LuxeBeat Exclusive: Interview with Reality TV Star & Fashion Designer Angel Brinks

We sat down with the beautiful Angel Brinks, who is one of the stars of Basketball Wives LA and a fashion designer. What started as just leggings in 2010, has since blossomed into a full line of sexy head-turning dresses, lingerie, rompers, denim and jackets. Fans of the brand include stars such as Amber Rose, Natalie “Eva” Marie of E!’s WWE Total Divas, Blac Chyna, K. Michelle, Lil’ Kim, Hazel-E of VH1’s Love & Hip Hop Hollywood, Ashanti, Jazmine Sullivan, Trina, Mya and Draya Michelle.

The native Angelino and exotic beauty took time out of her busy schedule and chatted with us about what luxury means to her, her personal travel style and her guilty pleasures.

 

Name: Angel Brinks

City: Los Angeles, born and raised

Occupation: Fashion Designer, TV Reality Star from Basketball Wives LA

Travel Style: Sweats, beanie, Jordan’s or Giuseppe sneakers, custom Angel Brinks headphones around my neck, and designer handbags on my arm or luggage.

Favorite Vacation Destination: I haven’t been everywhere yet, but Puerto Rico and Hawaii have been my favorite so far.

Necessary Luxury: iPhone, Macbook, and a luxury car.

3 Travel Things You Can’t Live Without: pillow, blanket and Internet

What does travel mean to you? A getaway, time to explore a new area for a change. Even if it’s somewhere you have visited before. We all need to get away from our daily life every once in awhile to come back refreshed. The world is a beautiful place and sometimes we live in our own little box. It’s important to visit other places in the world to also gain knowledge.

One of your guilty pleasures? Soap operas or reality TV.

What does luxury mean to you? Something amazing to the 10th power. There’s always levels to things. A better TV, better cars, better jewelry, you always want to strive to have the best of the best.

What is your favorite luxury item? My convertible Bentley Concours Series. It has diamond stitching, massage seats and so much more.

What is your favorite travel story? In Hawaii, I approached the beach. It was so beautiful. Then out of nowhere a whole bunch of what looked like big spiders came out of nowhere. I mean, they were everywhere, and they were so fast and big, scrambling everywhere. They were black crabs. I think that was the fastest I’ve ever run in my entire life. I ended up climbing the tree until they went away. There had to have been thousands of them. I was terrified.

How do you stay so stylish while traveling? Sometimes I wish I could bring my whole closet. I stay stylish because I overpack. There’s nothing better than knowing you’ve packed a ton of stuff for any occasion. I have to stay ready.

You recently celebrated the five-year anniversary of your clothing line. How did that venture evolve and what have been your greatest challenges? Is there anything you would change about your experience? I literally started very small – working out of my home, then into an office, then my own store, to being carried in other stores. I opened a store in Las Vegas and now in Los Angeles. We are outgrowing our LA store as we speak and getting ready to get into a bigger location. I am very humble. I appreciate everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. With any business, there is always struggle. It doesn’t always run smoothly. Having an amazing team is most important. You need to have employees who love their job and hold it down for you as if they were you. One of my greatest challenges was when an ex-employee stole all my patterns. I had to redesign hundreds of patterns and start all over. Meanwhile, clients were waiting for their orders, and it put me in a very hard spot for a really long time. Those who have crossed me till this day still haven’t prospered. We just have to keep going!

Your best travel tip: Airplane rides can be very boring. I always travel with a great book, magazines, iPad and a computer. It’s really hard to sit in one spot and pass the time. I think traveling with things to occupy your time with is very important. Especially for those who are impatient.

What was your experience like starring on Basketball Wives LA? I really like challenges. Being on this show was something different for me at the time. You really learn more about yourself because you’re put in situations you may not normally be in, in your everyday life. It’s not easy to feel disrespected or talked down to. Most of the time you would walk away from people and never have to see them again. Being on the show, I’ve learned to forgive and forget. Can’t always stay mad at people forever. I’ve learned to be more vocal and speak on how I feel. It’s okay to have an opinion, not everyone is going to like it, but that’s what makes us all different.

Who is your biggest influence? I’d have to say it’s a toss up between Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. These ladies are triple threats, amazing trend setters, go-getters, business women, and most importantly, great mothers.

All photos compliments of Angel Brinks.