By You might not know stylist Rox Brown by name—yet—but her influence on pop culture is all over the internet. When Brown designed patchwork denim boots last summer, Kim Kardashian sought out a pair, and a zillion copycat iterations were born. The Alessandro Trincone origami-esque dress that made Young Thug's 2016 Jeffery album cover go viral? That was Brown's doing. "He also had a moment at the show where he asked what I thought about a model's look and I told him I wished the collar was flipped up," she remembers of VFiles' spring 2017 runway show. "He then got up in the middle of the show and fixed the collar," she says.
Brown has been with downtown streetwear mecca VFiles since 2013 when she walked in with no resume and asked for a job. Four years later, she's climbed the ranks to director of VIP services, a role that includes everything from orchestrating in-store performances—"I successfully shut down all traffic to the Holland Tunnel with Lil' Yachty"—to bringing Justin Bieber's Purpose tour pop-up with Fear of God designer Jerry Lorenzo to life. Then there's Katy Perry's personal Chanel collection, which Brown helped build. "[It] was fun because we liked the same things," she says. "I think I've done a lot."
Brown started unconventional career in fashion by working retail at Pharrell's Billionaire Boys Club boutique, where she once shamed Kanye West for his questionable taste. "There was a silver leather cap that he tried on and asked what I thought about it," Brown remembers. "I told him it was ugly and everyone gasped. Obviously I got really scared, but he looked up and said I was right. At that moment I stopped being scared to share my opinion on things."
Then there's her outspoken Instagram, where's amassed close to 80,000 followers with her dreamily lit selfies shot between her uptown apartment and VFiles' Soho store. "It's all about good lighting and a clean camera lens," Brown explains. Of course, having clear skin and good eyebrows doesn't hurt. As for her personal style, "I've always been a fan of Aaliyah and late '90s to 2000s Lil' Kim. Kim was ahead of her time and she didn't care that people didn't get it then. That's how I feel. I don't care whether people get my style or not."
But the best part is the unapologetic PSAs that appear on Brown's story. "Sorry @gucci didn't attend your party because I don't like people," she blasted out the other night. "But thanks for invitation." Prayer hands emoji. "I feel like I say what a lot of people are afraid to say."
Regardless, people—including Khloé Kardashian, who recently cast Brown in a campaign for Good American jeans—have taken notice. "I read the email and ignored it because I thought it was fake," she remembers. "It said 'Khloé Kardashian would like you to be a part of next season's Good Squad.' I thought, Wow, which one of my friends is trying to punk me? Turns out it was real."
As for what's next, "I don't like to plug anything, honestly," Brown says. "I like surprises."
Trends that need to die...
I'm a fan of perfectly arched brows, but I'm tired of the Instagram brow. It's the brow outlined in too much concealer that's at least five shades lighter than it should be. I'm sick of a corseted T-shirt dress. Just let the T-shirt happen.
The perfect summer outfit consists of...
A good pair of denim shorts; not too short and not tight. You can always dress it up or down. Right now I love Ground Zero's denim shorts; they're kinda reconstructed and have a cool random animation that spices it up a little.
I can't live without...
Becca foundation and highlighter. It's literally the best. I also need Bio-Oil, which I put on before bed. A brow pencil, Dior Hydra Life moisturizer, and perfume. I'm obsessed with smelling good. When I don't have perfume I feel like I smell like a piece of paper. I really love Louis Vuitton Matière Noire and Chanel Chance. I want that when I walk by people are like, 'Whoa, who is that?!' People should just wanna hug me.
Photography by Ben Ritter
Hair by Antoinette
Makeup by Holly Gowers / NARS / Atelier Management
Styled by Rox Brown
