Olive Ateliers - Curating The Past & Collecting The Future

Summary

Collector’s Gene Radio: Olive Atelier - Curating The Past & Collecting The Future

Hosted by Cameron Ross Steiner

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Introduction

In the November 27, 2024 episode of Collector’s Gene Radio, host Cameron Ross Steiner welcomes the trio of founders from Olive Atelier—Laura, Kendall, and Ben—to discuss their remarkable journey in the world of vintage and curated design. Olive Atelier has swiftly risen to prominence by offering a unique blend of globally sourced vintage items and meticulously crafted reproductions, creating a vibrant community for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

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The Birth of Olive Atelier

Passion for Unique Objects
Kendall opens the conversation by sharing the foundational motivation behind Olive Atelier. The trio's shared love for one-of-a-kind vintage furnishings and the challenges they faced in sourcing affordable, stylish pieces led them to establish Olive Atelier. Their mission extends beyond selling objects; it’s about building a community and sharing the rich stories behind each piece.

“It’s really about creating a community, creating an experience, creating a feeling, and being able to pass on not only objects that we have collected, but stories that we have collected.”
— Kendall [00:00]

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Sourcing and Curation: Balancing Vintage and Reproductions

Global Sourcing and Storytelling
Olive Atelier collaborates with collectors worldwide, ensuring each piece comes with a compelling history. This approach not only enriches their product offerings but also deepens the emotional connection customers have with their purchases.

“We work with incredible collectors across the globe, and they share the history and the story of these objects with us. And we think it’s our duty to pass those stories onto our community, which is maybe the best part about what we do.”
— Kendall [00:00]

Maintaining the 'Old Soul' in Reproductions
The team meticulously crafts reproductions to preserve the vintage charm while ensuring they blend seamlessly with authentic antique pieces. This balance is achieved through ongoing collaboration with skilled craftsmen and a commitment to trial and error until the desired aesthetic is achieved.

“We do have our reproduction. And right now we’re excited because we’re diving into curating and designing our own lines. And that’s something that’s really important to us with new products, that they have the feeling of something that has been used, that has an old soul.”
— Laura [06:54]

Transparency with Customers
Olive Atelier prioritizes transparency by clearly labeling reproductions and vintage items, ensuring customers are well-informed about the origins and stories of each piece.

“As long as you’re transparent about that, which we are, all of our labels, all of our product pages online explain the origin story or the inspiration behind that piece.”
— Kendall [07:58]

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Building a Collector Community

Creating Demand Through Storytelling
The founders emphasize the importance of storytelling in fostering a passionate collector community. By romanticizing the origins and histories of their pieces, Olive Atelier naturally cultivates excitement and demand among their clientele.

“The beauty of and uniqueness of the objects we were importing. And also, yes, the beautiful content and storytelling we were doing that was, you know, romanticizing and heroicizing these objects.”
— Kendall [15:23]

Psychology Behind the Drop Model
The scarcity-driven drop model creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity, tapping into inherent human curiosity and the desire to be part of something special.

“It is from that point of a natural authenticity that of course, drives the scarcity that then matches to people’s desire to engage and take part in something.”
— Ben [16:54]

Balancing Expansion with Curation
As Olive Atelier expands into new regions and product categories, they remain committed to their core values of quality and thoughtful design. This careful balance ensures that their curated feel remains intact even as their offerings grow.

“It's about listening to that gut. And it's. It’s the same with our product innovation. It’s, you know, there are gaps when you’re sourcing antiques and vintage.”
— Laura [18:23]

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Collaborations and Influencer Impact

Strategic Partnerships
Olive Atelier’s collaboration with Forward, a brand under Revolve Group, exemplifies their ability to merge fashion with home decor seamlessly. This partnership not only expanded their product line but also reinforced their presence in the lifestyle market.

“We really wanted to meet at the intersection of fashion and home because we feel really passionate that the person that does love fashion and vintage fashion in particular, also has a respect for and an interest in dressing their home.”
— Kendall [24:49]

Influencer and Celebrity Endorsements
Organic support from influencers and celebrities has significantly amplified Olive Atelier's reach. High-profile mentions, such as Charles mentioning Aaron Paul’s patronage, highlight the brand’s appeal beyond typical collector circles.

“We’re still shocked to this day anytime someone wanders in. You know, we had Aaron Paul in the other day who, like, who would know that he’s a collector.”
— Kendall [22:52]

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Insights into the Collector’s Mindset

Operational Challenges and Collector Focus
Balancing operational demands with the needs of collectors is a central theme. Ben shares how Olive Atelier treats each product as if it were destined for their own home, ensuring high standards and fostering trust within the community.

“We think about the products and the objects that we source as if they were going to enter our homes.”
— Ben [11:40]

Sustainability and Longevity
Olive Atelier emphasizes the importance of creating items that stand the test of time, avoiding trends that lead to disposability and instead focusing on pieces that appreciate in value and meaning.

“We never want to import or design something that we would foresee, you know, tiring or aging out and essentially, you know, finding a landfill.”
— Ben [14:43]

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Future Endeavors and Collector's Vision

Expanding into Art and New Hunts
Looking ahead, Laura shares Olive Atelier’s plans to delve into the art world, seeking curator-quality pieces that complement their existing offerings. Current hunting expeditions in Italy, guided by master collectors, signal promising new additions.

