Catching Up with Olivia Culpo

Welcome to NYFW! Any plans?

I love going to shows where I can support my friends like [Carly] Cushnie. I always enjoy Jonathan Simkhai, too. It’s nice being able to see my friends and all their hard work really pay off.

Your capsule collection with Express recently launched. How did that come about?

I had worked with Express a few times before, and we had a really organic connection. I’ve always enjoyed creating things that empower the consumer. With Express, the price point is so accessible, and everything that I designed is basically a closet staple that can be worn a million different ways to a bunch of different types of occasions. I wanted something that would make people feel good—I came up with the “GRL PWR” logo that’s on a lot of the looks. I also have the phrase “Stronger than you think” on a T-shirt.

How did it feel to see the final products? T

hat’s always such a fun experience. I’ve done a few collaborations like this in the past. Seeing your vision come to life is such an interesting process.

You have a lot of cool content on oliviaculpo.com.

There’s definitely going to be things there that you won’t necessarily see on my Instagram. I also have a YouTube channel that shows a different side of me. I would say the website is more lifestyle-based, and the YouTube channel is more blog-style.

When I was doing research on you, the No. 1 question about you on Google is…do you know what it is?

I don’t!

It’s “How does Olivia Culpo stay in shape?” Do you get sick of that question?

Not at all, because I completely relate to the struggle. I think that everyone wants to find the perfect balance and figure out what works for them. I know that I’ve definitely gone through a process of finding what works for me. I really enjoy working out and exercising. It’s a way that I really unwind and destress. So I work out a lot. I really enjoy running. And I love food. I actually own a restaurant with my family in Rhode Island, and I’ve always been really interesting in cooking. It’s definitely a big part of my family because we’re all cooks. Enjoying a great meal brings people together. I also feel like with food, the more you put into it, the better it is…kind of like the more love you give to it, the better you can cook. I enjoy cooking, and I enjoy eating! I don’t deprive myself of anything, but I don’t overdo anything. I’m really good at [enjoying] things in moderation.

What’s your specialty in the kitchen? Probably pizza, which is really easy, but you can make it a ton of different ways. I grew up making pizza all the time with my family.

We understand that you and Dove Cameron were neighbors in L.A. What was it like working with her?

It was so nice. I hung out with her a lot of times, so we’ve definitely spent time together in the past and she’s just a really sweet, humble, normal girl that I was so happy to work with. When I found out that we were shooting this together, I could not have thought of a better person to be shooting with.

What’s next for you?

Attending all the Fashion Weeks. I’m going to New York, Paris, and maybe Milan!