Meet Candice Collison | CEO & Mother of three

We had the good fortune of connecting with Candice Collison and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Candice, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was working in tech when I had my first baby, and while I was enjoying my job I felt a calling to follow a career that tied into my motherhood experience and my passion for conscious fashion. After welcoming my second baby in February 2020, I felt lost in the transition into the postpartum and newborn mother stage. Breastfeeding was difficult and painful this time around. I was constantly rejected by my baby when I tried to nurse, and I was overwhelmed by postpartum anxiety. My wardrobe made me feel even more isolated, nothing fit, I was constantly milk-drenched, and I felt frumpy in the nursing and maternity clothing options available. I researched the maternity market, and turned to sustainable and slow fashion brands I already loved for inspiration. I was inspired to develop a slow fashion line of clothing that could adapt throughout the seasons of motherhood.

What should our readers know about your business?
Of an Origin’s mission is to support the mother’s matrescence journey. That’s the physical and emotional transformation into motherhood. When I hear from customers that our line has given a mother the confidence to breastfeed in public, or that our pants are the only thing that a postpartum mother wants to wear, I’m so proud of what we are building. Today, we have 8 styles, but by Fall 2023, we are more than tripling our assortment. We are also extending our sizing to 2X across our entire line by the end of the year. Our expansion into new sizes and styles will allow us to serve even more mothers’ journeys. This year we are projecting to grow 5X year over year, and we expect to continue that growth rate into the foreseeable future.

We are also moving our cotton styles to 100% GOTS certified cotton and will be working with partners certified by Fair Trade USA, which sets high ethical standards for labor and environmental stewardship. When we set out to launch Of an Origin, we wanted to create an intentional brand that not only helps mothers, but also acts responsibly for all stakeholders including everyone in the supply chain and the planet. We also have big plans to become the most stylish and healthiest apparel and textile brand for families – expanding into baby, kids, and bedding.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It truly takes a village to build a brand from problem to idea, to physical product. It’s hard to pick one shoutout, but I recognize my friend, mentor, and collaborator Tierra Forte has been an incredible resource along the way. Tierra is the CEO and co-founder of organic kids’ clothing brand Mightly. She is one of the most experienced sustainable fashion leaders and operators in the industry. I’ve learned so much from Tierra ranging from fair trade standards, marketing tactics that have worked for Mightly, to gaining factory relationships, and introductions to partners at Target. Tierra has opened doors that have completely changed the trajectory for Of an Origin. We would not be here today without Tierra’s mentorship and guidance.

Website: https://ofanorigin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofanorigin/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicecollison/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ofanoriginbrand

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ofanorigin

Image Credits
photographer: Nicole de Filippis https://nicoledefilippisphotography.com/ production: Ready Pretty https://www.readypretty.com/