Zooming With Zeda: Olivia Rubin

First of all, would you like to introduce yourself and what you do, in your own words?

I’m fashion designer and CEO of my brand Olivia Rubin, a fashion brand that focuses on colour and print.

What are some of your motivations or inspirations to keep on creating?

I’ve always been an ideas person so design and creative motivation has been at the core of what I do and who I am. I’m inspired by my surrounding and the people in my life from family to friends and everybody I work with and meet in my day-to-day life.

Tell us about a day in the life of Olivia.

Eek that could take a while! I always drop my daughters off at school before heading to work. My days vary with no one day being the same. A lot of the week is spent in our studio working on new collections, delivering new products, focusing on everything from accounts to the website to socials. Being a business owner, my work never stops so I’m often emailing late into the night and on weekends like I am at the moment!

What is one of your favourite or proudest memories over your career?

Opening a shop; a dream that became a reality for four months. Having my name above a door and my own space to meet new customers and a home for our collections was a special time. We trialled a pop up with a view to move to a more permanent space in the future.

What would be your favourite thing about the current creative scene?

Freedom of expression and promoting inclusivity within the industry.

Could you share any advice or words of wisdom you may have for anyone looking to get their foot into your industry?

Work experience! I worked for approx. two years as well as school holidays building up my CV with different designers. Internships allow you to explore the industry and see the inner workings of a fashion label as well as allowing me to hone in on my strengths as a designer.

Knowing what you know now, is there anything that you would do differently concerning your career?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I feel as though making mistakes and learning from those mistakes first hand is also invaluable. I really don’t think I would be where I am today if I hadn’t followed my gut instinct and made errors in the process. Remember to trust your instinct and it’s always ok to change your mind!

Would you care to share any hopes or dreams for 2022? 

To keep growing as a brand. I think it has been tough for fashion post pandemic, so we want to keep the consistency of our aesthetic going while also moving in a more elevated direction. I am coming up to 5 years of the brand, so we want to work on a rebrand for 2023.

Any last words you’d like to share with our readers?

A dedicated work ethic is key for fashion. My brand is an extension of me which sounds and is exciting but behind the scenes is a lot of work, potential stress and responsibility. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do and would never trade it in but be prepared for 24/7 graft. 

Very is proud to announce fashion designer and entrepreneur, Olivia Rubin, as a brand ambassador as part of the brand’s sponsorship of Very Ladies Day at this year’s Dublin Horse Show. Two fashion powerhouses, Very and Olivia Rubin, are joining forces and Olivia will be on the prestigious judging panel for The Very Best Dressed award on the 18^th of August in the RDS. To find out more about Very visit Very.ie and follow the conversation on social with #VeryLadiesDay, #BeVeryYou and @very.ireland.