“We are learning about a new region. We’re learning about new pottery. I actually found this, what I thought was an amazing collection of pottery. And I said, wow, like, tell me the story about these products. They’re so different.”
— Laura [37:28]

Collector's Dream Rundown

What’s Next in Collecting:
Olive Atelier is excited about exploring Italian pottery and expanding into art, aiming to curate pieces that align with their brand’s aesthetic and quality standards.

The Unobtainable Item:
The team aspires to incorporate high-caliber art pieces, carefully curated to maintain their brand's integrity and appeal.

If Money Was No Object:
Ben expresses a desire to collect vintage trucks and utility vehicles, reflecting his personal interests outside the core business.

“If I had my way, I would collect vintage trucks and utility vehicles.”
— Ben [40:31]

Ownership vs. The Hunt:
While the hunt is driven by business needs, Ben acknowledges the personal satisfaction derived from sourcing pieces with the intention of eventual ownership.

“It really is about what got us started was curating beautiful products that we love and that we would love to put in our homes.”
— Laura [18:40]

Inspiration and Influences:
Kendall highlights Axel Vivort as a significant inspiration, admiring his ability to blend diverse design styles seamlessly.

“Axel Vivort is an icon, honestly, and I don’t really have many more words than that.”
— Kendall [42:59]

The Collector’s Gene:
All three founders affirm that they were born with the collector’s gene, citing personal anecdotes from childhood to their current passions.

“I think I absolutely was born with the collector’s gene. Before it was home decor or furnishings.”
— Kendall [43:57]

“I definitely have the collector’s gene. But it’s a little tough for me because the things that I love and that I guess collect, I like to use and sometimes abuse.”
— Ben [43:57]

“I can jump in a resounding yes. I feel like I was born into a family of collectors.”
— Laura [43:57]

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Conclusion

The founders of Olive Atelier embody the essence of the collector’s gene, passionately curating and sharing beautiful, meaningful objects with a global community. Their commitment to storytelling, quality, and community-building not only sets Olive Atelier apart in the vintage and antique market but also fosters a loyal and engaged collector base. As they continue to expand their horizons into art and new sourcing regions, Olive Atelier remains dedicated to preserving the past while shaping the future of collecting.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

1. Kendall [00:00]: “It’s really about creating a community, creating an experience, creating a feeling, and being able to pass on not only objects that we have collected, but stories that we have collected.”
2. Laura [06:54]: “We do have our reproduction. And right now we’re excited because we’re diving into curating and designing our own lines. And that’s something that’s really important to us with new products, that they have the feeling of something that has been used, that has an old soul.”
3. Kendall [07:58]: “As long as you’re transparent about that, which we are, all of our labels, all of our product pages online explain the origin story or the inspiration behind that piece.”
4. Kendall [15:23]: “We think that’s the most important thing in what we do.”
5. Ben [16:54]: “It is from that point of a natural authenticity that of course, drives the scarcity that then matches to people’s desire to engage and take part in something.”
6. Laura [18:23]: “It really is about listening to that gut.”
7. Kendall [22:52]: “Aaron Paul... who would know that he’s a collector.”
8. Ben [11:40]: “We think about the products and the objects that we source as if they were going to enter our homes.”
9. Ben [14:43]: “We never want to import or design something that we would foresee, you know, tiring or aging out and essentially, you know, finding a landfill.”
10. Ben [40:31]: “If I had my way, I would collect vintage trucks and utility vehicles.”
11. Kendall [43:57]: “I think I absolutely was born with the collector’s gene. Before it was home decor or furnishings.”

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Thank you for tuning into this detailed summary of the Olive Atelier episode on Collector’s Gene Radio. For more insights into the world of collecting, subscribe and listen to future episodes.

Transcript

[Kendall]

So it's not just about selling things for us. It's really about creating a community, creating an experience, creating a feeling, and being able to pass on not only objects that we have collected, but stories that we have collected. We work with incredible collectors across the globe, and they share the history and the story of these objects with us. And we think it's our duty to pass those stories onto our community, which is maybe the best part about what we do.

[Cameron]

What's going on, everybody? And welcome to Collector's Gene Radio. This is all about diving into the nuances of collecting and ultimately finding out whether or not our guests have what we like to call the Collector's Gene. If you have the time, please subscribe and leave a review. It truly helps. Thanks a bunch for listening and please enjoy today's guest on Collector's Gene Radio. On the mic with me today are the Olive Atelier trio of founders, Laura, Kendall and Ben. If you're familiar with the brand, you've seen that their meteoric rise in the realm of vintage and curated design has been nothing short of remarkable. From their humble beginnings out of their backyards to establishing a thriving in person and online experience, they've navigated the landscape of collecting and community with grace and speed. We get to know the heart of Olive Atelier, discussing their passion for sourcing unique, globally inspired items and how they've crafted a brand that resonates deeply with collectors. Their aesthetically pleasing brand isn't just about the products, though. It's a holistic experience that emphasizes thoughtful design and presentation. Each piece is meticulously curated, reflecting a blend of vintage charm and modern sensibilities, which only enhances the shopping experience. We chat about the stories behind their curated selections, the psychology of their innovative drop model, and the emotional connections they forge with their customers. Their shopping experiences, both in person and online, make you feel like you're on the hunt in the middle of the European streets from which they source. Better yet, each item tells a story, as do the collectors and trade partners that choose them. So, without further ado, this is Team Olive Atelier for Collectors Dream Radio. Laura Kendall, Ben, Team Olive Atelier. Welcome to Collectors Gene Radio.

[Kendall]

Thank you.

[Laura]

Thank you. Happy to be here.

