For Olivia Hurst, a fourth-year Strategic Design and Management student at Parsons School of Design, it’s all about the details. Her eponymous womenswear brand, known for its elegant lines and feminine construction, has quickly gained a loyal following over the past two years. 

Founded in 2021, the brand started as a Depop and Etsy shop where Hurst would create made-to-order garments. As her online shops started to pick up, Hurst launched her brand– first offering only a simple black tube top. She then produced her first collection herself, featuring soft tube tops, a backless boat neck tank top with ties and a backless, long-sleeved top.

 The pieces are offered in just black and white, staying true to Hurst’s belief in the power of a well constructed basic. Most garments are made of a rayon-spandex blend, sourced in New York City as often as possible. Rayon is soft and stretchy, giving the clothes a relaxed, yet flattering fit. 

The first collection sold out in four days, and Hurst knew she had done something right. 

“My clothing is quite simple and personal. A boatneck or an extra long sleeve can make all the difference,” she said, explaining why her customers love her work.“I pay attention to detail and ask, ‘how does this feel?’ when I’m wearing it.”

As her business grew, Hurst began working with a woman-owned production company based out of Manhattan’s Garment District. She works closely with her manufacturer, describing their collaborative relationship with gratitude. The young designer said she is always excited to bring new samples to her manufacturer, where they discuss the pieces and fine-tune the work. 

“It’s nice to have a manufacturer that you can walk in [to] and be like, ‘Oh my gosh, look what I made!’” Hurst said. 

One thing the Parsons student is learning? The importance of having a strong connection with her manufacturer in a business that can be full of disconnect, she said.

Aside from the production process, Hurst runs every aspect of the brand, from creating samples to directing photo shoots to running social media — all while being a full-time student. Self discipline is the key to it all, Hurst explained, noting that planning out her days to make sure she dedicates time to each project helps to keep her focused. 

 “When you’re really passionate about something and you really want it, it’s not going to feel like a chore,” Hurst said. “And as you grow as a business, it becomes easier to manage everything because you’re more experienced.”

Social media has also played an important role in the brand’s success. Hurst has amassed nearly 50,000 followers on TikTok, where her comments are full of girls gushing over her designs and eager to grab something from her next drop. 

“I am really lucky to live in the era of social media as a brand owner because I get to have control over the visuals and aesthetics of the brand,” Hurst said. “It’s a chance to create an entire world for the brand, to connect with the customers and build that relationship.” 

Although she owns and operates a clothing brand, Hurst is majoring in Strategic Design and Management rather than fashion design.  She said the program gives her freedom and flexibility. Strategic Design and Management provides the tools and foundations to run a business while leaving her relationship with clothing design completely up to herself, Hurst added. Free of the constraints that fashion design programs put on student designers, the student has been able to build a brand that embodies her ethos of thoughtful design and longlasting garments. 

“What makes me the most fulfilled is when my friends and customers tell me that they wear my pieces all every single day. To me, that is amazing, and it’s why I love what I do,” Hurst said with enthusiasm. 

At the end of the day, the most important thing for the designer is how people feel in the clothes and what it will mean for them, she added. 

“I like to design clothes that emphasize the person wearing them, rather than clothes that take away from them or feel like a costume,” Hurst said.

You can see more of Olivia Hurst’s designs on her website and keep up with her brand on Instagram.