A Nearer Take a look at Olandria Carthen’s Rise to Fashion Stardom
It all began with a “examine your DM” remark underneath one in every of Olandria Carthen’s Instagram posts. No, it wasn’t spam, a bot, or an unrequited love curiosity; it was Matthew Reisman, one half of the styling duo often called The Reismans. Just days after Olandria wrapped filming season 7 of the hit actuality TV present Love Island USA—which her followers jokingly name her “summer time internship”—the Reismans had been already lining her as much as be vogue’s latest It lady.
You’ll typically see “Love Island USA Season 7 runner-up” precede Olandria’s title, however she needs the planet to know she’s far more than that. “It’s not the place you begin; it is the way you end. In a minute, that is not going to be my solely title,” Olandria proudly says to a crowd gathered on the sixth flooring of Dumbo House for a panel hosted by Creative Society, an area for creatives to form the tradition by way of connection, collaboration, and inspiration. Alongside her stylists Matthew and Reginald Reisman, whose roster consists of Victoria Monét, Ariana Grande, Coco Jones, Angel Reese, Da’Vine Joy, Niecy Nash-Betts, and extra, Olandria spoke about going from a breakout actuality TV star to a mannequin, high-profile movie star, and vogue icon in lower than a 12 months. (Spoiler alert: CEO is subsequent).
(Image credit score: Getty Images)
But this success didn’t occur in a single day, and Olandria’s posts on X earlier than she even set foot within the Love Island villa are proof. As I sat throughout from her and the Reismans after the occasion, one in every of my first questions was about her manifestation methods. “I did not notice how a lot I used to be sharing my desires and aspirations on the web. When you might have such a small account, nobody’s trying, nobody’s checking for you, so for years, I used to be doing that,” she says. By the look in her eyes, I can inform she’s nonetheless in awe of how her life has reworked. “God actually gave me all the things I ever needed inside one 12 months,” she tells me. Ironically, it is the one 12 months she did not diligently create temper boards and purpose lists. She relied closely on her religion and waited patiently, unaware that the posts she thought would solely be seen by family and friends would come to fruition earlier than the eyes of tens of millions.
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As for that “examine your DM” remark, the Reismans revealed that they acknowledged one thing particular in Olandria lengthy earlier than she left the Love Island villa. “She reminded us of Naomi [Campbell],” Reggie tells the group. “We needed to deliver that ’90s-supermodel side that she undoubtedly has out.” In Olandria’s seek for a workforce post-show, she was on the lookout for a family-like bond, reasonably than one thing transactional. “I knew my new life was going to take time away from household and associates, and household is one thing that I actually prioritize and actually maintain to the next commonplace,” she says. “We actually will FaceTime for hours and hours day-after-day. I go to sleep on the cellphone with these guys. I get up on the cellphone with these guys.” Being within the room with this trio, you may see the love and safety they’ve for one another and the way that interprets to the aura she brings to the style planet.
By now, you’ve got in all probability seen the Barbie comparisons all around the web, together with the general public requests for Olandria to have her personal Barbie doll. “It’s loopy as a result of I’ve all the time needed to be somebody’s private Barbie. I really like taking part in gown up, and that is precisely what I do with these guys,” she says. Now, the planet affectionately calls her “Bama Barbie,” a title she and her workforce took a step additional with an unique Barbie activation at Coachella this 12 months. Talk a few full-circle second. “Bama Barbie existed within the planet to us already, so after we bought our fingers on her, we had been like, ‘Oh, you need Barbie? We bought your Barbie,'” Matthew says to the group.
But behind the doll-like options is an actual lady from the South who had a reasonably extraordinary life with a 9-to-5 job in Houston lower than two years in the past.
(Image credit score: Getty Images)
She’s been such a champion in having each carpet be this ‘I instructed you so’ or ‘f*ck you’ second.
Matthew Reisman
Those who did not tune into the most-viewed TV present of summer time 2025 however did watch the 2025 VMAs bought to bear witness to the genesis of Olandria’s vogue profession. Donning an all-red bodice with a sheer layer from Cheney Chan’s pre-fall 2025 assortment, you’d by no means even know this was her crimson carpet debut. “I’d had a number of Getty photos, however like, an official Getty on a carpet, I’d by no means skilled, and I crushed it.” That’s a giant understatement, by the way in which. “I’m these movies of me strolling, trying behind my shoulder, trying again, all that. I’m like, ‘wait a minute, lady, have you ever been earlier than?'” she jokes. “It made me sit up for much more carpets. I really feel like [the] VMAs had been such an emotional second for me, and it actually solidified in my head, that is what you are imagined to do.”
When requested about what goes on behind the scenes earlier than Olandria steps onto a carpet and that first digicam flashes, Reggie’s reply is instantaneous: “the hustle for positive.” The glitz and glamour comes with a aspect of grit and persistence. People do not see “the combat for the manufacturers, the combat to get her into these areas and to be seen [by] the designers and the design groups. It actually is a combat behind the scenes. We make it look really easy, however it isn’t straightforward.” The Reismans make sure that to be clear together with her about these rejections “as a result of we must be on this hustle collectively to vary that and to have the moments that we would like.” According to Matthew, “vogue is political and you’ll’t keep away from the apparent that typically race is a factor in vogue and we all know that firsthand in reaching out to manufacturers and publicists and the responses we get for sure shoppers.” Matthew adoringly appears at Olandria when he says, “she’s been such a champion in having each carpet be this ‘I instructed you so’ or ‘f*ck you’ second as a result of these folks come again, and he or she simply carries that so properly.”
