My name is Hollis Kolmansberger, and I’m 22 years old. When I was a kid, I would lie down to go to sleep, and my head would light up with clothing designs. I loved it, each night was like a movie. When I was 12, I realized that this was something unique, and I decided that I wanted to use it to build a career in fashion design. At 14, I founded this company, By Hollis, with the plan to build my understanding on the business side of fashion, while practicing my designing. I thought of the idea at a soccer tournament, where I saw a heat press in action printing tournament t-shirts. I remember thinking to myself, “I can figure that out.”

The next week, I began to write my plans for a little business. After pitching my idea, getting some investments and purchasing my machinery, I began to print. The very first thing I printed totally botched. After much practice (and numerous YouTube how-to videos), I began to create a product I loved- a super soft tee with my designs on the front, ones similar to the ones you’d find dancing through my head in the night.

By Hollis began to grow. One big change is that By Hollis upgraded to screenprinting, creating a better quality graphic. In 2016, I partnered with the Four Diamonds Foundation, an organization that helps families of children with pediatric cancer pay medical bills, and created a tee that benefits the cause. By Hollis later partnered with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Project Lyme on other beneficial t-shirt campaigns.

In 2017, for my senior year of high school, I moved to Leiria, Portugal to study abroad. I lived with a Portuguese family, and I studied art in the local high school. There were limitless inspirations during this year, and I designed a few collections for By Hollis while being there- most of them were drawn up on the beautiful blue Portuguese coastline.

After I returned home the following summer, I moved to New York City to begin studying fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Suddenly the opportunities I dreamed of as a kid were in reach! Connecting to the city through volunteer work including 911 Day on the Intrepid and numerous fashion week shows, like Studio One Eighty Nine and the CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund are some of my favorite highlights. I also began working at a men’s suiting store (Suitsupply) in the North American flagship location in Soho, Manhattan, where I acquired knowledge on tailoring, styling and fit. After gaining this experience, I vowed for my clothing to be designed reflecting a visible knowledge of tailoring.

I then moved in Florence, Italy for my sophomore year of college, where I studied fashion design abroad at Italy’s top-ranked fashion University, Polimoda. This venture brought forth countless industry experiences, including attending trade-shows Première Vision and Texworld in Paris and WHITE Show in Milan, on top of visiting historic ateliers and the experiencing the stimulating and beautiful energy of Italy.

My final sophomore garment was awarded the People’s Choice Award and Critic’s Honorable Mention Award by FIT in Florence (view it here!).

During the fall of 2020, I was accepted to study abroad at Central Saint Martins in London, England. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the program was canceled, however returned to New York City with the same invigorating spirit that I had when learning I was one of four accepted into the demanding and competitive program. I am now completing my junior year from my apartment in the city.

Throughout the last six years, in both high school and college, I continued to release by Hollis collections. I am endlessly grateful for the growing support of the company, as it is the most inspiring outlet to share my work with the world — and I say world, because by Hollis pieces have homes everywhere, from Hawaii, to Australia, to Portugal, Belgium and Denmark! Thank you so much for the support! The strong backbone of the by Hollis community allows me to keep going for the dream.

Thank you — Obrigada — Grazie!

Hollis Kolmansberger

"If you don't build your dream, somebody will hire you to help build theirs."

-Dhirubhai Ambani