Written by Marla Hardee Milling | Photos by Evan Anderson
When she took the leap and transformed her lingerie-design hobby into a full-time career, Elise Olson discovered a deep, satisfying passion.
Elise Olson built her business around the idea of comfort. She designs and produces custom lingerie crafted out of soft, sustainable materials like bamboo and organic cotton. She wants her clients to experience unparalleled comfort while wearing sexy, lacy underthings that make them feel really good about themselves.
As her business, On The Inside, has grown over the years, her external surroundings have morphed into a more comfortable working environment. In her latest move, completed in October 2017, she opened the doors of an expansive retail shop/production area at 842 Haywood Road in West Asheville. Previously, she created her garments in the River Arts District (RAD), starting out at the Phil Mechanic building then, after a few years, transitioning to The Hatchery.
While she loved the camaraderie of working in close access to other creative minds, moving to her own space has delighted her soul in new ways. She has room to display finished garments, including offerings from other brands, and space for fitting rooms. And then there’s the light—it spills into her production area through big windows. She says some of the studios she worked in at the RAD had tiny windows located very high. Now she can sit at her sewing machine and glance outside and continue a connection of sorts with the natural world.
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