olivia bullock: Artist/illusTrator
Tell us a bit about yourself...
I am an artist and illustrator, music enthusiast and keen sartorialist. I am also a very proud mother of two immensely funny and completely crazy boys. Once a city dweller, now happily settled in more bucolic surroundings...but not too far from the city!
What inspires you?
This is a difficult question, as I can find inspiration in everywhere, in the most mundane, like the way the bubbles form whilst washing up or an overheard fragment of a conversation. But of course I have my key themes in my work that are always consistent, the things that have always interested me, such as history, fashion, music, but perhaps more specifically Im attracted to the incongruous, the eccentric, the rebelliousness! I also love a bit of humor, things that make me laugh are always a constant source of inspiration.
Image by Anna Starmer
What makes you happy?
It's usually the small things - being in my studio, working on an exciting commission, walking over the downs, seeing friends and family, having a tidy house (ha!), the list goes on.
But not a day goes past when I don't look at my kids and I'm reminded of what makes me happiest.
Who is your style icon and why?
I have many style icons, but not all of them necessarily inspire what I wear. I’m always attracted to simple, unfussy, understated and classic design. Historically, I've always admired Louise Brooks and Schaparelli, I'm also a big fan of French actresses Anna Karina and Jane Birkin. But I also love the androgyny of Tilda Swinton and the exuberance and eccentricity of Grace Jones and Vivienne Westwood. To put it simply, I admire anyone who chooses to dress creatively and individually. I plan to, one day look exactly like Linda Rodin, and grow old uniquely gracefully, and utterly debonair!
Image by Anna Starmer
What you listening to and reading at the moment?
I often DJ so I'm constantly listening to music in search of something new...and old! In fact I have music on all the time in my studio, I can't work without it. My tastes are very eclectic, but I have been listening to a lot of Susan Christie and Ennio Morricone in my studio at the moment, helps with the concentration. What I listen to changes depending on my mood, and I might shake it up with ESG or a bit of post-punk.
I have just finished reading 'The Sea, the Sea' by Iris Murdoch. This is the second time I have read this book, and I felt compelled to read it again. It's almost spellbinding, hypnotic, as I find most of her books are. She portrays such an intriguing, yet insightful analysis of the human condition.
Image by Anna Starmer
What do you like about SIDELINE?
It's all in the details! What I always look for when I'm choosing clothes, apart from the quality and feel of a garment, are the little details, the things you don't immediately notice, like a little seam, here, or a little button there, things that emerge quietly as you look at them. For me, that's what makes a beautiful piece of clothing, and SIDELINE clothes always have those little surprises. The fabric is also imperative to the style, and it's sometimes hard to get that right. There is so much consideration in the choice of fabrics, and they are so very tactile, especially the embroidered pieces. They are a timeless work of art.
Olivia wears the Danni Dungarees from this season.