[Ben]

Yeah, thanks for having us. It's great to be here.

[Cameron]

Of course. Yeah. So this is. I was just telling you guys this is my first time having three founders on, but I know you guys have done this before, and I just have to say, watching your meteoric rise has been so exciting to watch, and the gracefulness and speed at which you all made this happen. From in person drops to shipping and online presence. It's truly impressive, honestly.

[Kendall]

Thank you so much. It's been a ride and we're holding on for dear life, but we're having fun along the way.

[Cameron]

I love it. It's really been fun to watch. And today's conversation is going to be a little bit different as I want to chat more about Olive Atelier as a brand and try to relate things back to collecting and curation and community. Because at the end of the day, it's what you three do best and it's what keeps people coming back to buy all of your products, like the vintage pots and vessels and stone sinks and all that good stuff. So I just would love to start today by getting to know more. You know, what was the motivation from the beginning to collect such unique items from around the world and bring them in for your customers to experience? Were you guys collecting these things personally?

[Kendall]

Absolutely. I'll take this one. You know, the three of us really share an innate love for interesting, you know, one of a kind and truly just kind of hard to find, you know, vintage and just furnishings in general. So in each of our experiences, both Laura and I, having lived together in the past as roommates and then Ben and I as a couple, we always struggled to find the style that we love at a fair price, if we're being honest. And if you did, it was hard to obtain. It was on the other side of the world and you had the hurdle of shipping fees or it was in a beautifully curated local and antique store, but it was out of our price range. So we really set out to make these objects more accessible for folks like us and also create a beautiful lifestyle brand. In doing so, we wanted to create a destination for those who enjoy and are inspired by curious living. So it's not just about selling things for us. It's really about creating a community, creating an experience, you know, creating a feeling and being able to pass on not only objects that we have collected, but stories that we have collected. We work with, you know, incredible collectors across the globe and they share the history and the story of these objects with us. And we think it's our. It's our duty to pass those stories onto our community, which is maybe the best part about what we do.

[Cameron]

Yeah, and you guys do such a good job at it. And I think it sheds a light on just how interesting the antique and the pop pottery and the clay making market is and the furniture market is overseas, you know, in. In all these European countries and other countries that you guys can still purchase them overseas and bring them into the US and it's still more affordable than stuff that's made here. It's pretty interesting.

[Ben]

Yeah, that is really interesting. And, you know, I think we owe that to the utilitarian nature of many of these objects historically. And that was maybe what was some of the most surprising to us in starting and collecting things that we just saw as beautiful and saw as great objects to feature and style in homes and learning that in particular in pottery. Those weren't designed and developed to put plants into. They were designed all across the world to hold things like water grains, olive oil, preserve and ferment foods. And this was a universal thing across the entire world. And so we really have that to owe to it because there is such an abundance and a volume of these objects that existed in a former use state that people are moving on from for more modern techniques, but now we can celebrate them as objects that can be imported and shared with others to style in their own homes.

[Cameron]

And you do call them and define them as objects with an old soul. How do you keep the integrity of the reproduced items to have that old soul feeling when you're merchandising them right next to vintage items?

[Laura]

Yeah, it's a great question, and it's something that we are learning and striving to really master because we do offer all sorts of ages of products. We've got our vintage, our antique, and then we do have our reproduction. And right now we're excited because we're diving into curating and designing our own lines. And that's something that's really important to us with this, with new products, that they have the feeling of something that has been used, that has an old soul. And so we've been on a journey with a lot of our craftsmen on how do we capture that with a new object. So it's a lot of trial and error. It hasn't been, you know, an easy road, but it's definitely something that we're exploring. I think that we're getting very close to getting these beautiful products that really do feel so special, unique, one of a kind, and they are reproductions. So, yeah, it's a great question.

[Kendall]

I also, you know, from the brand and retail perspective, for us, it's all about transparency. So you might have a reproduction sitting alongside a true vintage or antique piece, but as long as you're transparent about that, which we are, all of our labels, all of our product pages online explain the origin story or the inspiration behind that piece. We Think that that's the most important thing in what we do.

[Cameron]

Yeah, absolutely. And I think, you know, something that a lot of brands miss when they do things that involve vintage and or reproduction items is they forget to tell the story. And, Laura, you know, collecting is so much like you said, about the storytelling. And I find the way that you and the team merchandise, you're able to effectively tell a story without words sometimes, even though you have it on your website, when you walk into Olive Atelier and you see a reproduced item next to a vintage item, you can see that story. You can see the lineage of where these things came from, and it's so important. And how do you decide what goes into each drop to convey that? Because a stone sink is not always obvious to some folks.

[Laura]

Yeah, no, definitely. Again, it has been a journey. In the very beginning, the way that we merchandised was literally with what we had, what containers had arrived and the objects that were inside of them. We drew inspiration for that and made sure that we were curating them in an interesting way, in a way that we see the objects overseas. Like, how could we give that feeling to our customers, that feeling of the hunt? Like, how do we get that in our showroom? And so I think we draw a lot of the time, we draw an inspiration of our objects. We draw on inspiration of how they are actually found overseas. Not only that, we also. We think it's so important to tell the story of these objects. And so now we've got little placards, you know, around the showroom, basically, telling the interesting stories of these objects, because that's what's so important to us. It's not only about curating beautiful objects, but it's about telling the story, telling the history of them. So they become a speaking point to whoever ends up purchasing them and having them in their home.

