Meet Anastasia Nikiforova - The Founder of Olivia Bottega
Get to know our creator a little bit better. Anastasia Nikiforova is Olivia Bottega’s owner & lead designer! Enjoy reading the interview and ask away any questions in the online chat!🤍
How did the idea of creating the Olivia Bottega brand come about?
When I was a student I had some freelance opportunities to be a wedding photographer in my spare time, and seeing all of this beauty so often, the weddings, styles, dresses, I got really inspired by all of this and whenever I was retouching photos, I would just imagine that if it was me who created this particular bride’s dress and how would I do it and where would I start and so on. So, after some time I thought, why not just try to create a dress, instead of just thinking about it. All I knew is that I wanted my dresses to be of amazing design, absolutely high quality and affordable to most of the brides.
What were the first steps of creating the brand?
It is one of my favorite stories to tell because it reminds me of what my goals were and how hard I worked to reach them. After meeting my husband, we decided to leave our hometown for a better life. We sold our apartment and it was basically our first investment. We started to buy dresses from other brands and I would re-tailor them after my brides.
But then I realized that it was taking a lot of energy and it is easier for me to start from scratch, to create my own designs and not to get dresses from other shops. So right away actually it became a huge success that we had not expected at all, and this is how our brand started. We opened our very real offline shop first, but actually we still got a lot of materials from other manufacturers, because we didn’t have our own back then, and it was another headache, because we would always get in some sort of trouble with deliveries from them, or they would send us wrong materials and so on.
So, we decided to create our own manufactory and hire more people to work with us, to be able to stop collaboration with other manufacturers! And it actually helped us to open another store! Never have I ever imagined that in my wildest dreams! But I was very worried we would fail! But very soon Olivia Bottega became international and since December 2018 we create beautiful dresses for beautiful brides all over the world! It really makes me so excited all the time!
Where are you from?
I was born in a very distant part of Siberia, on the very northern point of that area, Surgut city if you wanna know. It is absolutely far away from civilization, never ending winter and very cold haha so yes, I spent my childhood in a forest with bears if you may say so. But honestly, it was challenging growing up in such a wintery climate, being far away from most of the big cities.
Do you have children? Are you married?
Yes, I do! My gorgeous baby girl Julia. And yes, I am also married to a wonderful man and father – Ivan! He is really my support, my everything. Without him I am not sure that Olivia Bottega would have been brought to life!
Very nice! How did Ivan propose to you then?
It is a very funny story actually! I basically forced my husband into marrying me, but like without any force applied haha. We were together for a while and I just told him – you know what, it is time to get married! He didn’t say much, so I told him –okayyy rings shopping first! We looked at some cute rings, you know just window shopping. Then I sent him tons of links to different rings and then he finally chose a ring, and for some reason he put it on an AC for me to find! I asked him like why on earth would I look there? He said he thought it was cute and fun. So yeah there wasn’t like any special planned proposal, but a treasure hunt was indeed charming! And now we’re married. Happily! Which is the most important thing.
What kind of bridal dress did you have at your wedding?
Well it’s funny but first we started our business together and only after some time we got married! So of course, I chose the dress from my own designs, which was a total disaster at some point if you may say, because I literally wanted them all! So I know the struggle, but I was really the most inspired by one dress, so I wore it to my wedding!
Anastasia, share your deepest wish with us, if you could wish for anything for Olivia Bottega, what would it be?
My greatest wish is to make sure that each and every bride gets her dream dress and has her dream wedding! And in some way that is, I believe, a dream coming true perfectly.
What is your vision on Olivia Bottega as a brand?
As a designer of Olivia Bottega’s most dresses, my vision is to not just create perfect dresses, like being fashionable, fancy or delicate, but also to make each dress exceptional. Because every bride is different, and I want to combine designs in a way to enhance this soft inner beauty of each bride. Sorry for my English, it’s not my first language
What is the price range for your dresses and how do you set the price?
Affordability is our top priority. Olivia Bottega offers gowns ranging from $400 to $3500 dollars, it really only depends on what effect you want to create with your look.
We have a few “choose one” questions. Ready to play a little game?
Sure! Sounds fun
- If you could choose one, is it a day or night wedding party?
Day, because in one day you can wear two dresses!
