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How I dress the part: Orna Holland, Global Lead Staffing for Stripe
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To celebrate the launch of the Christian Louboutin accessories pop-up in Brown Thomas, we asked tech careerwoman, Orna Holland, to pick her favourite piece from the new collection and talk all things fashion and style.
Having started her career in HR with Microsoft in 1999, Orna Holland has amassed over 20 years’ experience scaling teams for some of the world’s biggest tech companies, including Google and Facebook, where, as Director of Staffing, she scaled Facebook EMEA from 35 to 2,000 people. Today, as Global Lead of Staffing for Stripe (the multi-billion dollar company set up by the Irish Collison brothers), Orna supports all engineering hiring globally.
“Working in the tech industry, you can really wear whatever you want,” begins Orna. “Plenty of people come to work in shirts and ties because that’s the vibe they’re into. It feels like a very open environment where people can be their authentic selves and simply wear whatever feels comfortable to them.” Orna herself is known for her fashion sense and statement style. “I would describe my style as fun and relaxed. I don’t take fashion too seriously and am definitely drawn towards a more edgy look.”
One wardrobe approach
“I’ve never in my life ever had to have ‘workwear’. I have some suits in my wardrobe, but they’re leopard-print or gold!” says Orna with good humour. She has a strictly ‘one-wardrobe approach’. “I’ve never had to change what I wear to go to work and then to go out afterwards.
“I’m five foot five, but in my head, I’m five foot seven, so I’m definitely a fan of a heel. I even have a pair of the Louboutin runners with built-in heels, but you will catch me in flats every once in a while.”
Casual for Orna would be a T-shirt paired with leather trousers. When asked if she ever feels judged, as a female leader in her industry, by how she dresses or looks, she answers firmly with a laugh.
“Well, I don’t ask, so I don’t know! In 2023, there’s really no place for judgement around how people dress or look. People today are making a stand on how they want to express themselves, how they want to be referred to (i.e. she/her/them/they) and any judgement around that would just seem archaic, especially in the tech work environment.”