[Kendall]

Yeah, and further to that, too, it's, you know, on social. From the very early stages, we were not just posting photos of things, you know, we were. We were telling the story of that object and where it came from and how we found it. Similarly, you know, we're not here to gatekeep. You know, we want to share as much information as we have access to with our community. So, you know, unlike maybe some traditional collectors or antique destinations, we do have the price on display. We price as fairly as we can to make both the object accessible to as many people as possible, but also to honor the history and the true worth of those pieces.

[Cameron]

Yeah, absolutely. It makes sense. Something that you really have to do with sourcing Vintage, whether you reproduce a design or it's an antique, is you have to put your collector's cap on. Because for you guys, you guys have a lot of collectors. In fact, most of your clients are collectors. And whether it's their first piece that they're adding to their collection or it's their 20th, they're still the collector at the end of the day. How do you keep the collector in mind first and still run the business day to day?

[Ben]

That's a great question, really. We think about the products and the objects that we source as if they were going to enter our homes. And so even though we can't keep it all, no matter how much we wish we could, we focus on every object sourced and every object designed as if we were going to keep it forever ourselves. And so that puts a really high bar of quality and integrity on the objects that we bring and we believe translates really nicely to our customer experience and the experience of the community. Because if we could and we didn't need to make money, we'd probably keep a lot of what we imported. It's simply just not possible. And it's a bit of a discipline that we have to impart on ourselves. And Lauren Kendall will probably laugh about this, but I kind of refuse to allow us to keep anything for the first couple years of the business because, you know, we needed that capital to put back into growing and, you know, providing and doing what we do for the community.

[Kendall]

Cameron, imagine what that does to a husband and wife. Ben is my life partner as well as my business partner. And the fights we have had about whether I can keep something or not are endless.

[Cameron]

Hey, you know what? If those are the fights that you guys are having, at the end of the day, I think you guys are in a good spot.

[Kendall]

That's true. Sorry to interrupt you, Ben.

[Laura]

I mean, the great thing now is that they, you know, Ben and Kendall actually do have a house, and they have furnished it with so many beautiful objects, it's. It's almost like a museum. An ode to Olive.

[Cameron]

I love it. It's mini Olive. Yeah, well, let's talk about that. Because at some point, when it comes to collecting furniture and antiques, right, space becomes an issue. And I'm curious to know how Olive envisions the current customer down the road engaging with the brand and continuing to shop with you for unique pieces. Ideally, you know, as a collector or for your customers that are collectors, you hope they keep everything that they buy, and you hope it moves through life with them. But at some point, you know, People let go of things here and there, but you hope they keep everything. And most collectors try and do keep everything. So how do you deal with that?

[Kendall]

Yeah, listen, that's a tricky one for sure. I think, as Ben stated earlier, we just hope that in the care that we take to source and create, we hope that that is the intention of our community too, to keep, honor, share the history of these pieces. If, of course, they need to make room for another beautiful piece, which kudos to you. We hope that it's passed on to someone else who appreciates those objects as much as we do, and our community does. So whether they're leveraging a first dibs to resell or whether they're using Facebook Marketplace, which has so many gems, we just hope that they're keeping that integrity and sharing that story with whomever they choose to pass on that object to.

[Ben]

We all know the story of fast fashion and, and the dark side of fast industries like that. And while in our industry, the consumer or customer does like newness, that is something that we can't ignore. We aim to do that through adding unique and interesting source countries or objects that we haven't been able to discover before. But ultimately, we never want to import or design something that we would foresee, you know, tiring or aging out and essentially, you know, finding a landfill and decreasing in value rather than increasing in value and being passed on.

[Cameron]

Something that the three of you have done so well is creating demand and evoking emotion out of your customers with each drop. And as a collector, you want to feel the same, if not more excitement buying as the person that's selling it to you. Was this haphazard from the beginning, or did you always try and create that?

[Kendall]

You know, it's funny because it was part strategic, part just what was happening. We were importing objects that, again, as we mentioned, had traditionally been a little hard to find and definitely hard to find in abundance or at fair prices. So there was a natural excitement and demand and thrill for our community. You know, we used to have lines of like 400, 500 people wrapped around the block when we first opened, and very limited brand awareness at that time. But that was created through, I think, the beauty of and uniqueness of the objects we were importing. And also, yes, the beautiful content and storytelling we were doing that was, you know, romanticizing and heroicizing these objects, which we're proud to do and still do today.

[Cameron]

When it comes to the drop model, there's a psychology in a collector that when something's limited or there's time to buy something that you get this thought in your head that you have to get there. What do you think the psychology is behind the drop model that gets people so excited to collect things?

[Ben]

It's not something that we intended to do originally, so just a bit of context, historically, for us, it's kind of an accident in some ways. And I think the accident in it actually answers your question in that we only had access to so many objects in the beginning. And whether it was the first time that we sold things on Instagram, it literally was objects that we had just collected and were already in our homes that we used as a test. And from there, we slowly but surely were able to source and find more things for people to take excitement in. And really, it's from that point of a natural authenticity that of course, drives the scarcity that then matches to people's desire to engage and take part in something. And so, again, it wasn't something that was engineered. But it is funny in retrospect that you can look back on those experiences and really try to pick apart why that is so interesting for people. I think we're all really curious and interested by things that are limited in nature and that are scarce just out of an instinctual curiosity. And again, I think that's one of the reasons that curiosity is so central to our brand, because we're discovering things and we're working to discover on behalf of our community, which drives a lot of excitement.

