Sitting with Brix Smith-Start discussing her upcoming projects, fashion staples and her photographic memory, it becomes immediately clear this woman has many strings to her bow.
Born in LA, Brix tells quite the tale of an adventurous youth; from edgy punk musician to stylist extraordinaire. Sat with a huge bottle of what can only be described as 'Detox Juice', she comes across as a centred, caring individual who exudes edgy glamour. You may recognise her for her time on Gok's Fashion Fix, but there is a whole lot more to Brix and she is more than open to my questions about how it all began.
Explaining, 'TV has always been a part of my life, having at a young age spent a great deal of time around TV studios watching my reporter mother.'
So it's no surprise that Brix took to TV like a duck to water, however as she begins to describe her career into the fashion boutique business, you can't help feel that this woman has natural talents that few possess.
It all started when Brix moved from Notting Hill to Shoreditch, where upon arrival she felt there was nowhere she could shop. Finally she decided to remedy the lack of quality fashion stores and along with her husband, Woodhouse founder Philip Start they opened a boutique in the area. Being a petite 5ft 2, Brix explains how she is empathetic to women's struggles when it comes to fashion and always bears this in mind when advising her customers. 'I became the best jeans fitter in the country and soon enough people would be queuing to get in the store,' Says Brix.
It's not just her talent for understanding shapes and styles that led to her success; Brix has a photographic memory for colour. She continues to explain how this flair for colour enables her to remember exact shades, which she can later recall when styling or merchandising. However, dressed all in black, the woman sat in front of me is not exactly practicing what she preaches.
Seeing Brix clad all in black and being a self-confessed punk and grunge geek, I had to ask if her time in the music industry has had an effect on her style. She quickly admits to injecting a punky/grunge look into her wardrobe (pointing to her all black clothing), however she also adds 'you can't go wrong with a classic capsule wardrobe.'
Brix really does seem to have her personal style together and a vast amount of fashion knowledge up her sleeve. When asked where we are all going wrong when choosing clothes she advises, women should rely on their "gut instinct" when putting an outfit together and that the correct use of colour can really make a person radiate. Brix elaborates by saying, 'The Queen is the best example of this. She sticks to the same silhouette, but changes the colour.'
But for those of us on a budget there is no need to fret, Brix recommends spending money on capsule items that will last more than one season is a great solution. Use your left over cash to have fun with fashion, experiment with vintage, mix stuff up, but importantly love it.
Brix's Capsule Wardrobe Must Haves!
- Black blazer
- A pair of nude shoes
- Great fitting jeans
- LBD
- White shirt
- Pencil skirt
Moving on to current projects, it's all go for Brix, as she is currently working on her new show, Shopaholic Showdown while also acting as a brand ambassador for Lenor's 'Forever Fashion' campaign. The campaign encourages women not to save their favourite clothes, but to enjoy them every day and I ask Brix why she decided to get involved, she detailed how the project instantly interested her. 'Nothing is more rewarding for a stylist than seeing someone getting a confidence boost by wearing their favourite pieces of clothing. Yet whilst clothes have a special ability to make us look and feel amazing many of us save treasured pieces for special occasions for fear they will show signs of ageing. This campaign encourages us to no longer hold back on wearing our favourite items. By looking after our clothes we can wear them as often as we want. By simply changing our washing habits we can prolong the life of our wardrobe which gives us the freedom to look and feel fabulous every single day.'
In my final minutes with Brix, I thought best to grab some insider prediction on what to expect for S/S14. According to Brix, next season will see an abundance of lace, monochrome and masculine clean cuts, so plenty of fun to be had mixing it up. Ending the interview, Brix single yellow rose petal, as it is in her opinion 'perfect for my skin tone', duly noted.
Thanks Brix x
Shopaholic Showdown - Thursday @ 8pm on TLC