Depop’s Olivia Harountounian As “@reallifeasliv”

Olivia Haroutounian, or better known as Depop’s @reallifeasliv, has over 25 thousand followers, has sold well over one thousand pieces, and specializes in vintage designer clothing in which she stars in.

This article is based on an interview and research I conducted during quarantine, of Olivia’s fashion, inspiration, and the re-selling culture.

Buying, Selling, and Discovering Unique Fashion

Depop is an online platform that allows users to sell and re-sell designer, pre-loved, and vintage clothing, items, accessories, and art. Noted as one of the most successful start-ups in the fashion resale space, it seems to target the millennial and the Gen-Z generations. She developed a knack for dressing well after thrifting with her mom from a young age. She is only twenty-two and has been recognized as one of Depop’s top sellers, having collaborated with the actual platform a total of three times. One of the times, rapper and celebrity Megan Thee Stallion was featured, modeling a Jean Paul Gaultier dress from her shop. I asked her specifically, “What was the most special time you’ve been featured by Depop? Where did you shoot?”

“The best time when we collaborated was when Megan Thee Stallion was featured on my page. The shoot was here, in Houston, and it took all day, and forever to shoot. She actually purchased an iconic Vivienne Tam piece from me. Her stylist bought it from me, but she had her dog and everything, it was really cool. We had a really good photographer for that one, he was so nice.”

– Olivia Harountounian (( Harountounian, Olivia. Oliviaondepopforthedailyfandom. Whisenhunt. December, 09, 2020. ))

I had seen Olivia’s number’s grow an incredible amount from the time I first found her page. Seemingly always admired, but I had to ask, how quickly did the 25,000 followers happen for Olivia?

“I think over quarantine, I received over 10,000 followers. Over the course of six or seven months, the followers picked up.”

– Olivia Harountounian (( Harountounian, Olivia. Oliviaondepopforthedailyfandom. Whisenhunt. December, 09, 2020. ))

Incentive, Influence, And Inspiration

Garage sales, estate sales, platforms, rare tees for twenty-five cents. Her mom began her in thrifting, and she joked that they’d been thrifting for 22 years now. Olivia is in college, and the clothing she has sourced has already been featured in VOGUE. Considering the actual Depop Platform, how was Olivia introduced?

“You have too many clothes”- two best friends, “you are overwhelmed and take forever to get dressed. Those same two best friends came over one day and they all participated in my major closet cleanout. They suggested: Why didn’t she start a Depop? So I put two things on there, and they sold. And that’s what this whole business is, it’s me trying to pay for school.”

– Olivia Harountounian (( Harountounian, Olivia. Oliviaondepopforthedailyfandom. Whisenhunt. December, 09, 2020. ))

Regarding differentiating what to keep or what she needed to sell, Olivia said, it was hard to delegate what to keep. She’s honestly kept a lot less stuff for herself and has sold a ton of items. No doubt her continuous hard work and eye for quality, rare clothing is definitely meant for her followers and buyers to have fun and live our lives truest to our authentic selves. Fashion and style are not only meant to celebrate the designer but meant for one to express their true self! Wear what you want to wear. Keep on wearing what you want to wear.

The Good Ole’ Days

A beautiful, possibly thrifted, vintage, designer find? I told Olivia that I love the vintage quality, the way things were made and presented. She agreed. We briefly dove into the world of fast-fashion and discussed the re-selling movement. Things aren’t made with such amazing quality anymore, and if it is constructed qualitatively, it may be out of reach. Olivia brings those items within our reach. She carefully curates each and every piece for Depop, sourcing from — well, that’s her secret! Yet, she is located in Houston and told us during the interview that although Texas has been quickly growing and there is so much talent, there isn’t very much stabilization within that realm.

People will stare you down for wearing something different or unique, and I am very familiar with how that works. I, personally, love thrifting, and, more importantly, love dressing to reflect how I feel. I stand by the motto, “keep doing you”. Regardless of what other people think of how I dress, I want to feel comfortable with myself, really, only. The attitudes that are mirrored upon us, especially if we are from a more traditionalist or smaller town, should not dictate how we want to dress! Similar to feelings and specific attitudes. As stated earlier, do what you love to do. Olivia hints at and oozes commitment, I clearly see it in her sourcing and even captions on her Instagram and Depop.