[Cameron]

Absolutely. So curating is kind of the name of the game for Olive Atelier. How do you balance between expanding the product offerings and maintaining that very collected and curated feel that collectors have come to know with Olive and appreciate?

[Laura]

Yeah. So we collect from, at the moment, nine, soon to be 10 countries. It's a big world, and there's a lot of really interesting products out there. And we're excited to keep expanding our collection. But I think Ben touched on it before. It really is about what got us started was curating beautiful products that we love and that we would love to put in our homes. So when we come across a supplier, it's, you know, do we. We listen to our gut. Are we really excited about this? Is this a product that we would love to bring home with us and that has really guided us in the right direction? So it's about listening to that gut. And it's. It's the same with our product innovation. It's, you know, there are gaps when you're sourcing antiques and vintage. There are gaps in the market. So that's how we look at product innovation. What are we looking for that we cannot find, that we know everybody else would really love to have in their home. And so that's how we're thinking about our assortment, and it's how we think about curating.

[Kendall]

We're also very dedicated to the mission to expand access, you know, while also keeping that true brand identity which Laura speaks of. So you will come into the atelier, and there will always be something new which is likely old, but you will also find as much of that staple object that we're known for, the olive jar, the elm bench, et cetera. Because we want to be able to be reliable for our community. We have a huge trade community at this point. Point in the business. It's about 40% of our community currently. Wow. And so we need to be reliable for them. So it is about balancing a curated look and feel with a level of abundance that can support that trade member and that avid shopper that wants to come in every week and find something new for their space.

[Cameron]

Right. Because trade's not just one piece here and there. A lot of times they need it in bulk for a big project.

[Ben]

Exactly. Yeah. Trade is not just for themselves or their home, or in many cases, you know, for their interior design clients that are also individuals who own residences, but also for restaurants and hotel projects and large kind of, you know, commercial projects that, you know, we're only starting to scratch the surface of, but that has just naturally found its way to us as an opportunity to supply. And so, if you think about the scale of that, it is really important, as Kendall mentioned, to have a dependability on the core assortment, and then also, at the same time, have the increasingly scarce and really special pieces that can satisfy the collector.

[Cameron]

Right. Do you have to keep a certain amount of inventory aside for trade projects?

[Ben]

We don't necessarily keep a specific amount of inventory aside for trade, but as Kendall mentioned, we're just keeping an inventory level across the assortment based on historical demand, largely. Certainly there are things that would have been in high demand or were in high demand that we can't replenish or restock and hold at the necessary level if we were to perfectly fulfill demand. But that's. That's really, like, the nature of it for us. And so those are typically the pieces that are more special and desirable, and they should be, because they're inherently scarce. And the things that we can stock and supply to trade and the larger customers, we certainly do. And it just really varies by product.

[Cameron]

Absolutely. And another group of people that are hounding Your products are influencers, and they undoubtedly have played such a significant role. And while surely you would have succeeded without them, there's no denying that a shout out from the Kardashian Jenner family or Melissa McCarthy can be impactful. Did you ever imagine that your brand would be so collected and well received from both A listers and the general clientele?

[Kendall]

Yeah, we're very lucky to have garnered, you know, an incredible community of influencers and celebrities who support us, you know, organically because of their love for the brand and the assortment. And, you know, we're still shocked to this day anytime someone wanders in. You know, we had Aaron Paul in the other day who, like, who would know that he's a collector. And it's so cool to meet these people, interact with them, learn about what they love, see their homes, support their journey as a vintage lover or an antique collector. Yeah, we're very humbled, and it's definitely something that has helped us grow and scale quickly, but it's also something that, you know, where it's not lost on us that they could go away at any point. So we're always focused on just being true to the brand, true to the product that we source, and true to the really wide community that we have that are not influencers and celebrities that support us every day.

[Cameron]

Isn't it amazing how niche yet large the vintage furniture and antique market is?

[Kendall]

It's crazy. We're learning so much every day. We came into this pretty blind, honestly, just as, as we mentioned, as lovers of this product and doing things very instinctually to us. And obviously, we come with different strengths and experiences and we come from different industries. Me on the fashion side, Ben more on the consumer packaged goods side. Laura from a traditional interior design background. But we really built this business based on what felt natural to us and again, what we would love to see out of a brand and out of a vintage destination. And we're learning so much every day about this industry and about other collectors. And there's still so much to learn on this journey.

[Cameron]

Absolutely. And Kendall, I kind of wanted to ask you about the collab that you've done with Foward. For those that don't know, Foward is owned by Revolve Group, and Olive and Forward work together to make these stone and onyx handbags. And while they don't necessarily function as such, they are so innovative and such a smart design. Was this a full circle moment for you? Having worked at Revolve before this?

[Kendall]

You've done your research. I love It, Cameron. Yeah, it was a really big pinch me moment for me in particular to be able to bring this product to life with a platform like Forward, which is so renowned for their high end designer fashion product and the beautiful and interesting lifestyle brand that they've created. We really wanted to meet at the intersection of fashion and home because we feel really passionate that the person that does love fashion and vintage fashion in particular, also has a respect for and an interest in dressing their home. So we kind of conjured up this really small but special capsule, as you mentioned, of this beautiful onyx bag, these beautiful onyx candle holders that fit a tapered candle. Really great gifts for the holiday, honestly. And it sold out within like I'm not sure. Ben, do you remember a few hours maybe?

[Ben]

Yeah, it sold out from Ford in just a few hours.

