A fashion designer, who has built up her brand in just two years, reveals she now has a turnover of £1.5m.
Oliver Rubin, 37, who is based in London, started her brand when department store Selfridges approached her, after seeing her brightly coloured designs on Instagram.
She started her now successful label, which has many celebrity fans, including Lena Dunham and Fearne Cotton, with zero investment or even a business plan.
Now the designer, who has just launched a homewear range, reveals that her designs are stocked in over 50 stores and this year she’ll have £1.5 million turnover.
Oliver Rubin (pictured) who is based in London, started her brand just two years ago when London department store Selfridges approached her, after seeing her brightly coloured designs on Instagram
She started her now successful label, which has many celebrity fans, including Lean Dunham and Fearne Cotton (pictured) with zero investment or even a business plan
After graduating from Central Saint Martins College in London she worked with Alexander McQueen, Dior and John Galliano in Paris, where she assisted with Galliano’s main line collections, designing prints that were chosen for his womenswear lines.
After her success in the fashion world she took time out to start a family, but knew she wanted to jump back into the design world one day: ‘I missed having a creative outlet, so I started making colourful, rainbow-inspired clothes that would give my wardrobe a new lease of life.
‘My aim was to design unique, eclectic pieces at contemporary price points that could make women feel happy and vibrant, yet still be worn with versatility.’
But it wasn’t long before her designs got noticed: ‘It was growing so rapidly on social media that my page caught the eye of my now sales agent who said Selfridges had been in touch asking to stock me. I couldn’t believe it – Selfridges was always my pipe dream.’
Writer and actress Lena Dunham is the latest celebrity to be pictures in Olivia’s brightly coloured designs
After graduating from Central Saint Martins College in London Olivia (pictured) worked with Alexander McQueen, Dior and John Galliano in Paris, where she assisted with Galliano’s main line collections, designing prints that were chosen for his womenswear lines
The designer, who creates dresses, skirts and tops with an array of bright colours admits that she gets her inspiration from ‘rainbows, art, flowers and street style.’
While Oliva said that her personal style influences her: ‘I am definitely my brand. I rarely wear dark colours (unless they are a print base) and I feel so much more me in brights or pastels.
‘Colour affects mood and I think my colours and print bring that little bit of spark and joy. I applied this ethos into my homeware and living range collaboration with Etsy, to bring a little bit of my rainbow happiness into people’s homes.’
As the brand has became so successful, so quickly, she admits that seeing celebrities wear her designs, and even seeing them in store is amazing, is ‘surreal’. Pictured: Holly Willoughby in one of her dresses
The designer, who has just launched a homewear range, reveals that her designs are stocked in over 50 stores and this year she’ll have £1.5 million turnover
Over the last two years Oliva’s designs (pictured in one of her own dresses) have also been featured in British fashion titles including Vogue, Sunday Times Style and Elle
As the brand has became so successful, so quickly, she admits that seeing celebrities wear her designs, and even seeing them in store is amazing, is ‘surreal’.
‘My team is super small so I work on every process from design to production, visiting New York and Paris for sales to stores with my sale agency, to promoting the range and doing the PR.
‘All this work which build up to launches in worldwide department stores, and seeing celebrities I watch on TV wearing my clothes, make the graft seem so worthwhile.’
Singer Kelly Clarkson is pictured in one of Olivia’s rainbow inspired dresses – and is among on e of many celebrity fans of her label
Olivia (pictured) says that you have to love what you do as starting a business is a 24/7 commitment
Over the last two years her designs have also been featured in British fashion titles including Vogue, Sunday Times Style and Elle. While she says she feels ‘proud’ to have gone international
‘I’ve grown the brand so much this year that now we are focusing on building these core relationships with stores all over the world from Brazil to the US Middle East to Australia and Italy.’
However despite the success, she still only has four people working for her, based out of her Ladbroke Grove studio.
‘I have my right-hand woman, my rock, Lottie, Eve my superstar assistant, Ann my pattern cutter whom I’ve worked with for over 15 years and my sales agency Polly King.’
The fashion entrepreneur also showed her latest collection at London fashion week in September. Pictured: the model in her dresses
Olivia worked with Etsy sellers to create a homeware and living range that has colourful, happy vibes
Her brand has become so successful that she has also launched a homeware range, which includes bespoke lamps, colourful plates and even tie-dye pastel ombre cushions.
‘I worked with seven amazing UK Etsy sellers to create a homeware and living range that has colourful, happy vibes and special pieces to brighten any home in the run-up to the festive period.
‘I’m very proud of it’ I worked very closely with each seller, monitoring each stage of development, to make sure the collection reflected me as a designer but equally didn’t compromise the aesthetic of each seller.
‘Each piece is handmade, versatile and can be easily integrated into a home of any style.
Oliva’s brand has become so successful that she has also launched a homeware range, which includes bespoke lamps, colourful plates and even tie-dye pastel ombre cushions.
The fashion entrepreneur, who also showed her latest collection at London fashion week in September also admitted that her brand has ‘increased tenfold since last yea’ and her current turnover is £1.5million.
While she also said that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to start a business.
‘Be creative with ways about generating cash flow and ultimately be prepared for hard graft. You have to love what you do as starting a business is a 24/7 commitment.’
The Olivia Rubin X Etsy Home & Living Collection made in partnership with seven Etsy makers is available on etsy.com/featured/olivia-rubin now.