Olandria Carthen

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Olandria
Born
Olandria Lashae Carthen

(1998-05-29) May 29, 1998
Decatur, Alabama
EducationTuskegee University
Occupations
  • Model
  • influencer
  • television personality
Years active2025–present

Olandria Lashae Carthen (born May 29, 1998) is an American model,[1][2] influencer,[3][4] and television personality.[5][6] She appeared on the seventh season of Love Island USA in 2025, where she finished as a runner-up.

Early life and education

Olandria Carthen[7] was born in May 29, 1998, in Decatur, Alabama.[8][9][10] She is the eldest sibling of two younger sisters and three younger brothers.

She attended Tuskegee University, initially studying computer science before graduating with a bachelor's degree in logistics, materials and supply chain management. Olandria later worked as an elevator saleswoman.[8]

Career

On May 29, 2025, Olandria was announced as a contestant on the seventh season of Love Island USA.[11] She finished as the runner-up alongside Nic Vansteenberghe.[12][13] The two were referred to by fans as "Nicolandria" and described by CNN as "a cultural phenomenon".[9][14][15]

Following her appearance on Love Island USA, Olandria signed with United Talent Agency and gained millions of followers across social media platforms.[5][16] Following her appearance, she had a partnership with NYX Cosmetics.[17] She also served as the face of Barbie's "You Can Be Any Barbie" campaign at Coachella[18] and Poppi's 2026 summer campaign.[19] Ad Age named her one of the top five breakout creators of 2025,[20][21] and she was included in Cosmopolitan's Z-Stars Class of 2025.[22] In September 2025, Olandria made her runway debut at the Sergio Hudson Spring/Summer 2026 show during New York Fashion Week.[23][24]

She partnered with Microsoft Copilot to highlight the history of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).[25]

In November 2025, Olandria won the EBONY People's Choice Award at the 2025 EBONY Power 100 Gala and appeared on the cover of the magazine's 2025 Power Issue.[26][27][28] She was also named to The Root 100,[29][4] Adweek's Creative 100,[30] and included in the Revolt Power List in the Creators category.[31]

In December 2025, Olandria, along with Vansteenberghe, were featured on Glamour's holiday cover,[32] as well as the digital cover of Harper's Bazaar Vietnam, marking her first solo magazine cover,[33][34] and she made her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut in the magazine's 2026 issue.[1][35][36]

In May 2026, Olandria collaborated with Brandon Blackwood on her first-ever fashion collection.[37] The three designer bags, each inscribed with her signature, were launched on May 27.[38]

In June 2026, Cosmopolitan published a profile on Olandria.[39] She also appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone Africa's Afrodescendant Issue on Juneteenth 2026, and the cover story highlighted her philanthropic work with students in Nigeria.[40]

Personal life

Olandria is a first-generation college graduate of Tuskegee University.[41]

Olandria and Nic Vansteenberghe remain in a relationship as of June 2026.[39]

Filmography

Television
YearTitleNotes Refs.
2025Love Island USASeason 7; runner-up [42]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Role Result Refs.
2025 EBONY Power 100 People's Choice Award Herself Won [26]
Fortune & Forks Visibility with Vision Award Won [43]
Femme it Forward Give Her FlowHERS: Self-Love Award Won [44]
Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business WIB Power and Purpose Award Won [41]
Model of the Year Awards Content Creator of the Year (Reader's Choice) Won [45]
Hello Beautiful 2025 Beauty of the Year Won [46]
2026 Las Culturistas Culture Awards Yess!!! Award for Girl We Learned About This Year (And Loved) Won [47]

Listicles

Year Publisher Listicle Refs.
2025 Cosmopolitan Z-Stars Class of 2025 [22]
Best New Couple [48]
The Root The Root 100 [49]
EBONY Top 25 Moments of 2025 [50]
Ad Age Top 5 Breakout Creators of 2025 [21]
Vanity Fair Best Performances of 2025 [51]
Revolt 26 Best-Dressed Celebrities of 2025 [52]
2025 Power List [31]
2026 Adweek 2026 Creative 100 [30]
Create & Cultivate 2026 Create & Cultivate 100 [53][54]