[Kendall]

Yeah. Which was so exciting and such, such a flattering statement and you know, we want to do more of that. I have other really beautiful brands in mind and designers in mind that I'd love to collaborate with and curate with. And I won't mention them here because I don't want to jinx it, but I do think that our brand transcends beyond just the home. I think that, you know, we speak to the customer that is fashion savvy and interested in that overall curious lifestyle. So we're excited for the future.

[Cameron]

Absolutely. And Ben, you're the operations and business mind behind a lot of what Olive is today. And I wanted to ask you what it was like coming from the CPG space where you sold your company Keto Farms and you worked at brands like Super Coffee, which are both in their own right, great brands and you made a name for yourself at both. But they are CPG products and they aren't products that necessarily drive demand and collectibility the same way that Olive does. So for you, what's been the biggest eye opener about the collector market that shocked you from coming? The spaces you played in before.

[Ben]

Yeah. Cameron, I'm going to echo Kendall. I'm just very impressed by the research that you've done into us.

[Cameron]

I promise. I don't know your guys, Social Security numbers.

[Kendall]

Now we know who you collect.

[Cameron]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ben]

It's very Tim Ferriss of you. I would say it's a great honor. Yeah, thanks. I, you know, my background in consumer packaged goods. You didn't name Red Bull. Actually, Red Bull is, I would say maybe like my most proud because Red Bull was the place that taught me almost everything that I know today. And I just carried that forward in all my future Experiences. So big shout out to the Red Bull team. And Red Bull actually had kind of a collector angle to it, because Red Bull had not only all of these incredible events that they did that created merchandise and wearables that were collectible, but also had the can. The hero was the can. And there was an event series around the art of can. And so the Red Bull can, the original 8.4 ounce energy drink can, was used to create these gorgeous art installations and designs, architectural designs that are really celebrated all around the world. So I just want to give a little nod to the consumer packaged goods industry and the collector angle for anyone out there that's interested. But, yeah, you bring up a good point. I mean, consumer packaged goods are inherently disposable because you consume them and then you throw them away. And so what's tremendously different about what we do, and especially the furniture industry, is people. People are a lot more discerning with their decisions because they do want to purchase these things that will be with them, hopefully into perpetuity. But certainly it's not even like a garment where you choose the day in which you wear it. Our category and what we do is so inherently permanent because it's in your home, in an area of your home, hopefully, that you see every single day. And that really characterizes your life's environment. And so it's a level of seriousness that I think we take with that as a result that isn't exactly replicated in my past experiences. So for that, I think very inspired by that. It's a great reason to get out of bed because you have the ability to source, develop, and create things that will make a really special impact on people's lives.

[Cameron]

Sure. And, Laura, I have to imagine with the interior design background that it's been probably really fun and exciting to be on the other side of things and working on these trade projects with these trade partners and seeing where these items go versus being on the other side, where you have to source them yourself.

[Laura]

Yeah, no, definitely. It really is. It's merchandising. You have to look through a totally different lens. And there was a lot of unlearnings that had to happen. Merchandising and, you know, styling a home or designing a home or commercial space is a completely different ballgame. So it's been. It's been fun. I also. I grew up in a house full of my English grandmother's antiques. My chores growing up were, like, polishing silver and waxing furniture. And so I had this, like, innate love for antiques and vintage and Restoring furniture. I've carried that through my whole life. So it's definitely been very rewarding working with pieces. I still love getting down, dirty and refinishing and getting that perfect patina. Yeah, I'm really enjoying that aspect of it.

[Cameron]

I'm very jealous of the upbringing. Those are the chores I would have loved.

[Laura]

Yeah, I didn't love them at the time, but now I'm very thankful. I learned a lot from my dad because he had to do the same chores growing up with the same pieces of furniture.

[Cameron]

That's great.

[Kendall]

Fun fact about Laura that some may not know is we used to live together and I would come home, you know, every other week from a work trip and there'd be a new vintage or found piece of furniture in our home that she had spent, you know, a week or the weekend outside scrubbing or sanding or I don't know the tools, names, but doing things, you know, too refurbishing essentially. And I was always stoked because I don't know how to do those things. But she just knows how to get down and dirty and diy, really anything. And it was such a come up for me as someone who usually just goes and spends the money on the thing to have this handy best friend who I'm living with who could find these diamonds in the rough and then bring them back to life.

[Cameron]

She's a good friend to have.

[Laura]

She really is.

[Cameron]

Before we wrap it up with the collector's dream rundown, I have to ask about my favorite product on the site, which is the reproduction of the Wristley chairs. You could have gone so many routes of what to recreate for bistro chairs, but you chose those and I love them. I want a pair of them for outside of our baby's nursery. So I just have to know what led you guys to choose these.

[Laura]

I mean, we just think they're so much fun. I think that they're just joyful. And to have something like that in your house, I mean, I have them actually in my garden. And it's funny that you brought it up putting them outside your baby's nursery because my son, my two year old son is actually obsessed with the chairs. Always wants to sit on them and they actually double as their nose cut out so you can put a hose in between and you can fill up a baby pool.

[Cameron]

Good to know.

