Olive & Olivia

Hi, im olivia

Title

Almost ten years ago, I was standing at the bus stop of Kent State’s central hub, waiting to head back to the mall for what felt like the millionth time in search of a power suit. I knew that struggle all too well: wanting to feel like a powerhouse, yet never finding something that actually fit.

 

That moment stuck with me. I realized how ridiculous the journey is for women as consumers and how the fashion industry built a system that works against us. I recognized the opportunity, and I decided to do something about it.

 

Like many passion-driven founders, I started with what I knew. That’s how Olive began with the Linky Lou Suit Set - inspired by my mother, the original Linky Lou - made from the finest Turkish fabric in a limited run.

 

But then COVID-19 hit. My excitement quickly turned into heartbreak. My dream was crumbling, and my personal life was too — health issues, a car accident, fired and financially unstable. For a while, it felt like everything was slipping away.

 

And yet, everything happens for a reason. I used that time to grow into the founder I needed to be — one capable of building not just a product, but an industry-shifting solution.

 

With support from The Pathways Program, InnovatePGH, Carnegie Mellon, and so many others, Olive evolved into exactly what it was meant to be: not just clothing, but a new system. A system designed to celebrate women’s beautiful figures while modernizing one of the most complex industries in the world.
Title

Hi, im olive

Title

People often ask if the brand was modeled after me. At first, it wasn’t intentional.

 

When my brand team asked what I wanted Olive to embody, I said this: She should feel like a friend you go to the mall with, the one who hypes you up, encourages you to treat yourself, and always leaves you feeling refueled.

 

That’s who Olive is. She empowers every woman she meets, and she’s built to create deeper connections with the women she serves.

 

From the very beginning, Olive was designed to support women. That’s why I often talk about her like a friend — because she was never meant to be just a brand.

 

When we were choosing names, I kept trying to knock Olive off the list, but nothing else fit. The name worked. The logo worked. That abstract face was created without defining features, so every woman could see herself in Olive.

 

What most people don’t know is that the strength and confidence in that face came from one of my old portfolio  photos. For a while, I hesitated to share that. But now, I’m proud. Because if Olive can carry my strength forward and give it back to every woman who encounters her, then that’s exactly the point.