Since her debut, Olandria has graced many crimson carpets, together with the Golden Globes and Paris Haute Couture Week in January, the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in March, and the 4th annual Fashion Trust U.S. Awards in April. Despite being catapulted into this new planet in a matter of months, this did not cease the Reisman’s (who many name the Dream Team) from taking dangers. When Olandria sat entrance row on the Valentino Haute Couture S/S 26 present, she transported us again to the ’70s with a bohemian multi-print maxi gown with fur trim and crimson heels. In our interview, she revealed she was so nervous in regards to the look and the way her fanbase, which she affectionately refers to as her “Ola dolls,” would obtain it. “When I initially tried that outfit on, I’m it hanging, like, okay, I do not actually see the imaginative and prescient,” she says. In worry of the look getting older her, “we opened up the bust, and put some gems there to attempt to make it younger and trendy. And then I used to be like, you already know what? Let’s give it an period: ’70s. That’s massive hair. Crazy glam. Crazy lashes. And it type of simply turned a complete factor.” The Dream Team labored in tandem with movie star make-up artist Ngozi Edeme (AKA Painted by Esther), who used her signature blush method to attain a mega viral second followers cannot cease referencing to at the present time.
I needed to be attractive on each carpet after that. That look was essentially the most daring factor I’ve ever finished. I by no means thought I might go to a crimson carpet and be that revealing.
Olandria
Luckily, these iconic appears do not die on the crimson carpet. Some of the items get to dwell on perpetually in Olandria’s closet, however in response to her, the one she needs in a shadowbox is her all-white Vanity Fair Oscar After Party gown. For this evening specifically, her one request was a backless second. Unlike different massive occasions, this gown was her solely possibility, so the nerves had been at an all-time excessive. “Vanity Fair was, like, one of many riskiest issues we have ever finished, and that was [my] first time going to a carpet with out anyone on my workforce. Like, no person. I used to be so nervous,” she tells me. The customized Pajtim Raci robe left Olandria nearly utterly uncovered with a deep V, an open again adorned with a diamond Azature necklace, cut-outs on the edges, and sheer wing-like trains.
“Having a backless gown with some double-Ds like [mine]? Some pure ones that do not sit up? I’m like, how are we going to drag this off?” she laughs. The Reismans had been simply as nervous as Olandria, however refused to let her know till after. They relied on a shoebox filled with seven totally different tapes and a prayer, however that belief is what bought her onto a number of best-dressed lists. “Once I had that feeling of what that felt like, I needed to be attractive on each carpet after that. That look was essentially the most daring factor I’ve ever finished. I by no means thought I might go to a crimson carpet and be that revealing.” Don’t count on Olandria to shrink back from being attractive anytime quickly. “I really like that we’re bringing attractive again to the carpet. I do not just like the clean-girl look. We’re nonetheless younger, and it is enjoyable,” she says. Though this look opened her thoughts to how she might present up on the crimson carpet, she nonetheless apprehensive she would not prime it. I hate to spoil the ending, however the Dream Team continues to boost the bar, making each single crimson carpet her greatest.
(Image credit score: Xavier Duah, Creative Society, Soho House)
If you are prepared for no matter else Olandria has in retailer for us, get in keeping with the remainder of the Ola dolls who work additional time to decode her upcoming vogue appears, preserve her trending, and guarantee there is a sold-out sticker on each product she promotes. “We had a operating joke for a very long time: Who’s the mole within the camp?” Matthew says of the followers’ tendency to foretell what Olandria will put on subsequent. “When we land on one thing, it is humorous to see the follow-up, and so they’re like, ‘I referred to as it! My parlay hit,'” Matthew jokes because the room erupts in laughter. Olandria says their spot-on predictions may be “type of scary typically,” however she loves how in tune they’ve turn out to be together with her private fashion and vogue selections.
Despite Olandria’s mystique, she is extremely tapped into the neighborhood she’s constructed over the previous 12 months and a half. “When you might have so many lovely Black and brown ladies trying as much as you, even the older ones, I’ve a job. I’ve an important duty, and I need to use my platform for good. I need to make sure that my actions match up with my phrases too,” Olandria tells a room full of creatives of all ages. Carrying the load and stress of being a Black lady who’s new to this trade is not any straightforward feat, however she refuses to let imposter syndrome speak her out of those areas. “When I type of really feel misplaced, and I stroll into these rooms, and I’m one in every of … the one ones that appear to be me, I do not sit round and wait for somebody to validate my existence. I stroll in like I do know I should be right here. I do not want anybody to inform me I should be right here.” Olandria’s success is a testomony to that. Expect to see her photographs flooding your social media feed throughout Milan Fashion Week, and when it is time to jumpstart what she calls her “CE-Ola period,” we’ll be the primary in line to buy her bodycare model.
