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How To Start A Brand Using A Personal Brand

Esteban Julian

An interview with O.FILES founder Oscar Jardorf




Esteban: Thank you so much for joining us, Oscar. Can you share a bit about yourself and the backstory of O.FILES?

Oscar: Absolutely, and thank you for having me! So, my name is Oscar, and I’m the founder and creative director of O.FILES. I’ve always been drawn to the craftsmanship and history behind clothes. For me, it started with the artistry of clothing itself—the feel, the construction, and the way clothes naturally age over time. Initially, I didn’t set out to be part of the fashion industry, but my love for creating eventually pulled me in. I just wanted to make clothes that were personal to me, that filled a gap in my own wardrobe.



Esteban: So, how did O.FILES transition from an idea to a reality, especially since you started as a solo founder?


Oscar: It began out of necessity, honestly. I wanted a piece I couldn’t find anywhere—a hoodie with a particular fit and material. I worked with a local tailor to bring it to life, and once I started wearing it, friends and people on social media began asking about it. So, I decided to produce 50 pieces, just as an experiment. I posted them on my personal Instagram, and they sold out fast. That’s when I knew there was real potential here. It wasn’t planned as a brand, but my audience validated the idea, and I built from there.


Esteban: So, your personal Instagram played a big role in the launch. Was that a deliberate strategy?


Oscar: Not really deliberate, no—it was more about accessibility. I already had a bit of a following from posting about streetwear and sneakers, so I used my personal platform to test the waters instead of creating a separate account for O.FILES. The audience knew me, so it was a natural starting point. In the beginning, it was more like, “Hey, here’s something cool I made.” But as demand grew, I realized it was turning into something more. One of the main pros was the immediate feedback—I’d post something, and within minutes, I’d know if it resonated with people. But on the flip side, there was this challenge of making O.FILES stand on its own. People saw it as an extension of me, which made it harder to establish a separate brand identity.



Esteban: That’s a really interesting challenge—using personal influence to build a brand but trying to give it its own identity. Were there other challenges, especially in the early days?


Oscar: Consistency was a huge one. Managing the creative side with the business side was overwhelming. Early on, I didn’t have the structure to plan releases effectively, which created bottlenecks. I’d get caught up in the design phase and then realize I had nothing in place for production or marketing. And then having to jump straight into developing the next collection.  I was learning as I went along, figuring out how to balance creative authenticity with the need for a consistent schedule. It was a lot of trial and error, really.




Esteban: Can you walk us through your early business model. How did you keep things running smoothly with your first releases?


Oscar: It was very straightforward. I’d create a lookbook, release the product on our website, and promote it directly to my audience. There was no pre-ordering back then; I’d invest in inventory because I already had a sense of demand through my Instagram. Once we made sales, I’d reinvest profits into developing the next collection. Every cycle, I’d use what I learned from the last to improve, focusing on things like quality, design, and overall customer experience.



Esteban: Reinvesting is such an essential part of growth. How did you approach that, and what impact did it have on the brand?


Oscar: Reinvesting was everything. I didn’t just put profits back into inventory; I invested a lot into research and development. Which just basically means learning how to make your products better. Whether that's in design or quality. That practice really helped us raise the quality of each collection and build a reputation for solid, well-thought-out pieces. It created a cycle of better products leading to better sales and allowing for more growth.


Esteban: That’s smart. What was the financial breakdown early on?


Oscar: It was focused almost entirely on product development, inventory, lookbooks, and marketing efforts directed at my audience. Showrooms or paid marketing weren’t part of the budget initially, and we kept it lean. As the brand grew, I continued investing heavily in R&D, which led to more polished collections and, ultimately, more sales. It was important to stay disciplined and avoid overextending on things we didn’t need yet.



Esteban: Speaking of collections, you mentioned the transition from your first to second collection was tough. What made it challenging?


Oscar: The main challenge was seasonal planning. We had a jacket in our fall/winter collection that was incredibly popular, and when we transitioned to spring/summer, I tried to replicate that success with different items. But lightweight pieces didn’t create the same demand as that jacket did. I learned that each season needs its own strategy, and you can’t rely on past successes to carry over to new collections.


Esteban: Let’s move to stage three of the brand—the challenges that came with COVID-19. How did you adapt?


Oscar: COVID forced us to rethink everything. Manufacturing was disrupted, so we had to get creative. I worked with a local tailor to upcycle unsold pieces from previous collections, creating something new out of what we already had. We marketed these pieces as limited, upcycled items, and people responded really well. Despite the pandemic’s challenges, we were able to keep things moving and even grew a bit by emphasizing the sustainable, adaptive approach.



Esteban: What came next?


Oscar: That period sparked what I consider the “growth stage” of O.FILES. I hired my first intern, which made a world of difference. Suddenly, tasks that used to take up my entire day were delegated, and I could focus on bigger-picture things, like refining our brand identity and improving our lookbooks and communication. I also started a personal YouTube channel to document our creative process and give our audience a behind-the-scenes look. It became a way to build more engagement by showing the journey from concept to finished product. The audience became invested in the process, not just the final product.


Esteban: That’s brilliant, using YouTube as a digital showroom and an extension of your personal brand, and therefore an extension of your marketing. So, as you grew, you branched out into wholesale. How did you navigate that shift?


Oscar: Wholesale was a big transition. We started working with respected retailers like LN-CC in London, HBX in Hong Kong and Komune in NYC, which brought credibility. However, wholesale can distance you from the direct-to-consumer relationship, which I value deeply. It’s a balancing act. I want O.FILES to grow, but I’m cautious about becoming too focused on wholesale because it can alter the brand’s identity and impact our core community. I don’t want to lose that connection we’ve built. I still want to focus on continuously growing, and deepening the bond with our community.



Esteban: That’s a common challenge for brands that start on social media. What’s your biggest strategic advice for anyone looking to build a brand the way you have?


Oscar: If I could go back, I’d bring in help sooner. Realizing you can’t do everything is crucial. Early on, I tried to manage everything myself, from design to logistics to marketing. But it’s overwhelming, and it starts to impact your creative focus. Getting the right people involved from the start—even if just for small tasks—frees up your energy to work on what really matters, like the creative direction and brand vision. Also, don’t settle for just anyone; find people who truly align with your vision.


Esteban: Any final thoughts on O.FILES' journey or what’s next for you?


Oscar: I’d say that building a brand is about forming genuine connections with people who believe in what you’re doing. O.FILES has evolved so much, from a single product to a full collection and now into something with its own identity. Moving forward, I’m excited to continue growing both the brand and our community, while staying true to the values that got us here.



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