From the bustling rhythm of Kingston to the cool minimalism of Reykjavik, Carlotta Tate Olason is walking proof that Caribbean women don’t just adapt—we transform spaces—bold, unexpected, and utterly unstoppable. She is the kind of woman who builds bridges where none existed, and then lights them up for the world to see.
Born in Jamaica, Carlotta’s story begins with an innate boldness. The island rhythm pulses through her work, her leadership, and her vision. “Jamaica taught me to be fearless, to win, to stay grounded in rhythm and resourcefulness,” she says. Whether she’s curating a runway or designing a public health strategy, her heritage shows up as a kind of divine defiance that never apologizes for excellence, never backing down from possibility.
That energy led her to found Erlendur Talent Agency and Erlendur Fashion Week Iceland—two trailblazing platforms launched in one of the most unexpected places for fashion: Reykjavik. The decision to build something so ambitious in Iceland came from a deep desire to create space for brilliance that often goes unseen. Iceland wasn’t an obvious choice for founding a fashion week. But Carlotta isn’t one for the obvious. She saw potential where others might see barriers, from witnessing a problem and becoming the solution. “I saw so many gifted people—stylists, designers, models, creatives—who had the skill and drive but lacked opportunity. ”Instead of fighting for a seat at the table, I built my own table and chair.” What started as a means to survive evolved into purpose, a thread that runs through every chapter of Carlotta’s life.
It wasn’t a solo endeavor. Carlotta shared the vision with her daughter, Bianca Hallveig, Together, they created more than a fashion week. They transformed a vision into a movement—one where stylists, photographers, designers, and creatives could gather, collaborate, and shine on a shared stage.
EFWI (Erlendur Fashion Week Iceland ) is not just an event. It is a statement. EFWI wasn’t just about fashion—it was about rewriting the script. One that says creativity has no borders, and that diversity belongs in the spotlight. “We’re proud to have started this global conversation in one of the world’s most unlikely yet inspiring corners.”
Behind all the global glam is a real, personal story—one rooted in faith and shaped by the richness of her culture. Her Jamaican roots guide everything she does. She’s bold without apology, creative to the core, and grounded in something deeper.
”Instead of fighting for a seat at the table, I built my own table and chair.”
“Jamaica taught me how to be fearless. How to win. How to bring
rhythm and resourcefulness wherever I go.”
Whether she’s pulling together a runway show or building a public health campaign, that island spirit is always with her. So is her faith.
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” — Philippians 4:13. That verse has carried her through every twist, turn, and test.
Before moving to Iceland, Carlotta spent years in London—studying, working, and building her life. It’s also where she met her Icelandic husband, which eventually led to the big move.
The transition wasn’t a total shock, but the cultural shift was real. Iceland’s calm, quiet way of life felt worlds apart from the vibrant energy she was used to in Jamaica and England. “There were definitely moments I felt alone, especially at first,” she shares. “But I didn’t sit around waiting for community—I built one.”
She began by hosting small house gatherings, drawing in those who, like her, felt displaced or unseen. Over time, those evenings became a lifeline—then a platform. Again, “what started as survival became purpose,” she says. It’s a phrase that seems to follow Carlotta everywhere she goes.
Her work has always stretched far beyond fashion. With a background in health psychology, Carlotta once served as Director of Health Initiatives for the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, working alongside the former Nigerian President. That chapter began serendipitously, while working on a patient education project with the Sickle Cell Society in London, she met Obasanjo and was invited to help launch the foundation. She said yes and led public health initiatives across Nigeria and other African countries, focusing on blood safety, health education, and development.
“My experience in Africa ignited something deeper in me,” she recalls. “My passion for enhancing lives—for helping people unlock their talent and improve their quality of life—became a calling.” She realized she wasn’t here just to support people in being good. “I want to help them become great.”
That time also delivered one of her greatest leadership lessons: influence means very little without integrity. “Working at that level taught me how to lead quietly, ethically, and with purpose, not ego. And that left a lasting impression on me.”
When asked how her seemingly different worlds of fashion and health psychology intersect, Carlotta smiles knowingly. “Both are about perception and transformation. In health, you help people rewrite their internal narratives. In fashion, you help them express those narratives visually. When you feel good, you tend to look good—and when you look good, you feel even better. They work hand in hand to elevate mood and mindset.”
Even the name “Erlendur” speaks volumes. It means foreign in Icelandic—a word that once made her feel like an outsider. But rather than run from it, she reclaimed it. “Now it symbolizes everything I stand for: being different, daring, and redefining borders. You can be from anywhere and still belong everywhere.”
Carlotta’s global identity is layered, shaped by the resilience she learned in England, the spiritual insight gained in Africa, the stillness of Iceland, and the creative force of Jamaica. “I’ve become a cultural bridge,” she says. “Each place gave me a new lens. And now I fully embrace the fluidity of that role.”
For Carlotta, fashion is more than aesthetics—it’s cultural currency. She’s adamant that the Caribbean perspective has long been misunderstood. “Caribbean fashion isn’t about mimicking trends. It’s deeply historical, fiercely original, and a powerful economic driver.”
That belief fuels her vision for the Jamaica Fashion Council, which is now actively being developed alongside co-founder Latoya McCleary, who is also the creative director for EFWI 2025. The Jamaica Fashion Council will host the very first Jamaica Fashion Week—a formal stage for Caribbean creativity, built to rival any global fashion capital and a major initiative aimed at expanding Jamaica’s global influence, not just in fashion but in cultural diplomacy, tourism, and investment. “I see it becoming a continental connector—the pulse of Caribbean style with a global beat. Jamaica already has a place in the global fashion market. This will bring all that brilliance together, formally.”
There’s an ease and depth to how Carlotta speaks about impact, especially when reflecting on her own evolution. “Success used to be about achieving and acquiring. Now, it’s about being true to who I am and who I serve. I don’t need applause—I need results. You can’t call yourself successful if your success doesn’t make someone else’s life better.”
That quiet confidence comes from years of navigating international spaces as a Black woman often underestimated. “Being underestimated is something I know well. But excellence is its own language. I show up prepared, strategic, and visionary. Eventually, they stop looking at the packaging and start respecting the presence.”
When she’s not shaping global conversations or strategizing world-class platforms, Carlotta reconnects with what grounds her: faith, family, worship, and water. “I am a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian. I pray regularly and walk by the ocean whenever I can. That silence speaks to my soul. Worship music is my soundtrack—it lifts and centers me. Staying close to God is what keeps me fearless.”
Her go-to verse? Isaiah 41:10: “Do not fear, for I am with you; I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
So, what does she want young Caribbean women to know, especially those who dare to walk a less-traveled path? Her answer is immediate and electric: “Embracing your difference is not a defect—it’s divine. The world doesn’t need another version of what already exists. It needs the bold, brilliant, beautifully unconventional you. Be a change maker. Make an impact.”
And if her life story were turned into a campaign? “Disrupt the Expected. Dress for Destiny.”
When asked what message she’d send the world if she could bottle Jamaican energy and export it, she answers without hesitation: “Unapologetically Bold. Handle with Respect.”
That fire, that flair, that fearlessness—it’s in everything she does. And when words don’t feel enough, she lets music speak.
As Buju Banton proclaims in Born for Greatness:
Still making big moves regardless,
It’s above your pay grade, so let it go.
We coming in thousands and tenfolds…
World is a stage and everyone is an actor
I keep it real and show my true character
I was born for greatness.
And so was she!