In Conversation With: Olivia Massie
The founder of booming textile brand Maison Venu opens up about her business and its beginnings
Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles: You launched Maison Venu in 2023 and have seen rapid growth since. Tell us the origin story of your brand.
Olivia Massie: I’ve been drawn to crafts since I was little. My maternal grandmother instilled a love of pattern, color, and working with my hands (knitting, crocheting, etc.) from an early age, so if we’re talking big picture, the roots of Maison Venu were seeded during my summers spent visiting my grandparents in Louisiana and taking summer art classes. Fast forward, it was my studies in textile design at UGA, then my gap year in India—where I was granted a hands-on education on the craft traditions that go into each element of the production process—that the roots of Maison Venu hit a growth spurt.
AH&L: You moved to Jaipur, India, right after you graduated from college so that you could fully immerse yourself in the craft alongside expert artisans. What was that experience like?
OM: I was 22 years old when I landed in Jaipur. I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t speak a lick of Hindi, and, furthermore, I was headed to a remote village about 45 minutes from the city. It was nerve-wracking and intensely exciting in equal measure. I lived on-property of block-printing units, and the opportunity to learn every step of the process—sourcing, making, and producing textiles—provided an invaluable foundation to start a business. Living in India changed the course of my life, and it was truly this experience that allowed me to be brave enough to launch Maison Venu.
AH&L: Creativity can strike at unassuming times. Where is the most unexpected place you’ve found inspiration from?
OM: A lot of my collection takes queues from the natural landscape of India. It’s such a rich and diverse country with lush greenery and arid desert gardens. The juxtaposition and whimsicality of some of the natural flora and fauna has long inspired me and is an element that I often come back to because it’s so different, especially for the American eye. As a whole though, I try not to take direct inspiration. I’ve always had a rich imagination, and when I go to the drawing board, my most successful patterns come out of nowhere—they’re completely made up. I sit there and doodle until I find a shape, an object, a vine, a flower design that feels exciting to me and build from there.
AH&L: Is there a design “rule” you break on purpose? Tell us about it.
OM: Our color palettes are bold, and, in some cases, daring. Rather than a design rule that I break, I often am encouraging other designers to break their own rules, to think outside the box, and go for a pattern of ours that really catches their eye—just to try it out and see if a client will bite.
AH&L: What patterns or colors dominate your own home?
OM: My apartment is very true to me. I live in a 400-square-foot jewel box apartment in the West Village of New York City, and the first thing I purchased was a Turkish vintage rug from an estate sale. Its hues drew me in: blushy pinks, spa blues, accents with orange and purple—muted tones but a dynamic color palette. I then added a velvet olive green sofa, a rattan chandelier, and antique bamboo side chairs. The very first Maison Venu design I brought home was our Marseille Pillow in Persimmon. I’m currently upholstering a sofa in an energetic floral stripe that I really love from my wedding, which brings in browns, blush pinks, and soft greens.
AH&L: In your opinion, what is the key to Maison Venu’s success?
OM: I think the driving force behind our success has been leaning into my technical training and my passion for upholding the traditional techniques. It’s hard to carve a path that’s really different in today’s world of design because there’s endless talent and a lot of noise with the digital landscape, but focusing on all that is technical helps us offer something different and original to the market. It also must be mentioned that the relationships with industry forces who’ve cheerleaded my vision have helped build the backbone of our success—from our manufacturers, wholesalers, design partners, and our incredible consumers.
AH&L: Tell us what’s next for Maison Venu. Where do you hope your brand will be in 10 years?
OM: I’m currently working through concepts and strategy for new designs for this year and beyond. I’ll be adding new finished products to our line, and potentially a new (and exciting!) category for consumers to shop. As for where we’ll be in 10 years, I hope to continue building a strong design perspective and to introduce products that excite our audience. I also hope we’ll still be surrounded by incredible people and partners who inspire us daily. maisonvenu.com
A Day in the Life
5 a.m. Wake up, make coffee, answer emails, and hop on calls with our partners in India.
7:30 a.m. Walk to our studio and office in the West Village of New York City. Stop at Rosecrans to get a coffee and pop into Florals of the Day to pick up three or four stems to give me something interesting to look at on my desk all day.
9 a.m–12 p.m. Catch up on calls with my wholesale and design partners, and check in with the warehouse. I also use the morning to keep track of orders coming in and going out.
2:30 p.m. Grab lunch with a designer at Cafe Cluny or Travelers Poets & Friends.
3 p.m. Pull reports and focus on collection work—I like to print things and lay ideas out on the floor! Right now, I’m working on product development and pattern work for the rest of this year.
5 p.m. As I look out my window, cocktail hour is in full swing in the West Village and I get the itch to participate. I’ll wrap my day up within the hour.
7 p.m. Cooking is my way to unwind from the day, and my husband and I love to do that together. Usually around now, I’m in my kitchen whipping up something for dinner.
