BEHIND THE NEEDLES: MARCELA'S JOURNEY

BEHIND THE NEEDLES: MARCELA'S JOURNEY

Hello! So glad you're here. If you've found your way to this corner, you probably know my work as Hello Soy Olivia. Today, I want to invite you to learn a little more about who is truly behind every stitch and every design.

My name is Marcela Selman, though almost everyone calls me "Marce" or "Tita." I'm an architect by profession, and although I dedicated a large part of my life to designing spaces, my true passion —the one that has been with me since I was a child— was always fashion and textile creation.

THE MYSTERY OF THE NAME: WHY OLIVIA?

Many people ask me why I decided to call my project "Olivia" if my name is Marcela. The answer is simple and full of affection: Olivia is the name of my niece and goddaughter. Beyond the family bond, I always felt that phonetically the name had a strength and harmony that better represented the aesthetic I wanted to convey. Thus, Olivia became my creative alter ego, that voice that invites playing with colors and shapes.

FROM BLUEPRINTS TO PATTERNS

My training as an architect didn't stay in the office; it lives in every knitting guide and design. For me, a dress or a sweater are not just garments, they are structures that inhabit the human body.

I apply concepts of geometry, construction, and mathematics to ensure that my designs are not only visually appealing but also have a perfect fit. I am passionate about feminine anatomy and I strive for my pieces to highlight these natural shapes with originality and functionality. When you knit one of my patterns, you don't just follow instructions: you learn to understand the architecture of the garment.

FASHION AS A LANGUAGE: MUCH MORE THAN JUST KNITTING

If architecture gives me structure, my fashion training gives me color and staging. Over the years, I have professionally immersed myself in the world of styling, colorimetry, art direction, production, and photography.

All this background allows me to show knitting from a different perspective, with a very unique and carefully crafted aesthetic, perhaps closer to the fashion and editorial world.

But my intention is not to impose a style, but quite the opposite: I want to ignite your imagination.

When I show you in a photo how I wear one of my garments, I'm just giving you a starting point. My true goal is to inspire you to open your own closet, play with what you already have, and discover the infinite ways your knits can be the protagonists of your personal style, regardless of your body morphology, age, and ethnicity.

THIRTY YEARS OF THREADS AND CURIOSITY

I have been self-taught in knitting for over 30 years. Although my mother taught me the basic stitches, my curiosity led me to get lost in haberdashery magazines and experiment on my own. My great motivation has always been the same: to create garments that didn't exist in stores, pieces that fit my body and my personal style.

What started as a hobby transformed into my profession. Today, I put all that three decades of experience and my comprehensive training at the service of my designs and knitting guides.

MY PROCESS: WHERE DESIGN COMES TO LIFE

I enjoy every stage, but nothing surpasses that first moment when an idea appears and I visualize how that garment will move on the body. Then comes the brainstorming of textures, stitch swatches, and sketches. Watching an idea evolve from a simple ball of yarn to a definitive shape is, for me, pure magic.

I firmly believe in the value of handmade. A garment knitted with time and dedication creates an emotional bond that fast fashion can never replicate. It is an item of inestimable value that accompanies us and evolves with us, holding memories and an infinity of emotions.

Thank you for allowing me to share my passion with you and for being part of this universe where architecture, fashion, and knitting meet.

HUGS, MARCE 💖