Melbourne fashion designer Oletta Woodman has always been interested in the idea that what you wear can influence how you are perceived by others.
“I began learning to sew when I was 11,” says Oletta. “I would always be experimenting with sewing and fabrics and outfits when I was younger. I slowly began refining my skills in sewing through a combination of self taught experimenting, attending fashion university, and interning under couture designers in Melbourne.
CREATING A FASHION LABEL BUILT ON INDIVIDUALITY
“It was always my goal and dream to start my own brand, I could never see myself working for someone else. I love how owning my own label continues to push me into areas, spaces, and ideas that I never considered or thought possible, there’s endless opportunities and room for growth and self exploration.”
Oletta launched her eponymous brand in 2022, after building the brand concept for two years.
“I truly began thinking about designing in a brand/business sense in 2020. Giving myself space and permission to create styles that I wanted to be seen. I began developing my designs based on the concept of ‘creating beauty’, meaning connecting to one’s own personal sense of what beauty means for them — whether it’s through style, self expression, or self acceptance.
“I’ve continued to work from this ethos and it’s become one of my foundational values of my work,” she says.
The brand’s name was an easy choice according to the designer: “Oletta seemed the most easy to remember and it’s unique enough to suit the concept of a brand. Not much thought went into this,” she laughs.
“I’d say I ‘launched’ in 2021 with a small collection, and a photoshoot with some of my friends. The collection was called ‘Black & Gold’. It was the first full collection I put together and made intentional marketing around. The collection and photoshoot came together so beautifully I knew I had to keep creating designs and building my brand because I just wanted to continue being in those environments.”
WHY NO TWO OLETTA GARMENTS ARE EVER THE SAME
Oletta says that she is mostly inspired by the women she interacts with: “Often I’ll see how someone has worn something and it will trigger inspiration and a new way to experiment with design.
“I also have so many conversations with women about feeling beautiful and comfortable in clothing, this has influenced my passion to focus heavily on clothing that feels good.”
Oletta the brand came from the designer’s goal of “supporting individual and authentic expression through clothing, embracing the concept of one-of-a-kind through the medium of clothing”.
“The brand’s aesthetic focuses on feminine silhouettes by using colours, fabrics, textures and prints that hint at elements of the 90s aesthetic. My designs rely on soft, flowing, elegant fabrics that delicately embody a feminine silhouette, or by using minimalist styles and techniques that focus on finding the balance of a functional aesthetic,” Oletta explains.
DESIGNING WITH DEADSTOCK FABRICS AND CONSCIOUS CREATIVITY
From a sustainable perspective, Oletta says that her designs “prioritise using repurposed and deadstock fabrics and off-cuts of fabrics”.
“The design and fabric combination is only ever made once and never repeated, creating the unique one-of-a-kind pieces which are the nature of the brand.”
Moving forward, Oletta says that she plans to continue to encourage individuality and authenticity through clothing.
“I want to continue building the brand, for it to become a community in the creative industry. I want to work in collaboration with other creatives who excel in their own fields like photographers, models, sewists and other designers who also want to create one-of-a-kind pieces.”
For more information and to shop Oletta, go to www.oletta.co and follow at @olettta