A note on Bruce & Olive from Killian.
The brand’s name comes from the name of my parents, Bruce and Olive Hagen. They met in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana on a blind date set up by mutual friends. My mom, 24, was visiting her sister from Ireland, and my dad, 28, had been living and working in the city for years, although he was originally from Seattle. They were married 3 years later.
Bruce and Olive enjoyed a fabulous 30 years of marriage together—not only were they desperately in love, but they lived a full life surrounded by friends and family while never letting their romance take a back seat.
The Hagen house had a revolving door. From the weekly dinner parties and barbecues, to nights out attending concerts and sporting events, to hikes, day drives, museum exhibits, and foreign restaurants; nothing was off-limits for the Hagens. My parents always prioritized experiences over possessions, and made sure my brother and I knew we were loved.
While we ate dinner together most nights around the kitchen table, my parents never missed a Saturday date-night out—dressed to the nines. The smell of perfume and cologne would waft into the kitchen as they said their goodbyes before departing with excitement and smiles on their faces. My mom always donned her favorite red lip and said she and my father had “the most passionate love affair.” Friends described them as a movie star couple. They loved fully, laughed all the time, and invested in their relationships. And, they were not shy about PDA. I admired them as much as any of my friends did, and ended up being a lot like them.
Tragically, I lost them both to aggressive cancers between the years of 2009-2015. The grief from this kind of loss never fully goes away, but a different kind of desire is born. I was always social, outgoing, and positive, but after the experience of losing them, I truly adopted a FUCK YES attitude to embracing everything that life has to offer. I started travelling more, loving more authentically, truly investing in myself, and embracing my personal style. I started celebrating the spirit that was my parents, and being unapologetically who I am.
Bruce & Olive is my personal love song to my parents. Each piece of clothing is an ode to their love story and zest for life, because it’s worth remembering. Bruce & Olive is clothing for a life lived, and a life loved. We hope to dress you in the perfect thing.
Be bold, give light.
-Killian Hagen
Founder and CEO
