Brandi Redmond is best known as the well-meaning, “Jesus juice” drinking, wild redhead on The Real Housewives of Dallas (RHOD). According to BravoTV.com, her claim to fame is being a five-time Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and that she “has no problem cartwheeling her way into the Dallas Drama.” That’s Drama with a capital D. Of course, that’s the Brandi we see on television.
Reality TV star, business owner, and mother of three, Brandi Redmond is so much more than a housewife.
When I meet Brandi at The Silo in Deep Ellum for our photoshoot, she’s wearing a cozy Victoria’s Secret sweatshirt with her hair in a messy bun and no makeup. Carrying a bag filled with shoes—a mix of heels and cowboy boots—along with a rolling rack of clothes from her line, Brandi Land, she’s soft-spoken at first but gives me a warm hug. As we head to hair and makeup, she excitedly declares that her sister-in-law and business partner, Megan, is picking up champagne on her way to the studio. Let the party begin.
Meet Brandi! Brandi Redmond will be showcasing Brandi Land at Plano Profile’s September Cover Party on September 12 at Industrious Plano, a premium co-working space at The Shops at Legacy. Tickets are very limited. Click her to register now.
Brandi Land
As Brandi’s makeup artist, Daniel, curls her signature copper locks, she reflects on the first year of Brandi Land. The idea of starting a clothing line came about while Brandi was perusing one of the marina shops owned by her husband and high school sweetheart, Bryan, and his family, who have been in the waterfront industry for over 20 years. That’s when she saw an opportunity.
“When you go to the marina shops, it’s basically a one-stop-shop for fishing gear. I thought it would be fun to have a [clothing] line that … women would like. We’re resort wear that you can dress up or down,” Brandi says.
Launched in February of 2017, all of Brandi Land’s clothing and accessories are hand-picked by her, including custom-made wine cups that say “But first, Jesus Juice” and “Take me to Brandi Land,” along with her signature T-shirt emblazoned with: “Wife. Mom. Boss.”
At the studio, Brandi goes through the clothing rack picking out new summer items for the models to wear. She selects dresses made of flowy material in pastel floral patterns and a couple of jewel-tone rompers. She describes the line as “easy, breezy and comfortable.”
“[Starting Brandi Land has] been challenging but very rewarding,” Brandi says. “It’s a learning process. One of the biggest challenges was taking a gamble on material. Quality was very important to me, and it pays off to choose high-end materials.”
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Eventually, Brandi wants to include more of her original designs in the line, in addition to the wine cups and T-shirts. Brandi Land isn’t just a money-making opportunity, but rather, a passion project.
“I think it’s important for women to find their passion, find something that inspires them,” she says. “Sometimes we get lost in taking care of other people or keeping up with everyone on social media. I hear so many women say, ‘Did you see what that person is doing? I wish I could do that.’ That mentality can be toxic, so I encourage women to create something you are proud of. We can be our own cheerleader, we just have to believe in ourselves to do it.”
Adopting Bruin
In reality, Brandi Land and being a star on RHOD are side projects. Brandi’s greatest joy is being a mom. For those who don’t watch RHOD, at the end of the second season, Brandi opened up to her best friend, Stephanie Hollman, about having a miscarriage and saw a fertility doctor with her husband. The doctor informed them about the risks of getting pregnant again, so Brandi and Bryan made peace with the idea of not having another child.
“We were fine with it being us four, [me, Bryan and our two girls, Brooklyn and Brinkley]. Unexpectedly, we found out about a baby boy who needed adopting. We always wanted a boy, so Bryan and I flew out to meet him. And we fell in love.”
Before meeting her new baby, Bruin, Brandi had never thought about adopting. When she was a kid, her parents adopted her younger brother who had special needs. She saw firsthand how difficult it was on her family in addition to her father being in the military and constantly moving around the country.
“I had a big fear of the unknown,” Brandi admits. “But the moment I met Bruin, when I held him for the first time, it was waterworks. Everything kicked in. It was a God thing. God was teaching me to get over this fear. And [Brooklyn and Brinkley are] so excited about being big sisters. They coo over him all the time. I can’t even get his attention when they’re in the room because he just wants them.
Real Mom of Plano
Brandi gushes about her favorite spots in Plano, like Legacy Hall and Gleneagles Country Club, and how much she loves raising her family here. She laughs when people compare Plano to Dallas, or try to say that one is better than the other.
“In Plano we have such a good vibe. You can dress up, but you don’t have to be over the top. I think it’s the perfect city. At the end of the day, we’re really one and the same. We all come together as a community.”
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Brandi had a much different childhood than her kids. Because her father was in the Navy, she attended 13 different schools growing up.
“Moving to and from different regions and cities taught me a lot about understanding where people come from and their different backgrounds. It also made me a loving and open person. I remember in high school seeing freshmen who didn’t know anybody. So, I’d have lunch with them, because I’ve been that kid before. I encourage my girls to do the same. I think it’s important to teach your children kindness.”
Brandi doesn’t shy away from the fact that while she’s teaching her children these lessons of kindness, she and the cast of RHOD don’t necessarily emulate those values. She even admits that watching herself on television has been eye opening.
“Being on [RHOD] has taught me a lot about who I am. It’s weird watching yourself and thinking, wow, I handled that horribly, or I cuss too much. It puts your life into perspective, but you also don’t want to hold back because you want to be authentic. I’ve learned that when my girls come home from school and say, so-and-so got in trouble, I say, ‘Now you’re kind of gossiping, it’s not your business.’ I sound like a hypocrite, but I want to teach my children that you don’t want to be in the drama. It’s not healthy.”
Despite the drama and the “rollercoaster friendships”, Brandi says being on the show has been a blessing.
“It’s crazy because [the show] has offered me so many things I would have never expected. I met my grandfather for the first time. It helped my marriage grow stronger. And without it, I would have never had the opportunity to adopt this precious baby boy that I love unconditionally like I love my little girls.”
Check out Brandi’s clothing line at shopbrandiland.com
Meet Brandi! Shop Brandi Land
Join us as we celebrate our 2018 Style issue with a cover party, fashion event and luxury pop-up boutique. Hosted at Industrious Plano, you’ll be partying in style with fellow fashionistas all night long.
Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served and catering is provided by Roys Restaurant Plano.
Shop the latest fashion trends from Brandi Land by Brandi Redmond of the Real Housewives of Dallas, Blue Mercury, Pockets Menswear, Coach and Bonobos.
Industrious is a coworking office space that provides established companies with stunning offices, five-star service, inviting hospitality and productivity-driven design that makes people excited and proud to come to work. It is opening a new location at The Shops at Legacy in Plano that will include conference rooms, individual phone rooms, a wellness room and two focus rooms. Building amenities include an onsite fitness center, outdoor courtyard with WiFi, and even a restaurant on the lower lobby – Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.
We are excited to partner with Industrious for our cover party and fashion event and to celebrate the opening of their Plano location. With its sleek and sophisticated design, Industrious Plano embodies the very style of Plano Profile’s September issue.
We hope you can join us for a stylish evening of celebrating fashion in Collin County!
Tickets are $35 per person. Space is very limited. Click here to register now.
