BUILDING OCELLÉE
09/04/2025
THE PROCESS
It's the day after my third and final photoshoot for this collection—my very first collection—and I'm caught in a strange emotional cocktail: a sharp anxiety paired with an overwhelming, almost sacred sense of peace. Somehow, the nerves sit comfortably next to the kind of fulfillment I've never quite felt before. I'm proud. So proud, in fact, that I could sell zero pieces, reach zero followers, and still walk away feeling like I’ve done
something right.
It’s strange, isn’t it? How we’ve come to equate the success of a brand with Instagram metrics, influencer tags, and TikToks gone viral. But I’ve had to ask myself—how can I protect my mental health and define success in a way that feels... real?
I’ve come to believe that creatives tend to exist in two forms: the meticulous perfectionist, and the chaotic romantic—or as our generation likes to call it, the "hot mess." I am, of course, a delicious blend of both. And that, unsurprisingly, has made this journey a bit of a storm—but also, the most fun I’ve ever had.
For years I told myself I wouldn't launch a brand until everything was perfect. By perfect, I
meant: impeccable fabrics, top-tier tailors, a professional-grade website, beautiful models, custom packaging, and the emotional bandwidth to carry it all. That kind of launch requires industry connections, a serious budget, or years of experience. I had none of those. But I had conviction.
SYNCHRONICITIES
After years of resisting my academically-driven family to pursue art, the universe gave me my first push into the right direction: I landed at Istituto Marangoni in Milan. I was, predictably, the hot-mess perfectionist incarnate. Structured in theory, erratic in practice.
Somehow it worked. I built what I thought was a strong foundation—studied hard, interned, networked, dreamt big. Just as I was preparing to launch my brand, everything shattered. For personal reasons, I had to leave Milan behind. Abruptly. Violently.
Suddenly I was back in Santiago, in my childhood room, with the same velvet bedframe and art deco wallpaper, answering my parents' questions like I was sixteen again. “What’s the plan Paula?” I had none. I had just burned the one I'd built over five years.
Months passed. New York pulled me in, then Europe again, then Miami. Everywhere felt like a stopover. Nothing flowed, nothing felt right. Then came Mexico City—just a two month escape, I told myself. But something shifted. Within weeks, I signed a lease. Within months, I started building something that actually made sense. Something that felt... aligned.
I met my first friend, Dina, in week one. A vision—inside and out. She became a muse. You’ll spot her all over the campaign. I found my tailors through a pattern-making course. My photographer at my hairdresser’s salon. Packaging vendors while walking down the street. My web designers came through a friend. Everything just... flowed. Just, worked.
Why am I sharing all this? Because after years of blocks, dead-ends, and what felt like failure stacked upon failure, things simply started working. Naturally. Effortlessly. Yes, I was putting in the work, keeping my eyes open, chasing the vision. But this time, life met me halfway. It felt like the universe finally said, “Yes, Paula Now. ” I believe the universe resists when you're not where you’re meant to be. It whispers, then it shoves. Resistance is a signal. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s not random. When doors keep closing, maybe they’re not your doors. When you find ease, it’s often because you’re walking the right path. And as the famous saying goes, “when it’s your calling—it will keep calling.”
Milan wasn’t it. New York wasn’t it. Santiago wasn’t it. Not even Miami. And don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with these cities, But launching a business requires more than inspiration; it requires an entire ecosystem to align, and I found that alignment in CDMX due to its warmth, its soul. A city built by artists, shaped by thinkers and fuelled by passion, a nest for those who crave authenticity, and a haven for those who move through the world without the fear of feeling. It became my launchpad, my second home, and the birthplace of OCELLÉE
THE LESSONS
At first, it feels like chaos. One delay derails the entire system. But then you learn. You adapt. You prep samples for three collections at once. You shoot multiple campaigns back-to-back. You create breathing room. And yes, maybe even that won’t work out perfectly—but that’s the point, isn’t it? The entire industry is built on refinement through imperfection.
This brand—my brand—was born out of trial, error, obsession, heartbreak, hope, and timing. And while I’m just at the beginning, I’ve never felt more certain that I’m doing what I’m supposed to.