She endlessly goes through her collection of VOGUE magazines, and runway videos on Youtube, and names the designer clothing down to the era and/or season. What it boils down to is the following:

“I think it’s because the world kind of feels like a smaller place, and everyone wants to have that thing that’s different about them, but it takes a lot of time and research, and learning. Like, do it, you know. Learn and invest in your craft, yourself. “

-Olivia Harountounian (( Harountounian, Olivia. Oliviaondepopforthedailyfandom. Whisenhunt. December, 09, 2020. ))

I asked Olivia Harountoinian – best purchase all-around, and why?

“It came out of a wet trash-bag, at an antique show, out of the country. I paid $50 for it. A couture evening gown.”

-Olivia Harountounian (( Harountounian, Olivia. Oliviaondepopforthedailyfandom. Whisenhunt. December, 09, 2020. ))

Olivia is also a huge Sex & The City fan, stating that Samantha wore the same dress in the movie — only with a different pattern. She’s never actually worn the dress, only tried it on. She can never part with it! I don’t blame her. During our zoom meeting, I was in awe at the beauty of the couture gown. It is pictured below, and it is gorgeous.

When it came down to small businesses during this time, many have struggled, and many others have thrived. It often comes down to adaptability and creativity. That being said, many people are now more than ever geared towards online shopping. Overall, in what way has COVID affected the business?

“Everybody has their insecurities. It’s jarring sometimes, when I prefer to be behind the camera vs. in front of it. I wasn’t seeing people basically, and I usually have my friends model for the shop. I was inspired by an artist and re-did my backdrop so when I had the time, I started getting in front of the camera more often. It’s been fun. “

-Olivia Harountounian (( Harountounian, Olivia. Oliviaondepopforthedailyfandom. Whisenhunt. December, 09, 2020. ))

“Specializing in Vintage and Designer Pieces” On Depop

Some of Olivia’s biggest inspirational eras for clothing are the 70s and 90s. Iconic designers like Romeo Gigli and Beba are some of her favorites. She collects Romeo Gigli pieces and has sold them on her Depop before. We have been in awe of the Romeo Gigli pieces that sold just as quickly as they were posted. Beba is harder to find.

Olivia does not only sell on Depop, but was a journalist major, and has now switched to corporate communication.

“I want to do some sort of non-profit work here in the city, and create some type of youth center for those in like, high-school. There’s a lot of talent here, but nothing to sustain it. People with experience would come in and mentor the youth.”

-Olivia Harountounian (( Harountounian, Olivia. Oliviaondepopforthedailyfandom. Whisenhunt. December, 09, 2020. ))

Olivia is setting an example, one that emphasizes empowerment and constructiveness while having fun while doing it. I discovered Olivia on Depop a few years ago when I spotted a yellow, mesh, one-shoulder Jean Paul Gaultier dress she was selling for such a good price! It quickly sold, but shortly after, I purchased a vintage Adrienne Vittadini white knit-like, drop-waist dress from her, and to this day, as our first and one of many purchases from her, it is a classic, one-of-a-kind, and our favorite. When I first communicated with Olivia those many years ago, she was so sweet and kind. Something about her really stuck with us, and we have built a solid relationship with her ever since. Olivia sets an example that passion and drive can take you far.

I told Olivia that she has such a love and passion; I’d love to see her continue to take that further. She has such talent, is so knowledgeable, and I love to learn from her. When you have an end goal, I recommend you practice towards your goal every day. Even if you don’t feel like it or become distracted: manifest, and think about your goal every-day, even just once a day.

It’s not just luck, hard-work, or skill – it’s dedication. This is exactly what Olivia has done, from reading VOGUE magazines cover-to-cover from a young age to waking up and sourcing her items, for example, at estate sales at five or six AM. If you can think of it, it exists!