Behind the Brand: Olivia Rubin

Renowned for mood-boosting designs, rainbow palettes, and unique femininity, Olivia Rubin’s eponymous collection offers a plethora of playful prints, bold colors, and Insta-worthy aesthetics. We caught up with Olivia to find out more about the brand and what’s in store for Olivia Rubin London...

Describe your brand in 3 words

Colorful, feminine, and uplifting.

Tell us the story behind Olivia Rubin London.

After taking a few years out to focus on family, I initially launched the brand from my kitchen table. With a focus on modern femininity and colorful style, I wanted to revive the brand by focusing on bestselling dresses, standout skirts and brightly colored prints that myself and my friends would wear.

What’s been a highlight for the brand so far?

The brand is around 5 years old now and grew particularly well throughout the lockdown periods. I think the idea of joyful design and dopamine and dressing through such a difficult period really contributed to the growth of the brand. I love the idea that my designs were offering some sense of comfort and were a source of some happiness in such hard times.

You’re renowned for your rainbow aesthetic and bright and bold palettes, do you have a favorite color combination?

Every color of the rainbow! I think that the rainbow aesthetic is a neutral – you can pair it with any colored accessory, and it still looks elegant and seamless. Another personal favorite is pink, yellow and blue omber that we took from a best-selling sweater and reworked onto pillows and throws.

What inspires you the most?

A big inspiration for me always is my family and my two girls. Outside of this, seeing other people dressing for their mood contributes massively towards inspiration for both pattern and design. Pairing more modern patterns with vintage silhouettes from the ‘60s and ‘70s also adds to the essence of the brand - updated with a refreshing color palette of course.

Have you always been interested in interior design?

Developing a homeware collection always felt like a natural extension of the brand for me. I think if you could create a happy and joyous mood through the clothes that you wear in everyday life, why wouldn’t you want that to extend to your surroundings? Especially now with remote working and people spending a lot more time in their homes, I think there is a revived sense of being house-proud and people wanting to enjoy their own space more.

How was designing for the home different than designing fashion?

We always design the clothing lines as investment pieces, as we want people to re-wear their favorite pieces. So when designing homeware, we wanted to carry across this same mindset of them being investment pieces you can have in your home for a long time, without losing the colorful essence of the brand. That’s why a lot of the homeware, especially the bone china, is in our signature rainbow print – you can pair them with any colored accessories within your home, have them solely as a centerpiece, or mix and match prints for a more eclectic feel.

How would you describe your own personal interior style?

Colorful, inviting, modern and energetic

What tips do you have for anyone wanting to bring some color into their home?

Start off small with accessories and soft furnishings like throw pillows and rugs before investing in anything too permanent such as patterned wallpaper or statement furniture. An accent wall is also a great place to start experimenting with the different moods color can bring, and the relationship between certain colors. Pay close attention to how you feel in a particular space or when looking for inspiration online, and implement similar elements into your own home.

What’s next for Olivia Rubin London?

As well as launching Homeware, we’ve just launched our first Childrenswear line which is available online. We will also be continuing this by bringing out another collection alongside the Womenswear Resort Collection ‘23. We have a few exciting collaborations in the pipeline, and always want to continue our journey towards size inclusivity so that everyone of all sizes can look and feel their best in our designs.