Happy Summer Mustangs! Today we’re introducing Out of the Ordinary (O3), a hot, new clothing brand founded by two of CFS’ very own, Karli Chung and Maddy Hill. Having only launched a month ago, O3 has already been making big waves in the fashion community with their versatile pieces designed for real modern women doing it all. Continue reading to learn more about Karli and Maddy’s journey to creating O3 and the inspiration behind their pieces!
Check out the following links to shop their collection 😍
Website: https://www.shopo3.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/shop_o3/?hl=en
About O3
O3 is an affordable luxury womenswear brand founded in London, Ontario by two Western University students (and proud CFS members!), Karli Chung and Maddy Hill. The brand aims to provide elegant, timeless, high-quality pieces that are versatile and comfortable enough to dress up and down as needed. Inspired by the movement towards comfortable clothing that has arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic, the founders wanted to produce beautiful pieces that don’t sacrifice the stretchiness, softness and all around comfort we have come to appreciate in our clothes. O3’s mission is to make beauty and luxury easy, comfortable, and affordable for young women, so they have time to focus on the rest.
The brand first launched in May with the Metamorphosis collection, which features three elevated bodysuits. The suits are clean and simple, but each boasts a versatile twist that sets it apart. The founders are excited to continue working on the design process and bring more unique, versatile pieces to the brand later this summer.
About the Owners
Karli and Maddy met in their first year at Western University after both joining a competitive dance team called This Is London Dance Company. Coincidentally they both also became choreography executives on CFS and remained in both clubs throughout second and third year. It wasn’t until they were admitted into Ivey Business School and joined the Ivey Fashion and Retail Club that they realized they had A LOT in common. Sharing the same interest and passion for potentially entering the fashion industry post-grad, they decided to start a brand together – O3.
What some people may not know is that Karli and Maddy are both working full-time day internships this summer while working full-time at night on O3. They are motivated to see this through 4th year and past graduation.
Where did the idea/concept for O3 come from? How did it all start?
“The concept of O3 comes from our belief that women are Out Of the Ordinary. It’s a celebration of women, because although there are still inequalities and work to be done to destigmatize society’s view of women, we have evolved and will continue to evolve. We’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by many strong female role models in our lives, and want to continue encouraging women to empower themselves, be confident, and push towards their goals. As fashion lovers, we believe sometimes the first step towards internal confidence is feeling good on the outside, so if we can help our customers feel good, we believe they’ll be ready to conquer anything.”
“Versatility is also core to our brand. In the past women were often pigeonholed to certain identities – whether that be housewife, career woman, etc. – but today we don’t have to choose or identify as one thing, we can do it all. With that comes a need for our clothing to keep up. When we looked around at our friends in university, all the women we knew were living such exciting, varied lives, and one style of clothing simply could not fit everything. With O3, we hope to bring clothes that are truly wearable for multiple different scenarios in life – reflecting the versatility and freedom of women today.”
What inspires the design of your pieces?
“Versatility, comfort, and elevation are at the core of our designs. Each piece has its own versatile feature – whether it be designed to be worn back and front, or have a duality in the colour. As well, with keeping it simple and elevated, our designs can easily be dressed up or down. We wanted our clothes to be able to cater to the lifestyle of women who need flexibility in their wardrobe to carry them through their day of work, school, socializing, or just relaxing.”
“The fabric also played an integral role, as stretchiness and softness were non-negotiable for us. Since the prime days of our competitive dance era has passed, plus the COVID-19 pandemic, our bodies haven’t been the same and we realized we weren’t the only ones experiencing this. We both have so many clothes that are unwearable now because we’ve gained a couple inches, and we see it as such a waste. Our O3 bodysuits can stretch a few inches so body fluctuations and bloating are not a problem, allowing you to eat that burger without a second thought (we love our food). Our buttery fabric quite literally fits to your body, not the other way around and was designed to flatter while remaining comfortable.”
What are some of your goals for you and your business going forward?
“One of the goals we are most excited about is building a community within the Canadian fashion space. Creating a sense of inclusion and belonging is important to us on a personal level, and that’s something we also want to translate to our business. It has already been so rewarding to connect with other small brands and passionate young women in fashion, and we hope to continue building connections and growing together. We just recently launched a fashion blog on our website and are excited to use it to broadcast new voices in fashion. We are also in the works of our second collection, and are excited to continue creating and come out with new pieces. We are so inspired by other big brands and startups in the industry, from Aritzia to Skims to 437, and aim to one day have as large of a business and impact as them.”
“Looking ahead, we are both heading into our 4th year at Western and can’t wait to continue growing O3.”
CAISA Fashion Show 