[Kendall]

I'll second that, actually. I first saw the original at the house of Richard Christensen, who owns the Brand Flamingo estate, was lucky enough to visit his beautiful home and I saw, you know, his, his pieces in his insane garden. And it spurred the thought of, hey, you know, can we source these? And we kind of couldn't because they're so rare and hard to come by. So, you know, cut to figuring out how we could reproduce and bring those into our collection was important. And I think that they're a really interesting product for us because they're so popular, but they do sit on the fringe of maybe our style, which I'm really proud of. It's something that's not necessarily, like, innately Frenchy farmhouse looking, which Olive is often known for. But it's beautiful and it's interesting and there's so much history there and so much talent and art that goes into the design of these pieces. And so we're really proud to have the reproductions as part of the assortment and something that we can pass on to future generations.

[Cameron]

Yeah. And I think that's what I love about them as well, is that the design is just teetering on that avant garde size side of things, where they could be at a French bistro in the middle of Paris on a street, or they could be in Oprah's rose gardens, you know what I mean? So there's something that's so interesting about them that they just work. They work anywhere.

[Kendall]

We have a client, actually a trade client, who purchased a large number for a beautiful restaurant. It's called Cookbook, I believe in Larchmont. Is it Laura? And they powder coated them to be like a white color because they wanted to kind of create that look and feel for that, you know, that restaurant. And it's so beautiful, and it's really cool to have been able to help that project, you know, create this look and feel by, you know, reproducing something that is so popular and special to others.

[Cameron]

I'm going to call them up because it seems they may be the reason I don't have a pair of them right now.

[Kendall]

Uh. Oh, maybe we can help you with that. I do know someone.

[Cameron]

Yeah, we'll chat. I love it. Let's wrap it up with the collector's gene rundown. These questions are based on things that you've collected for yourself or things that you've collected for the business. However you guys want to twist and answer them. It's totally up to you. So the first one is, what's the one that got away?

[Kendall]

I'll take this. Everyone knows this answer that's on this call, except for you, Cameron. And you're about to find out. There was a French armoire that we sourced. I don't know, maybe a year ago or a year and a half ago. It was just that perfect Frenchy patina wood, and it had this beautiful paneling, and it was a true armoire. It was, you know, it was a closet, I think. You know, once you opened up the doors, there was a little bit of a drawer within. It was just perfect. But at the time, Ben and I didn't have a home, you know, that would house it. We didn't have the space, and I knew it would be popular for the trade and for our customer. So we obviously merchandise, and it sold instantly, but it was perfect in every way, and it haunts me almost every day. So, you know, I don't mind talking about it, but I'd rather not continue talking about it.

[Cameron]

I will say, if it cheers you up at all. We've manifested a lot of things coming back into collectors hands on this show, so I have a feeling something similar will come your way.

[Kendall]

I love it.

[Cameron]

All right. The on deck circle. So this is what's next for you in collecting. Maybe something you're hunting after or potentially something that you're excited about for the business to hopefully start working on.

[Laura]

So, personally, I'm actually looking for the perfect dining table right now. But for, you know, Olive, as we mentioned, we're always hunting. A new hunt for us right now is in Italy, which we're really excited about. We're currently working with two master collectors who have dedicated their lives to finding interesting objects. So we're learning about a new region. We're learning about new pottery. I actually found this, what I thought was an amazing collection of pottery. And I said, wow. Like, tell me the story about these products. They're so different. I've never seen anything like it. And the guy told me that they were antique toilets.

[Cameron]

That's amazing.

[Laura]

We did pass on those ones. But, yeah, we are. We're learning, and that's where we're focusing our sites on at the moment.

[Cameron]

I love it. I can't wait to see what you guys find. How about the unobtainable? So this is something that's just too expensive in a museum. A private collection. It's just complete unobtainium.

[Laura]

So, like I mentioned, we're always looking to expand our collection and the categories that we're getting into. So we're really excited to start dabbling in art, which we know is its own world. We've had to pass on some heartbreaking pieces, but we just want to make sure that we can ship it safely and get it here so that we can sell it to our customers.

[Cameron]

Yeah. Art is one of those kind of daunting sort of categories that everybody really wants to tap into. And it's so hard to do it the right way. And I have no doubt that you guys will do it the right way. But sometimes people focus, I think, on the wrong things with art. And I think it comes down to something you guys mentioned earlier, which is just buying what you like.

[Laura]

Yeah.

[Cameron]

Sometimes it doesn't. It doesn't matter if it's an original oil on canvas or a print. If the print is done beautifully and it's museum quality print, who cares? You know, if. If. If someone, you know, has all the money in the world to go and buy only original art, there's plenty of places and auction houses to go do that. But finding something that is so curated towards what you guys do at Olive will be really, really special.

[Laura]

Yeah, we're excited about it.

[Kendall]

A lot of what we're finding, you know, the artists are, you know, not famous or we can't find them on the Internet, but they're so beautiful and so true to our brand. But we, as Laura mentioned, we're in a position where we pass on purchasing because we want to really make sure that we have our ducks in a row before we can import safely and then ship safely to everyone here stateside.

[Cameron]

Absolutely. Makes total sense. This one's the page one rewrite. So this is. If money was no object and you guys could collect anything else besides antiques and vessels and all that, what would it be?

[Ben]

If I had my way, I would collect vintage trucks and utility vehicles.

[Cameron]

Very cool.

[Ben]

I tried my hand at this a while back. I had a 1968 Ford F250.

[Cameron]

Awesome.

[Ben]

It was beautiful. It was used in all the best ways. Had great patina on the white paint, nice rusted bed. And I just love that truck. But it was huge. It was a long bed. It was my second vehicle, which I absolutely didn't need at the time, especially living with roommates in Venice, California. And not to mention, it broke down probably every other time that I drove it. So I unfortunately didn't have the time, the attention, or the cash flow to keep bringing it back to life. So I had to let that one go. But assuming we can be as successful as we would like, that's something that I would love to try my hand at, is kind of getting that era of truck and utility vehicle back into my life and maybe in an abundance that would really constitute being a real collector in the space.