- Do you prefer floor length or short wedding dresses?
mmm I think long of course! It looks dreamier to me haha
- What’s your favorite: printed or solid fabric?
I think I prefer solid fabric, looks more natural to me
- Laces, sparkles or embroidery?
All of them! Together! From the bottom to the top, a lot! Haha
- A glass of champagne or a cocktail drink?
Is it still about dresses? Champagne, of course! It’s a very romantic and happy drink!
Do you have plus size collections?
Sure! We sew dresses even in all of the sizes; just send us your measurements.
What about delivery time?
We deliver by DHL within 2-15 days, depending on the country.
What fabrics do you use?
We only use best fabrics, like handmade lace and high quality fabrics, so all of them are actually pretty expensive.
Where is Olivia Bottega based?
Brand Olivia Bottega is registered in the USA and all payments proceed through an American bank account.
What time is the best time to contact a consultant?
We are available online, so feel free to send us any message or a question.
How can the bride make sure that all of her wishes were considered when sewing the dress?
We send the confirmation video of the wedding dresses before shipping! Always.
Why choose Olivia Bottega?
Olivia Bottega offers high quality dresses available for every woman and non-binary people. Even for little kids!
Do you have dresses in stock?
Yes, you can find them on our website!
In your opinion, what is Olivia Botega’s strongest advantage?
Customizations, absolutely! Dresses are made right after the bride's measurements, and it is easy to add something extra, like sleeves or a longer train.
Can the bride add any alteration to the wedding dress?
Yes! We customize the Wedding Dresses: you can combine the skirt & top from different dresses, lengthen the train, and change the neckline and so on.
Who designs Olivia Bottega gowns?
Initially, I designed Olivia Bottega gowns, but today there is a whole team that works for design creations. Our main inspiration is of course our gorgeous brides. Olivia Bottega is designed for you and inspired by you!
Where can the bride try on dresses by Olivia Bottega?
Unfortunately, our dresses are not yet presented offline, but you can always book an online appointment! And we are now working hard on making an offline store a reality.
Does Olivia Bottega have a physical storefront location?
We are currently working hard on opening our first offline store in the US!
Where can we purchase Olivia Botegga’s wedding dresses?
Since we are a direct to consumer brand, we have exclusive collections and dresses only available online at our website.
Most brides are afraid to order online, what would you recommend?
First of all is to not be afraid! We create custom made gowns after the bride's measurements, which mean that the dress size will be perfect for you only. Secondly - we provide an opportunity to get samples of fabrics before purchasing the dress. And last but not least, before buying a dress online, we always recommend that you visit any local store to try on the dress styles you like first, to know better what you are looking for.
What is the quality of Olivia Bottega dresses?
We always use only high quality fabrics and all of our dresses are hand sewn. So the quality is absolutely the best!
Can the bride really customize everything?
Most dresses can be customized! However, some dresses will have limitations with what can and cannot be customized. We are very happy to bring your ideas to life. Just ask our online manager! But please note that we cannot copy other brand's designs.
Do you provide alteration services?
We recommend doing any alterations in your hometown at any tailor shop of your choosing.
What do you think is an appropriate amount to spend on a wedding dress?
I believe it all depends on your budget. Cheap doesn’t always mean poor quality, and expensive isn’t a guarantee that you will get the best quality.
Is it possible to collaborate with Olivia Bottega or become a retailer?
Right now it is not an option, because we want to provide the best service to our clients. You know, we want to make sure that every bride that chooses us is absolutely happy about the experience and the dress of course. So right now, this is the main reason why we do not work with unknown retailers.
What would you wish for all of the future brides?
First - to love, second – to be happy and third is to find THE dress!
What does Olivia Bottega mean to you?
It is my soul and my second child that I love with all of my heart.
What are your plans for the future?
It is my mission I think (haha) to make as many brides as possible happy all over the world! Because I believe that with the right dress the right energy happens for the wedding, and it is a very delicate moment.
Another goal that we work towards now is to open offline stores, preferably worldwide, but we want to start with the USA first. Because I also think it is very essential sometimes for some brides to be able to see or try on a dress before it is tailored after them. And of course, I want to be a good wife and a good mom too, so I also want to be able to spend more time with my family. So, there are a lot of plans and things to do, and I am very excited to be having this opportunity to do what I truly love and am inspired by!