursday, October 2 at a special event on Lexington Avenue. Celebrity guests, including Estee Lauder Spokesmodel Elizabeth Hurley, will join Michael Gould for the occasion to flip the ceremonial switch to put Bloomie's in the pink. In 2000, The Estee Lauder Companies' Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign launched the "Global Landmarks Illumination Initiative," in which over 200 historic landmarks are illuminated each October in pink lights, focusing global attention on this issue.

Little Pink Book
Building on enormous first-year success, a special pink edition of Bloomingdale's Little Brown Book magazine returns. "Little Pink Book" features over 60 pages dedicated to inspiring stories from well-known cancer survivors and advocates, information about BCRF and its historical 15 year fight, recipes from celebrated chef, Charlie Palmer, as well as pages and pages of products and exclusive offers that all benefit BCRF.

Readers will have the opportunity to bid on offers such as tickets to the annual star-studded BCRF gala, a private class with international beauty expert Bobbi Brown, a luxurious Vietnamese villa vacation, an escape to Canyon Ranch Resort & Spa, and a tennis racquet signed by legendary player Billie Jean King, just to name a few.

Benevolent Buys
Within Little Pink Book, there are 44 beauty and accessory finds that will all generate a donation to the BCRF. The same items will become a virtual "Pink" boutique on-line, available at bloomingdales.com/littlepinkbook. All items shown, from designers like Calvin Klein, Kenneth Jay Lane, Sigerson Morrison, Tory Burch and Juicy Couture, to many top beauty brands such as Estee Lauder, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone and La Mer, will be available in Bloomingdale's stores nationwide.

Exclusively at Bloomingdale's, and of special note:

The Big Pink Umbrella features Marchetto's Pink Posse, with detailed illustrations and explanations of all the characters' super powers. $16.

The Little Pink Card, with package art also by Marchetto, has the capability to make a double donation to BCRF - 10% of the card's value at the time of purchase; and then 10% of the amount spent over the gift card amount at the time it is redeemed. Pink Cards are available from $10 to $10,000.

The Pink Bracelet. New this year and made of leather. $15.

The reusable Pink Tote, also new and featuring Marchetto's Posse. $3.00. (In-stores only)

Super-heroine Posse Fights for the Cause
Bloomingdale's has again enlisted the talents of cartoonist and cancer survivor, Marisa Acocella Marchetto who has created four amazing Super-heroines who will appear throughout the campaign including Scannabelle - the early detectress; Healacious - the curer; Positivia and Cleanna. They will become icons used on product and featured in the Little Pink Book. Acocella found inspiration for the characters in her own struggle with the disease, noting the times it seemingly took super heroine strength to meet the daily challenges. "The Pink Posse" is a tribute to all who have fought the battle.

On A Mission
To date, these and other Bloomingdale's efforts have raised over $500,000 for BCRF, with a portion of those funds endowing the specific research of Dr. Titia de Lange, head of the Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics and the Leon Hess Professor at The Rockefeller University in New York City, and Dr. Judy E. Garber, Director of the Cancer Risk and Prevention Program at Dana-Farber Medical Institute and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. de Lange's studies are focused on DNA damage response genes and their function in the early stages of breast cancer. One key breast cancer gene is Tel2, a protein that sits at the nexus of multiple cancer-relevant signaling pathways. de Lange is testing to see whether this gene can be targeted to help cancer cells react positively to chemotherapy. Dr. Garber's research is focused on genetic susceptibility to breast cancer, and the development of novel medical strategies to prevent cancer. In her current project, she seeks to identify new preventive therapies for women at high risk for breast cancer due to inherited mutations in the "breast cancer gene", BRCA1.

"We are impressed and inspired by Drs. de Lange and Garber and their research," said Anne Keating, senior vice president of public relations, special events and corporate philanthropy. "We are thrilled to have raised sufficient funds for BCRF to underwrite the grants of both of these gifted scientists, who have become celebrities in their own right around Bloomingdale's. It is wonderful for our associates to see and hear what is tangibly taking place in their laboratories because of monies that we have raised."

Through this year's program, the store hopes to raise enough money to support two BCRF researchers once again in the coming year.

MARISA ACOCELLA MARCHETTO is a famed cartoonist (New Yorker, Glamour) and the author of the acclaimed graphic memoir (one of Time?s top ten of 2006) Cancer Vixen; Without health insurance, and three weeks before her wedding to chef / restaurateur Silvano Marchetto, Marisa was diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer Vixen documents her witty yet touching journey, complete with a different pair of stilettos for every chemo treatment.

THE BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION(R) was founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder as an independent, not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical and translational research. The Foundation supports scientists at top universities and academic medical centers worldwide conducting the most advanced and promising breast cancer research that will lead to prevention and a cure in our lifetime. A minimum of 85 cents of each dollar donated to the Foundation goes directly to breast cancer research and awareness programs. In October 2008, nearly $35 million will be awarded to 165 scientists across the United States and in Australia, Canada, Latin America, the Middle East, and throughout Europe. And for the seventh consecutive year, BCRF received Charity Navigator's highest rating, four stars, thus outperforming over 99% of the evaluated charities, while the American Institute of Philanthropy has awarded BCRF its highest possible rating of A+. BCRF is the only breast cancer organization in the U.S. to receive these accolades. For more information, visit www.bcrfcure.org or call 1.866.FIND.A.CURE.

BLOOMINGDALE'S is America's only nationwide, full-line, upscale department store; and a division of Macy's, Inc. It was founded in 1872 and currently operates 40 stores in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois, Minnesota, Georgia, Florida, Nevada and California. For more information, or to shop any time, visit www.bloomingdales.com.