[Kendall]

And Cameron, while my husband's collecting trucks. I'd like to collect houses, if anyone's interested. I'm.

[Cameron]

Well, yeah, you got to store the trucks.

[Kendall]

Exactly. So if anyone wants to help me with that, just give me a buzz.

[Cameron]

I love it. The hunt or the ownership? Which one do you enjoy more?

[Ben]

Ooh. We're at a bit of a conflict here, as you kind of understood and mentioned earlier, is, you know, are we into the hunt or are we into the ownership? And unfortunately, our business necessitates us not to be in it for the ownership, but we still buy as if we are. But I think that categorically put us into the hunt. We just have to do it to stay in business. And for us, we really have to disassociate. So, you know, when we're sourcing and when we're hunting, we're doing it as if we are going to be the owner, because we will, at least temporarily. And that's what's important for us and for our customer. And maybe, maybe soon, like I said, like, with the trucks, we'll be in a position that we have a big extra warehouse somewhere, and we could be in position to buy and hold for decades. But until then, we're going to stick our mentality on the hunt.

[Cameron]

I love it. How about the goat? Is there someone that you guys look up to in the collecting world or just someone that you think is a great collector?

[Kendall]

Axel Vivort is an icon, honestly, and I don't really have many more words than that, but really respect his work as an artist and as a collector and designer and everything else that he is. I just. Yeah, just absolutely bow down.

[Cameron]

I think a lot of people bow down to Axl for sure. I mean, his ability to mix so many different, you know, design styles in a single room effortlessly. You know, in a lot of ways, it reminds me of the Wristley chairs, because you can put them with any home, like I was saying, in any style, and it just works. And he's mastered that, for sure.

[Kendall]

Absolutely. I think, you know, he's quoted, you know, idolizing the beauty of imperfection, which we strive for at Olive, and it's, you know, really true to the brand identity. So, yeah, if there was anyone, it's him.

[Cameron]

I love it. And you guys can answer this last one either separately or unanimously. Do you feel that you were born with the collector's gene?

[Kendall]

I'll jump in first, and I'm sure these two will follow. But I'm a very sentimental girl and maybe innately a bit of a hoarder at heart. I Think I absolutely was born with the collector's gene. Before it was home decor or furnishings. I used to, I remember as a kid, just collect anything that had, you know, a positive memory or to me showed beauty. It could have been shells or pebbles or buttons or string or even like a note that someone had written me. I was that girl that was putting all of those memories into a box and burying them to kind of find later at life and reignite that discovery and that excitement. And I think as I, as I've grown up, I have also tended to hold on to special pieces of clothing that, you know, I've probably spent too much money on or maybe I didn't. And it's a really special vintage piece, but I've put in my closet and just been too scared to wear because I don't want to ruin the intrigue or overwear it, you know. So I think, you know, obviously now I collect as much as Ben will allow me to from the vintage furnishings side of things. But growing up and I think truly through and through, I definitely, I'm a collector.

[Laura]

I can jump in a resounding yes. I feel like I was born into a family of collectors. I mentioned before about my chores and looking after my grandmother's antiques, and that love has always run through me and fueled my passion for hunting and collecting. I'm a very thoughtful collector. I look for the right piece for a very, very long time because I plan to hold onto it. You can probably hear that I am Australian. Kendall's also Australian. But I used to think I used to find these amazing pieces when I first moved here to the States. And I would think, oh my gosh, how am I going to get them back to Australia? I'm going to need a whole container so that I can get these pieces because I just couldn't even imagine letting them go. So, yes, definitely have the collector's gene.

[Cameron]

How about you, Ben?

[Ben]

I definitely have the collector's gene. But it's a little tough for me because the things that I love and that I guess collect, I like to use and sometimes abuse. So whether it was growing up, I grew up a street skater and so there was a never ending supply of new skate shoes that I could buy for myself and kind of wear as the badge of a skater, but they were getting used. I loved them so much, I couldn't just leave them on a shelf or wear them to social gatherings. I was ripping them up on grip tape. So whether it's skate shoes or hats that I. The ones that I love, I need to wear every day, and we're often working hard and sweating all the time. So my style of collecting is one that imparts more of a story onto the things that I collect. Same thing with I bought my first watch ever, a Rolex datejust just prior to mine and Kendall's wedding, wore it on her wedding day. And I said, well, I'll probably just wear this on special occasions. I really want to take care of it and work. We're, like, working with our hands so often, I wouldn't want to mess it up. And it's. I love it so much that I wear it every single day, and it's, you know, surely picking up little, you know, you know, dust and scratches and all these things. But I think surely over. Over time, maybe I'll be able to collect more objects in the categories that I really love, and so I won't need to use the one that I've been able to collect for myself all the time.

[Cameron]

I love it. There you have it. Team Olive Atelier. Thank you guys so much for coming on the show today. It's been such a pleasure to get to know the three of you a little bit more, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing things that you guys do and continue on this rocket ship that you guys are on.

[Kendall]

Thank you, Cameron.

[Laura]

Thanks for having us.

[Ben]

Thank you, Cameron.

[Cameron]

My pleasure. Take care. All right, that does it for this episode. Thank you all for listening to Collectors. Jane, Radio.