Meet Gabriela Garcia Olivo | Founder and Designer of Gabriela Michele

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriela Garcia Olivo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriela, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
While in college, the idea of having my own business and creating the opportunity to work for myself started taking shape. Since childhood, I have dreamed of designing clothes and having a clothing brand. It made sense to me to make this dream my entrepreneurship initiative.

I spent four years working and learning what I needed to start a clothing brand, navigating the aspects of starting a business, and developing my first collection. Finally, last summer, I launched my brand Gabriela Michele, timeless linen dresses that are flattering for all sizes and proudly made in Los Angeles.

What should our readers know about your business?
Timeless linen dresses that are always in style and flattering for all sizes are the characteristics of Gabriela Michele. Achieving these characteristics takes a lot of work. I spent years working on the design and fit of the dresses to ensure that they would be equally flattering in every size from XS to XL. It was a very costly process of trial and error, yet I was determined to get it right. I intend to create quality clothing that makes women look good. Hence, every Gabriela Michele design must provide a flattering fit in every size.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I enjoy visiting the following places — hiking to the Griffith Observatory for the views, people watching, and watching a show at the planetarium. An afternoon at the Huntington library admiring the gardens and art is inspiring. Sunset viewing at the top of Point Dome, Malibu, is relaxing. Also, a visit to the Greystone mansion, it’s fun to explore the estate and beautiful for taking pictures. While in downtown LA, visiting the Last Bookstore is always magical.

For eating, my must-visit restaurants are, Berbere in Santa Monica. They have the most delicious vegetarian Ethiopian food and a mouthwatering dessert called, Sublime Confection. El Cochinito on Sunset for tasty Cuban roasted pork. Newport Seafood restaurant in San Gabriel Valley for delicious Chinese food. Marugame Monzo in Little Tokyo for the best udon in LA.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Being an entrepreneur requires strength to forge your path without giving in to the doubts and obstacles that creep up and may make you feel like you should give up.

Thanks to the support and encouragement from my parents, sister, husband, and family, I can continue moving forward each day. Their belief in me and my dream gives me strength. Also, thank you to my closest friends for their excitement and encouragement as I build my brand. The support I receive is priceless and makes all the difference.

Website: https://gabrielamichele.com

Instagram: @gabrielamichele.co