Designer Olivia Rubin on dopamine dressing, taking risks and why she loves Róisín Murphy

Fashion designer and entrepreneur, Olivia Rubin, has been making a name for herself with her gorgeously colourful designs ever since she launched her debut collection back in 2018.

A graduate from the world-renowned Central Saint Martins College in London, she’s worked with many of the top luxury designers including the likes of Alexander McQueen, Dior, and John Galliano in Paris, where she assisted with Galliano’s main line collections, designing prints that were chosen for his womenswear lines.

Taking a few years out to focus on family, Olivia then returned to the fashion world with gusto, bringing back her unique take on modern femininity and focusing on bestselling dresses, standout skirts and brightly coloured prints. Her penchant for rainbows and multicoloured sequins has established her as a keen advocate for dopamine dressing and she’s built a strong industry presence in quite a short space of time.

Passionate that everyone of all sizes should be able to look and feel their best in her colourful take on modern femininity, Olivia chats to us about the best fashion advice she’s ever gotten, why Róisín Murphy is her style icon and what item of clothing she’d save in a fire.

Dopamine dressing is… wearing colourful clothes and feeling good!
I choose my look each day depending on… my mood
The best investment I ever made in my wardrobe was… my Gucci rainbow tote bag.
It takes me… 30 minutes to get ready because I spend way too long doing my hair!
My biggest weaknesses are… takeaways and designer handbags.

Appolina Ombre Floral Gown, €1,050, Olivia Rubin

The one fashion piece I would save in a fire is… my birthday Appolina gown.
My style in three words: colourful, eclectic, feminine.
My relationship with fashion is… solid!
Heels or flats? Heels

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My style icon is… Roisin Murphy is my style icon because she isn’t afraid to experiment.
My favourite time of year to dress for is… wedding season.
Best style advice I’ve ever gotten… don’t be afraid to be yourself.

Kaila Wiggle Pointelle Knit Maxi Dress, €345, Olivia Rubin

My current favourite piece of clothing is… the Kaila Wiggle Pointelle Rainbow Knit Dress. 
Three wardrobe staples everyone should invest in: a colourful knit, a special dress, a cotton printed day dress.

If I could raid one person’s wardrobe it would be… Miuccia Prada.
My fool-proof date night outfit is… a rainbow sequin skirt, a t-shirt and Gucci clogs.
My favourite fashion era is… the 70s and 80s.

I feel most confident when wearing… colour.
Outfit with the most sentimental meaning: my birthday dress, I designed for my 40th and we ended up adding it to our bridal collection.
My best vintage find… flea market dresses when I lived in Paris.
Fashion is about… having fun and not taking it too seriously.

Josie Soft Serve Stripe Midi Dress, €330, Olivia Rubin

The most worn item in my wardrobe is probably… the Josie Dress.
My favourite people to follow online for style inspiration are… @justauniform, @meganellaby and @lucywilliams02.

Women’s slide sandal with Interlocking G, €420, Gucci

The last thing I bought was… Gucci marshmallow slides.
On weekends I tend to wear… loungewear.
The piece I have my eye on right now is… the AW22 Charlie Pastel Scribble Print Dress.
Three things I’ll be looking out for when judging Very’s Best Dressed at the Dublin Horse Show… colour, the wow factor and comfort.

Olivia Rubin will be on the prestigious judging panel for The Very Best Dressed award taking place on Ladies Day at this year’s Dublin Horse Show on the 18th of August in the RDS. You can find out more over on their website or  follow the conversation on social with #VeryLadiesDay, #BeVeryYou and @very.ireland.

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