Ariana Olivia Bolaños is a fashion designer and entrepreneur from Milan. From attending New York Fashion Week to launching her first website on Mar. 23, it’s safe to say 2023 has already been a very successful year for Bolaños.
Growing up in the small town that is Milan, Bolaños spent most of her free time watching the style channel with her dad and styling her Barbie collection.
Bolaños has been interested in fashion for as long as she can remember. In 2018, she was accepted into her dream school, Fashion Institute of Technology. Prior to this, she graduated from Milan High School.
Her brand, arrri clothing was first launched in 2021.
“I’ve been brainstorming names for my future clothing line since I was about seven years old,” Bolaños said. “I made so many mockup sketches of logo designs and what my store front might look like one day. So it’s pretty much been in the works for my whole life.”
Bolaños describes her clothing line as alternative, hyperfeminine and streetwear inspired. Previously, arrri was exclusively sold through Instagram, but as of March 23, can now be purchased through her newly launched site.
The website currently consists of a curated series of 15-25 items that are size and gender inclusive. It also includes an interactive lookbook of her runway collection, with the option to purchase some of the pieces.
Bolaños executed her first runway show last year in Detroit with the organization Fantazma Market, a non profit focused on uplifting the community through art.
When it comes to her fashion shows, Bolaños hopes to inspire people to rethink fast fashion.
“Each collection differs in inspiration and meaning, but my overall message is to urge people to think before they buy,” she said. “The fashion industry is one of the top polluting industries, alongside oil and animal agriculture. Not only is overconsumption killing us and our earth, but constantly buying into trends and cheaply made clothes is a huge enabler of slave-like labor conditions across the world.”
After sending a plethora of emails, Bolaños acquired a spot at this year’s New York Fashion Week.
On her first day there, she was able to secure a volunteer position through social media, and from there was invited back to help with a second fitting and show day prep. She also had the opportunity to watch the show and attend the afterparty.
“It was pretty much everything I hoped it would be,” Bolaños said. “I got to work with so many cool people, that I can’t wait to work with again in the future, and was also able to learn a lot about how bigger shows are organized and created. It solidified my dream to keep pursuing fashion as a career.”
All information on future shows will be posted to Bolaños’ Instagram account: @aoliviab and on arrri’s Instagram account: @arrri.clothing. More information on arrri clothing can also be found on the brand new site arrri.online.
