Olivia Ponton has occur a extensive way from dancing and lip-syncing onto your FYP all through her Hype Home era. In addition to 7.9 million TikTok followers tuning into her wanderlust-deserving travels, attractiveness faves, and recent Athletics Illustrated photo shoot, the 21-yr-aged content creator is not just modeling dresses — she’s building them now, as well. Ahead of Pleasure Thirty day period, the social media individuality worked with American Eagle to structure the AE & Olivia Ponton Delight assortment. In it, you are going to come across cheeky rainbow-themed T-shirts, playful tote baggage, and vibrant add-ons that includes estimates that relate to Ponton’s coming-out story.

“I get a lot more smiles when I’m strolling close to in New York Town and wearing a single of my American Eagle shirts or bringing my ‘Totes Gay’ bag to the bagel shop,” Ponton tells Elite Every day. “It can make me down-to-my-coronary heart happy.” With Satisfaction Thirty day period heralding the unofficial commence of summertime, she states she prioritized creating pieces that would be comfortable to slip on for all the things from Delight parades to get-togethers when beating the New York heat in June.

Underneath, Ponton opens up about her preferred items in the collection (she’s obtained six pairs of the rainbow boxers that she wears on rotation), her accidental coming-out publish on social media, and her Pride ideas for this calendar year.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Elite Each day: Why was teaming up with American Eagle for this assortment essential to you?

Olivia Ponton: Getting to get the job done on this assortment was one particular of individuals objectives I hardly ever believed would in fact come about. It is so significant to me that the selection is Delight-similar, and it suggests so a lot that I was able to design particular items with rates that have such significance to me and my coming-out tale. And then to have these an iconic model like American Eagle powering me on this just implies the environment.

ED: What was the style and collaboration procedure like?

OP: It was all about environment a vibe. I sent a number of mood boards a working day of the vibe that I desired, and then I curated a group of estimates that I required to be on the shirts. I brought them a large amount of patterns and we kind of went from there.

ED: What are some of your favorite items from the collection?

OP: My particular preferred is the shirt with “Not a period,” due to the fact it was a single of the most widespread assumptions that I listened to when I came out. Continue to to this day, fellas say that, or they are like, “You just haven’t fulfilled the correct a person.” And I think a good deal of persons in the group can resonate with that estimate.

The Rainbow Heart line is also specific because I experienced a keychain for three a long time with rainbow hearts on it like that. It was the to start with rainbow piece that I ever purchased for myself, so I knew that it had to be in there in some way.

ED: I like that you ended up able to include that. What are some ways you’d design the items in your selection this summer months?

OP: I’ve worn the boxers every single working day this earlier week, and my favorite way to fashion them is carrying them with oversized shorts or pants and owning them peek out a tiny little bit. I also love sleeping in them — I have 6 pairs, which is wonderful. And then I put on the hats with essentially each outfit. I like the black hat with vibrant lettering.

ED: The pieces are good for summer.

OP: Of course Pride in New York is in June, and we’re like, oh my gosh, it really is going to be so warm then. We have to make confident that we have pieces that we can use in that warmth.

ED: Your assortment is all about embracing your genuine self. How does that translate to becoming a creator and currently being vocal about your identification?

OP: I personally love talking about my sexuality. It’s one thing that a large amount of people go by way of at some level in their existence. I believe people in the neighborhood are questioning or attempting to figure some items out, and I like to be an open ebook with my tale to be like, “Everything you are experiencing right now is completely regular, and anyone has to go via it.” It’s rather astounding to be in this kind of an astounding community.

ED: Is it at any time difficult balancing what you share about your sexuality and dating lifetime with your audience compared to what you continue to keep private?

OP: It is truly something I appreciate carrying out, which is a large aspect of it. If I didn’t, I consider it would be a minor bit harder. It allows me in various factors as very well, like it is my personal minor miniature treatment. I am capable to speak to my close friends and men and women who follow me about what’s likely on in my lifetime, and I think that is just something that I will normally do and cherish.

ED: Has it always been like that?

OP: In the starting, it unquestionably didn’t sense normal to overshare a whole lot of my daily life, but as time went on, I saw it as a awesome way to keep up with good friends when we are not seeing just about every other for prolonged durations of time.

ED: You not long ago stated on Skinny Private that your TikTok video clip coming out was accidental. What was the put up and what was your initial considered when you observed it was up?

OP: It was a funny audio that was a trend on TikTok that a ton of people in the neighborhood ended up employing. I woke up in the morning super drained and experienced a instant like, “Oh my gosh, what did I do?” when I understood that I accidentally posted it. I was freaking out for like an hour or so, and then I was like, you know what? I am actually happy that that happened simply because it took a good deal of the pressure out of it for me, and I assume it was a amusing and cute way to occur out as nicely.

ED: How did your followers respond?

OP: Honestly, I averted looking at my cellphone that day because I did not really want to see what individuals had to say about it. It is me and who I really like, and I will not want to have to describe that to many others. But I’m quite certain a whole lot of people today have been just like truly bewildered.

ED: That is definitely comprehensible wanting to action away for a minute.

OP: Oh undoubtedly. I feel it was genuinely good to be capable to get to that point with myself wherever I was very content material with my sexuality and the place other persons have been also accepting me at this sort of a large price. I was tremendous grateful to be surrounded by this kind of wonderful individuals while it was likely on.

ED: Are there any LGBTQ+ creators you want to shout out that you enjoy following?

OP: I love pursuing Madison Bailey and her romance. I feel they are super cute and every time I see them, it just makes my heart so happy.

ED: We’re now in Pride Thirty day period. What does it suggest to you?

OP: Actually, it’s my favorite month for the full 12 months. Pleasure Thirty day period is an full month where we are equipped to really like whomever we want to like, and I imagine individuals in the community experience such a significant amount of enjoy as perfectly.

Specially in New York, it can be a extremely difficult atmosphere to be in if you really don’t have tons of mates, but when you might be quite out and very pleased, primarily all through Pride Thirty day period, I feel individuals are just a little bit much more loving. I genuinely enjoy dwelling in a metropolis that is that accepting.

ED: What are some of your favored Satisfaction memories?

OP: I’ve only performed two Prides, but at past year’s Pride, we went to Washington Sq. Park and went to the parade and obtained some genuinely superior meals. I recall assembly so quite a few remarkable close friends and new folks who told me their stories about how they arrived out. It was this kind of a like-stuffed working day and just this sort of an incredible experience to have.

ED: Do you have any Satisfaction Thirty day period traditions you do each and every 12 months? Or want to commence undertaking?

OP: Ooh, I definitely want to start out acquiring my individual Satisfaction occasion each yr. And this year, American Eagle has a Times Sq. billboard for the collection, so I’m heading to make all my pals go up and see it with me.

Truthfully, I inform anyone that going to the Delight parade is so significantly pleasurable. Even if you might be not a section of the neighborhood, you can however go as an ally. Especially if you stay in New York, it truly is not tough to go for a few several hours and aid the men and women who like you.