You're Invited! Curly Nikki x LoveBrownSugar Meet Up

NYC lovelies! I'm partnering up with one of my fave beauty bloggers Nikki of CurlyNikki.com to host a meet-up event on Thursday, October 20th at 10pm. Curly Nikki will be hosting a natural hair meet-up of her own that evening from 7pm-10pm (Her RSVP list is full, but see HERE for more deets).

As a follow-up to her event, we're hosting a super chic afterparty at Pranna Restaurant, 79 Madison Avenue (at 28th St) for all our 21 & up friends! Interested in joining? The event is open to the public, so come on down & bring friends. (NOTE: You DON'T have to be naturally curly to attend (lol), it's for everyone!) Space is limited so please RSVP to luvbrownsugar@gmail.com if you plan on attending.

Get there early - hope to see you then!

Flavor of Friday: [VIDEO] Rory Becca For Forever 21 Holiday Collection

Photo courtesy RACKED

 The lovely folks over at Forever 21 have sent me an exclusive video sneak peek of Forever 21's holiday collection collaboration with designer Rory Becca. Kicking off her first successful capsule collection with Forever 21 earlier this year, Rory's teamed up with the trendy retailer once again to release an entire collection of 18 pieces launching on October 21st. Here's an inside peek at what to expect!

Confessions of a Shopaholic: Republic of Foreigner

This week's shopaholic confession is a true confessions indeed. I've been keeping this little gem a secret since I found out about them a few months ago, but the time has come for me to unleash the greatness of this designer label for the greater good! In what I can best describe as DVF meets Boxing Kitten, these girls have captured the essence of bohemian chic meets Afro-centric sophistication.

Republic of Foreigner, a Nigerian-based designer label, is the brainchild of sisters Carmen and Selina Sutherland. Both UPENN grads (Selina was one of my classmates!), the up & coming design visionaries have recently embarked on starting their own collection based on their love for fashion and the lack of Nigerian brands that reflected their style.

The ladies gifted me a few pieces to try out from the collection and I ended up wearing this silk printed shift dress to the Arise: Made In Africa show during New York Fashion Week:

Photo courtesy Glamazon Diaries

 First of all, I thought the dress fit perfectly. And second, I was in love with the print and the mesh bell sleeves! I paired it with my Steve Madden leopard print platforms, Stacy Armand jewelry, my H&M fringe handbag and Michael Kors watch.

Photo courtesy Glamazon Diaries

Aside from the fact that the sisters are friends of mine, I have to say the clothes (especially because I'm addicted to prints) are absolutely amazing.

They have incredible fit, especially for women with curves, and trendy silhouettes that flatter different body types.

For more about Republic of Foreigner, check their website www.InTheRof.com and follow them on Twitter @LadyInTheRof

Dat Sh*t Cray: My Chance Encounter With Kanye

So since I announced yesterday that I ran into Kanye West at the premiere of Reed Between The Lines (HERE), I've gotten so many questions about my encounter with him. What's he like? Was he nice? Did he smell good? So I figured, what better way to capture my life-changing 45 second run-in with Mr.West than in a detailed list addressing my Kanye Encounter FAQs (frequently asked questions). So here they are:

1. Was he nice? I heard he was arrogant!

Don't believe all the hype. Contrary to popular belief, Kanye was incredibly nice and open to chatting for the all of 45 seconds I had with him. He was actually on his way out of the venue and (like a ninja, according to Sandrine Charles) I cut across the room, walked up to him and put my hand out to shake his hand. It went kind of like this...

Me: Hi Kanye! I'm Christina Brown!
Kanye: *smiles and shows bottom grill*
Me: I rushed over to catch you before you leave! Just wanted to let you know, as a fashion head, how much I love your new DW line. I saw the pictures from the runway during Paris Fashion Week and I thought you did an amazing job.
Kanye: Well, thanks Christina *wide grin*
Me: Will you take a picture with me?!
Kanye: Sure! *pulls me in close for the pic*

And that's how it went. A splendid encounter indeed.

2. What did he look like? (Runner up: What did he smell like?)

He looked exactly the way he looks on TV and in pics! Lol. No different. In my heels and curly fro, I was slightly taller than him but other than that he looked normal. No surprises. And he smelled great. Like a rich man.

3. What was he wearing?

He wore typical Kanye "just chillin'" attire - a flannel shirt, V-neck tee, jeans, sneakers, and a gold chain. (See pic with Tracee Ellis Ross)

4. How did you feel?

To be honest, Kanye might be one of the biggest stars I've met to date! I mean I met Jay-Z when I was like...14 years old at a Knicks game. And I met Beyonce in 7th grade when she was still a member of Destiny's Child. But besides them, yeah - this was pretty major, and random. I didn't really go to the premiere party with expectations of meeting 'Ye, but I'm super grateful I did.

It was a perfect lesson in the importance of getting to know someone (even briefly) before you pass judgment. Do I still shake my head at him for interrupting Taylor Swift at the VMAs that year? Yes, I do. But I have a newfound respect for him for taking 45 seconds of his life to say hello, be cordial, and take pics when he didn't have to. Definitely a stronger Kanye stan than I was before.

Special thanks to the lovely PR team at BET (@BET_PR) for inviting me to the event. Another special thanks to my stealth, ninja camera woman Sandrine Charles for capturing these pictures on my digicam (love you girl!)

Any other questions about my Kanye encounter? Hit me up in the comments section!

Kickin' It: Reed Between The Lines NY Premiere

Last night I was invited to midtown NYC's Bar Basque to premiere BET's newest original scripted series Reed Between The Lines starring Tracee Ellis Ross and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Can I tell you what an amazing night I had? I died a few times and came back to life. Between meeting one of my all-time hair & fashion idols Tracee Ellis Ross to my chance encounter with Kanye West, last night was an amazing whirlwind of star-gazing & swooning. Check out what I got into:

Cover Girls: Tika Sumpter for VIBE Vixen

Hollywood's newest "It-girl" Tika Sumpter chatted it up with Vibe Vixen recently for her exclusive digital cover issue this week. I had the pleasure of meeting Tika Sumpter (HERE) during fashion week, and let me say this girl is just as gorgeous in person as she is on screen. And she has a beautiful spirit, which isn't always true for many celebs.

Fierce or Foolish: Tracee Ellis Ross at BET Hip-Hop Awards

In my eyes, Tracee can do no wrong. Tracee Ellis Ross was spotted on the red carpet at the BET Hip-Hop Awards taping in Atlanta this weekend. She rocked a sequined dress, a purple lip and her beautiful bouncy curls. Can't wait to see her looks on her new BET show "Reed Between The Lines" premiering next week!

What do you think of her look? Fierce or foolish?

Check out more pics from the BET Hip-Hop Awards at UPTOWN

Get Like Me: Nneya Richards

Aspiring to break into the fashion industry or simply intrigued by it? Well LoveBrownSugar has something for ya! Our “Get Like Me” series highlights exclusive interviews with industry insiders from celebrity stylists to fashion designers, editors, fashion PR heads & more!

 Pulling looks for celebs, writing press releases, and traveling the globe - all in a day's work for this week's interviewee Nneya Richards. As a Public Relations Assistant for one of the UK's bestselling brands Topshop, this native New Yorker's claim to fame includes being one of the original Teen Vogue insiders from the magazine's conception. Whether it's landing Topshop looks on the likes of J.Lo and Beyonce or flying across the country as a brand ambassador, check out what her fashion PR lifestyle is all about: