In Conversation with Olga Kapustina

Tell us about your background:

I am a Belarusian born, Brooklyn-raised designer who started my eponymous line in 1999. In the pre-Instagram-aughts, I was among the cult designers favored by women looking to embody their complex femininity through innovative clothes. My work was featured in Barneys for a decade, along with numerous exclusive boutiques across the US. My clothes have been worn by celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Kim Kardashian, Katie Holmes, Britney Spears, and Rachel Bilson among others. And my work was featured in major publications including Elle, Vogue, Bazaar, In Style, Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan, L’Officiel, and Marie Claire.

In addition to designing for my namesake line, I have also designed and managed product development and private label for major companies like Anthropologie, Barneys and Opening Ceremony.

Craving a life change, I closed my popular line and returned to my love of biological systems and engineering, knowing that somehow I would merge these two passions and design with a more integrated and innovative approach.

After completing a degree in chemical engineering in 2017, I decided to marry my two passions with my unique ability to understand the languages of design and engineering. I spent several years teaching sustainable design systems and materiality futures at the acclaimed Parsons School of Design. I have also lectured and advised sustainability, innovation and biodesign at Yale University, Syracuse University, and the Grove School of Engineering. and I continue my passion to introduce the scientific language and an interconnected cross-disciplinary approach to emerging designers., and brands. Committed to re-imagining material life cycles, alleviating landfills, the use of biological materials for textiles, and the interface between technology and biology.

In 2023, I launched Chosenwoven with my business partner Monica Botkier. A perfect amalgamation of my love of good design and engineering. Chosenwoven creates luxuriously knit lingerie with one of nature's finest performance fibers: Merino Wool. Blending nature with innovative knitting, Chosenwoven creates garments that are free of plastic, zero waste, totally luxurious, and outperform synthetics. Chosenwoven, reimagines solutions to design without the use of fossil fuels and a commitment to the natural world, and hopes to inspire other brands to do the same.

What do you wish you’d known when you started out?

I wish I had a mentor to teach me more about the business aspect of the fashion industry and how to properly scale, ask for help.

Best career advice you've ever received?

Create! Create! Create!

What leadership qualities are important to you?

Taking initiative, capable of having difficult and honest conversations, and having a unique point of view with a deep desire to share it with the world.

What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far?

Pivoting my career to explore unknown territories and having to start over. As well as adjusting to the new media culture of always being visible.

And for fun, what is your favorite wardrobe staple?

A well-tailored dress. Always.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olga-kapustina-003b714/

Website: https://www.olga-kapustina.com/

Instagram: @the_olgakapustina