When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.
Jumping on a video call with Chava Studio designer Olivia Villanti feels like reconnecting with an old friend.
There are no formal introductions.
It was really challenging trying to raise him in NYC.
It was a lot.
My husband and I were both working a ton.
It just wasn’t really what we wanted," she says.
Juggling work and mom life is a familiar struggle.
“I just got really burnt out,” she tells me point blank.
Through those connections, she landed an editor role at Conde Nast’s former shopping publication,Lucky Magazine.
Villanti works in her studio in Mexico City, Mexico.
Marie Claire: Who is currently influencing your work as a designer?
I studied ballet when I was young and switched to modern dance when I was about 16.
I was focused on dance theater, specifically studying it through the lens of Pina Bausch, my mentor.
She does many things beautifully, but she’s a technically proficient dancer.
Her performances have moved me to tears.
MC: Do you have any of your own rules or techniques around the clothes you choose?
OV:Getting dressed in the morning is a pretty quick process.
I don’t take much time to pick out or plan outfits.
I’m very formulaic.
I wear the same things every day.
I mean, it’s a joke sometimes.
I want everything to feel emotional but also timeless.
It’s a hard tension sometimes.
I also like juxtaposing formality with femininity to make dressing more accessible and relaxed.
A workhorse shirt can be made of luxurious fabrics that feel elegant.
MC: What is exciting you in the fashion industry right now?
It feels like so much intention and focus goes into their brands.
With the smaller founder-led brands, there’s an intimacy that resonates.
People are getting a lot of [the founders'] personal style and ethos.
I want everything to feel emotional but also timeless.
It’s all about infusing outfits and pieces with interesting and special details that aren’t distracting."
MC: What are your feelings onfashion TikTok?
OV:I think it’s so important.
It also feels a little bit therapeutic for me.
Some brands aresogood at TikTok.
Like Loewe, their TikTok is amazing and so funny!
Social media can add an entirely new dimension to the brand.
I pay all my respects to social media.
It might drive me crazy, and I spend way too much time on it.
OV:I’ve gotten really hard into this Bleachers music phase.
We’ve been really busy; if I put that music on, I’m just in the flow.
I’m actually going to see them in October in New York.
I’m also readingHello Beautifulby Anne Napolitano, which my mother gave me.
I love that book and am inspired by it every time I read it.
It’s just so beautiful.
In ourHave You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.
Leave your ballet flats in your checked bag.
Uncle Harry for the gifting win.
The internet sensation recreates Zendaya and Taylor Swifts iconic red carpet looks with everyday items.
“The Cutting Room Floor” host thinks the industry is in a creative drought.
But she has a few ideas on how to bring innovation back.
