The Love Island USA alum and her styling team, The Reismans, reveal the faith, hustle, and family bond behind her rapid rise.
The DM that changed everything
A simple comment—"check your DM"—left under an Instagram post set Olandria Carthen on a new trajectory. The message came from Matthew Reisman, who with his brother Reginald forms the styling duo known as The Reismans. It arrived just days after Carthen finished filming season 7 of Love Island USA, the reality show her fans jokingly call her "summer internship." The Reismans were already positioning her to become fashion's newest It girl.
Though "Love Island USA Season 7 runner-up" often precedes her name, Carthen rejects the limitation. "It's not where you start; it's how you finish. In a minute, that's not going to be my only title," she told a crowd gathered at Dumbo House for a panel hosted by Creative Society, a community for creatives built on connection and collaboration. Alongside Matthew and Reginald Reisman—whose client list includes Victoria Monét, Ariana Grande, Coco Jones, Angel Reese, and Niecy Nash-Betts—Carthen traced her evolution from reality TV breakout to model and fashion icon in under a year.
The seeds of this transformation were planted years earlier. Before entering the Love Island villa, Carthen had spent years posting her dreams on X, then a small account with little audience. "I didn't realize how much I was sharing my dreams and aspirations on the internet. When you have such a small account, no one's looking, no one's checking for you, so for years, I was doing that," she recalled. "God really gave me everything I ever wanted within one year." Ironically, she noted, it was the one year she skipped her usual mood boards and goal lists, relying instead on faith and patience.
The Reismans had spotted her potential early. "She reminded us of Naomi [Campbell]," Reggie told the audience. "We wanted to bring that '90s-supermodel aspect that she definitely has out." For Carthen, finding stylists meant finding family. "I knew my new life was going to take time away from family and friends, and family is something that I really prioritize," she explained. "We literally will FaceTime for hours and hours every day. I fall asleep on the phone with these guys. I wake up on the phone with these guys."
The internet's "Bama Barbie" nickname led to an exclusive Barbie activation at Coachella this year—a full-circle moment for someone who "always wanted to be someone's personal Barbie." Yet beneath the doll-like image is a woman from the South who worked a 9-to-5 job in Houston less than two years ago.
Her official red carpet debut came at the 2025 VMAs in a red bodice with sheer layers from Cheney Chan's pre-fall 2025 collection. "I'd had a few Getty pictures, but like, an official Getty on a carpet, I'd never experienced, and I crushed it," she said. "It really solidified in my head, this is what you're supposed to do."
Behind each appearance lies what Reggie calls "the hustle for sure"—the unseen fight for brands, for access to designers, for visibility. "We make it look so easy, but it is not easy," he noted. Matthew added that "fashion is political and you can't avoid the obvious that sometimes race is a thing in fashion," citing firsthand experience with brand responses. "She's been such a champion in having every carpet be this 'I told you so' or 'f*ck you' moment because those people come back, and she just carries that so well."
Since that debut, Carthen has appeared at the Golden Globes, Paris Haute Couture Week, the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, and the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards. The Reismans continue taking risks—like the '70s-inspired bohemian maxi with fur trim at Valentino Haute Couture S/S 26, which she initially doubted. "When I originally tried that outfit on, I'm looking at it hanging, like, okay, I don't really see the vision," she admitted. Modifications—opening the bust, adding gems, committing to big hair and dramatic makeup by Ngozi Edeme—created a viral moment.
Her most daring look came at the Vanity Fair Oscar After Party: a custom Pajtim Raci backless gown with deep V, side cut-outs, and sheer wing-like trains. "Having a backless dress with some double-Ds like [mine]? Some natural ones that don't sit up? I'm like, how are we going to pull this off?" she laughed. Seven different tapes and prayer got her through—and onto best-dressed lists. "That look was the most daring thing I've ever done. I never thought I could go to a red carpet and be that revealing." She has embraced the shift: "I love that we're bringing sexy back to the carpet."
Her fans, the "Ola dolls," now predict her looks with eerie accuracy. "Who's the mole in the camp?" Matthew joked of their running theory. Carthen finds it "kind of scary sometimes" but appreciates their attunement to her style.
For Carthen, the platform carries responsibility. "When you have so many beautiful Black and brown girls looking up to you, even the older ones, I have a job. I have a great responsibility," she said. She refuses imposter syndrome: "I don't sit around and wait for someone to validate my existence. I walk in like I know I deserve to be here."
Milan Fashion Week lies ahead, and eventually her "CE-Ola era"—a bodycare brand waiting in the wings.