Work Crush: Roxy Navai
Samantha Jones, eat your heart out
Meet my Work Crush <3 This Q+A series is where you can get to know talented and tasteful friends of the letter. Each with careers, brands, and brains I follow with deep admiration!
If you ask me (and many others), Roxy Navai is the total embodiment of The Modern PR Girl. With an inherent instinct for cool, and take-charge, entrepreneurial spirit, it comes naturally to her. The best part though, is that Roxy has an actual heart of gold. She radiates warmth, and authentic generosity that you just do not come across often in…The Industry. Founder of her own boutique PR firm, RX STUDIO, it’s clear she cares deeply about what she’s building—especially who with—and it shows.
Both Toronto girls, when we do find ourselves in the same city (Roxy’s based most of the time in Paris) and able to catch up…it’s a treat. I love being in her orbit, I think you will too.
Roxy, thank you for being here <3 You cut your teeth at Karla Otto, and I could imagine that’s…no joke. What was your most significant takeaway from that time?
Working at Karla Otto was a transformative experience; I met incredible people who are still a huge part of my life and career today. It really helped shape me professionally, and led me to start RX STUDIO in 2020.
The biggest takeaway? Without a doubt, the power of relationships. In PR, your network isn’t just about knowing people — it's about building a diverse community and mutual respect, which is something I learned firsthand at KO. The friendships and partnerships I built there are so valuable to me. I’ll always look back on my years at KO as a defining part of my journey and one of the most inspiring and educational experiences of my life. I’m extremely grateful.
Was there a gut feeling involved when it came to going out on your own?
Starting RX STUDIO was a balance of feeling both too young and too old; I had the skills and expertise, but there was that nagging voice of doubt that said I might need to be older, with more “life experience.”
Seeing my mom’s success as a self-made immigrant entrepreneur gave me that final nudge. I’m in awe at her every day, and I’m very lucky to have her as a mentor in this space. Over time, I’ve learned that age and timing are just noise; what matters most is trusting when you feel ready. For me, 27 was the perfect moment, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.
Tell us about a recent RX project that you’re still buzzing over…
Definitely the Tyler McGillivary New York Fashion Week show this past February. We’ve worked on several shows over the years, but this just felt so special as the brand’s debut runway show. There was this wild, contagious energy in the room. She’s really here to remind everyone that fashion can be fun — joyful, colourful, inclusive — and I think that message really landed. The crowd, the casting, the reviews… It just felt like a genuine moment, and we were thrilled to have such an incredible turnout for her first show. [editor’s note: I was there. Energy was palpable.]
We’ve got more TMG events in the works, and I’m so excited to see where it all leads. There’s this rare clarity in her vision that makes our job as publicists feel less like promotion and more like amplification. Stay tuned…
Who, to you, is a breath of fresh in the industry right now?
I actually find myself most inspired by musicians these days. There’s just something so unique and personal about the way they approach image-making and world-building. Right now, I’m loving Yves Tumor, 2hollis, sombr and Daine (and her stylist, our amazing friend Vy Nguyen!) — all of whom we’re lucky to collaborate with through RX STUDIO.
I’m also obsessed with what Sam Woolf is doing with Doechii’s styling. It’s been such a privilege to play a small part in that journey. Seeing what the two of them have crafted over the last few months is so inspiring.
On the brand side, we at RX are incredibly luckily to work with clients who are constantly pushing boundaries. Vagabond Shoemakers is a great example — they’re not only deeply committed to sustainability, but they recently pledged €1.4 million in donations this year to causes like Doctors Without Borders, cancer rehab programs, and mental health initiatives. That level of accountability is so rare in fashion. I hope more brands follow their lead and recognize that beauty and impact can — and should — coexist.
I’m always curious to ask people with excellent taste…where do you look for inspiration?
Lately, I find myself digging more into the past. I guess that’s what your thirties do to you — suddenly your teen references feel like sacred texts. I get endless inspiration from old runway archives, music videos, artist interviews, and the songs that shaped me. I recently re-watched the “What You Waiting For?” video by Gwen Stefani and I was genuinely floored. I don’t think I had the capacity to understand it when I was 12 — but now? The Galliano…The Vivienne…The Alice in Wonderland metaphors. It’s genius. I honestly think about it weekly.
[You already know how I agreeable I am to this perfect answer. I wrote an entire ode to Stefani’s ‘Cool’.]
I want to speak a little bit to your (incredible) personal style. Do you subscribe to a formula for getting dressed everyday? Or are you led by your mood?
I actually fully wing it. I’ve always been that way. Even as a kid, I was never the one laying out outfits the night before. I like to keep it playful and spontaneous with my wardrobe, even if I have pieces that I gravitate towards and wear the most (I guess I’m an outfit repeater at heart.) For the most part, I dress based on how I want to feel. It’s intuitive.
Except for fashion week — that’s a different beast. You need to plan ahead or you’ll end up in a full spiral at 6am every morning for 10 days straight. But otherwise, I let the mood lead.
[Still not over this carousel of wedding dresses (that didn’t make the cut) R shared recently…one more major than the next.]
I love girl mess…can we peek in your bag? What’s on you at you at all times?
I love girl mess too…it’s a personality type. I can’t live without my vintage MiuMiu “Unity Is Strength” bag (a hand-me-down from my mom!). Plus…
wired headphones — I’ve somehow never tried AirPods and I’m not about to start now.
my CHIMI ‘Caine’ sunglasses — rain or shine, they’re glued to me.
RX stickers — you never know when the urge to share them (or stick them somewhere) might strike…
I always like to cap off with a mini city guide. For your next vist, Roxy’s Paris —
for drinking wine over candlelight?
Vivant — it’s one of those rare spots that just perfects that Parisian, candlelit atmosphere. Also: Chez Jeannette, Chop Chop, La Perle.
for eating something unforgettable?
I would make sure to hit Le Relais de Venise, Aux Deux Amis and Le Petit Lutetia for Parisian classics.
for art that makes you cry?There are a lot of amazing new galleries popping up like Sceners Gallery, which are more conceptual and use interiors and sculpture as their art form. I love just getting lost in the streets of the Marais! There’s so much art and inspiration in the architecture of Paris alone…
shopping, SVP? (vintage spots also welcome)The CHIMI boutique in the Marais is a must — it’s so close to my heart after the time our team spent building a community there. I’m also obsessed with At Dawn, Predilection, and my friend Victoria’s spot, Chez Snow Bunny. The curation is consistently refreshing.
Massive thanks to Roxy for letting me pick her brain relentlessly! Keep up with her at @roxynavai, and @rxstudio.co. And watch that space, duh. I seriously need to go buy Chimi Sunglasses now (I like these!). xx
Crushing hard? More below…<3
ROXY ⭐️
YES the Gwen Stefani music video!!! I totally forgot about this and now it’s bringing me LIFE