Fashion Editor Yety Akinola speaks to Olivia Totman, a 20-year-old graduate from the Fashion Retail Academy (owned by Topshop’s Phillip Green), sample items from whose collection have been requested for fashion-forward celebs like Lady Gaga and Alexa Chung.
Tell us about your company.
My clothes range, including a combination of dresses, jeans, scarves and t-shirts, is called Angelika. It’s a treasure trove of unique pieces and every line is carefully hand painted. I’m currently working on my winter collection which features cashmere, leather jackets and leggings. Along with women’s wear I have a baby range out and in the New Year I will be working on a men’s range. I’m also talking with top boutiques in London and LA with regards to expanding my collection to stores in these markets.
What have been the highlights of the last year?
My collection was picked up in three top boutiques in Ibiza, St Tropez and will be featured in Brazil next summer. Angelika most recently has been featured in a Berlin fashion magazine, which has since contacted me requesting a garment for Lady GaGa. Samples have also been requested for Alexa Chung and Alesha Dixon. To top it off, I’m eagerly anticipating my clothes going live next week: check out www.spoiledbrat.co.uk to purchase Angelika online.
If you could give yourself a tip when you were starting out, what would it be?
When I was first starting out I was very nervous and too kind to people, which resulted in me losing money and clients. My tip: be tougher, be wiser and have more belief in yourself and your brand.
Where do you see yourself and your business in the next three to five years?
I would like to see Angelika in boutiques in New York, LA and across Europe. I would also like to have two Angelika Boutiques in London, one for children’s clothes and the other stocking men and women’s clothing.
To get in contact with Olivia, concerning projects or stockists check out www.angelikalondon.com
