Do you ever wake up and are just instantly elated by the fact that God blessed you by making you Black? Our skin, our hair, and our culture are all top tier. And if you’re a Black woman, wow, we’re just oh-so magical! Best Girl Store is a Black-owned, Black woman-owned, everyday semi-fine gold jewelry brand that carries everything from earrings to necklaces to rings, all embodying black girl magic. Having the right jewelry can easily take your outfit from nothing to something.
Need a piece that’s simple but eye-catching that makes you feel amazing and reminds you of your power, pairing it with your basic tee and jeans? That’s exactly what Best Girl Store has. I am so glad I was able to chat with Christina, CEO and Founder of this bomb brand about the importance of empowering Black women, why she only sells gold jewelry, and so much more!
At twenty-two years young, Christina, who is Haitian and a Florida native, is no newbie to this fashion life. She first got into fashion a few years ago by blogging and also being a Marketing major in college. By being the first generation of her family to go to school and start their own business, Christina wanted to make her family proud and incorporate all the many values they instilled in her. In 2018, she started her own sunglass line. Of course, in the sunny state of Florida sunglasses are pretty much an everyday accessory but business wasn’t doing so great! Her passion for it wasn’t there, so neither were the sales. By having the site hosted by Shopify and making roughly one sale a month, Christina was spending more money than she was actually making.
One night, while half asleep, Christina started thinking about the things in life that truly brought her joy but were also essential to Black culture and that’s when the idea of Best Girl Store came to mind. One of the first things I noticed about Best Girl Store was that all the jewelry was gold. If you look back at our history, you’ll see that gold jewelry has always played a huge role in our style. From Queens and Kings in Africa to the rope chains and bamboo earrings in the ’80s and ’90s, this is just a part of who we are and Christina is continuing to embrace that! Also, a lot of people may not know but Haiti is known for being one of the poorest countries but it actually has a huge hidden resource of gold. It was important for Christina to develop a brand that carries pieces that made women feel empowered and eager to wear as they start the day. Around this time last year, Christina began to rebrand and launched her first necklace, “6 figure”. Both manifestation and the Bible play a big role in her everyday life. So many women around her and who follow Best Girl Store are girl bosses, women entrepreneurs doing amazing things, so there needed to be something special dedicated to them. Securing the bag(s) and wearing that 6 figure necklace serves as a reminder and motivation to get up, get out, and get those coins!
With the 6 figure necklace being at the forefront of Best Girl Store, Christina wanted to include her love for abstract art into her brand. Storytelling, making sure the customers know the inspiration behind each piece of jewelry, was a core value. She works with Black designers to make her visions come to life and Black women photographers to catch the jewelry in perfect light. Christina has been representing women but especially Black women all throughout her brand. If you notice on the “Brown + Boujee” and “Black Girl Magic I +II” necklaces, they each have abstract faces of women with braids, full lips, wide noses, and more features similar to our own. Her Black Girl Magic necklace is her favorite because we truly are magical, talented, and a powerhouse, indeed. By using different Black women as muses, Christina is able to take her customers on a personal journey, making sure what they wear is speaking to them on a personal level. Nefertiti is always worn as a staple of Black excellence for women and Christina has created her pendants to go alongside as the modern-day versions.
COVID-19 has made 2020 a very interesting year but it didn’t stop Christina from going above and beyond with everything she already had planned for Best Girl Store. With the huge support of Black Lives Matter and Black-owned businesses emerging globally in June, Christina began to see a rush of new customers and followers on Instagram. The timing was so divine because she was getting ready to launch her next necklace. With people lacking originality, Christina sometimes worries about the copycats who may try to mimic her work but she’s a firm believer that what is for you, is for you and you only! Her support is through the roof because the brands’ authenticity can be felt and is respected.
It would be a dream come true for Beyoncé to one day rock some Best Girl Store pieces! Christina is a part of Bey Hive (gang, gang) and says that throughout the years The Queen has become more vocal, revolutionary, and stands tall in knowing her worth. Christina is still going through the motions of being a business owner. Doing collaborations with other brands, being on the shelves at stores, and expanding with more jewelry options are all possibilities for the future of Best Girl Store. There are no limits to what Christina is able to achieve with her brand and I am so happy for her. She’s already had so much success and it’s only up from here! Below, you’ll find a link to both the store’s website as well as their Instagram. Make sure you go check them out and buy a few pieces for yourself, your mom, your sisters, aunts, cousins, and your girlfriends! I’m so sure you’ll fall in love with all the black girl magic that each jewelry piece on Best Girl Store embodies!