References

  1. Robinson, KiMi. "'Love Island' star Olandria makes debut as Sports Illustrated model". USA TODAY. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  2. "Olandria Carthen's Gold-Encrusted Couture Look in Paris Is the Definition of Luxe". Sports Illustrated Lifestyle. March 4, 2026. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  3. Jr, Victor Qunnuell Vaughns. "Silence is the Real Scandal in the Influencer Economy". EBONY. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  4. "The Root 100: Gen-Z Honorees We're Celebrating in 2025". www.theroot.com. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  5. Tinoco, Armando (August 11, 2025). "'Love Island USA's Olandria Carthen Signs With UTA-Owned Digital Brand Architects". Deadline. Archived from the original on October 20, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  6. "Step Into a Confessional Booth and Get FREE McDonald's". Nerdist. March 10, 2026. Archived from the original on March 11, 2026. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  7. Nosa, Diana (December 23, 2025). "We're Obsessed With Olandria Carthen's Glowy Glam in Her Latest Photo Drop". Sports Illustrated Lifestyle. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  8. Lindahl, Jennifer. "From Decatur to the Villa: Olandria Carthen joins Love Island USA season 7. What to know". Montgomery Advertiser. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  9. France, Lisa Respers (August 16, 2025). "'Nicolandria' aren't just a cultural phenomenon, they're a beloved part of reality couple history". CNN. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  10. "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  11. Ng, Philiana (May 29, 2025). "Meet the Love Island USA Season 7 Cast". Peacock.
  12. Thomas, Carly (July 17, 2025). "'Love Island USA' Stars Nic and Olandria Can't Wait for the "Messy" Reunion: "It's Gonna Be a Cinematic Film"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  13. Grebenyuk, Yana (May 14, 2026). "Love Island USA's Nic Calls Olandria Romance Criticism 'Overdone': 'Not Giving It Any More Attention'". Us Weekly. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  14. "Nic and Olandria on What the 'Love Island' Cameras Missed". New York Times. August 27, 2025.
  15. Dixon, Delaina. "Olandria Carthen shines after 'Love Island' journey". Ebony Magazine. Archived from the original on November 5, 2025. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  16. Hailu, Selome (February 4, 2026). "'Love Island' Star Olandria Carthen Signs With UTA (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  17. "Olandria Carthen Gets Candid About Beauty Standards". Essence. August 26, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  18. "How Olandria Became a Literal 'Bama Barbie' for Coachella's First-Ever Barbie Pop-Up". ELLE. April 12, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  19. Victoria, Kenyatta. "Olandria Carthen's Journey: From Love Island to Smart Investments". EBONY. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  20. "What 'Love Island' alum Olandria Carthen can teach marketers about building influence that lasts". adage.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  21. "Meet 5 breakout creators of 2025 who turned viral fame into big businesses". adage.com. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  22. "Meet Cosmopolitan's 2025 Z-Stars: Olandria". Cosmopolitan. October 20, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  23. Reed, Anika. "'Love Island' star Olandria Carthen stuns in NYFW runway debut at Sergio Hudson". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on October 28, 2025. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  24. Ishmael, Aiyana (September 26, 2025). "Love Island USA's Olandria Carthen Is Taking The Peakaboo Bra Trend to the Next Level". Teen Vogue. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  25. Mullen, Jameelah (September 12, 2025). "'Love Island USA' Star Olandria Carthen Shows Off Her HBCU Pride In Partnership With Microsoft". Black Enterprise. Archived from the original on October 3, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  26. Jackson, Angelique (October 9, 2025). "Teyana Taylor Named Entertainer of the Year, Love Island USA's Olandria Carthen Wins People's Choice Award for Ebony Power 100 Gala (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  27. "2025 EBONY Power 100". EBONY. Archived from the original on November 4, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  28. Taylor, Savannah M. "The Power Issue". EBONY. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  29. "Home". theroot100.com. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  30. "The 2026 Creative 100: Celebrities & Creators Taking Culture in New Directions". May 5, 2026. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  31. Powell, Jon. "2025 REVOLT Power List: Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Ryan Coogler, Jasmine Crockett, and more". REVOLT. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  32. Colón, Ana (December 18, 2025). "The Year of Nicolandria". Glamour. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
  33. "Olandria Carthen, mệnh danh là "Bama Barbie" trong thế giới thời trang toàn cầu". Harper's Bazaar Việt Nam (in Vietnamese). Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  34. Walsh, Kathleen (November 12, 2025). "Olandria Carthen Isn't Gatekeeping the Secret to Her Glamorous Personal Style". Glamour. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  35. "Inside SI Swimsuit 2026: Meet the Women Photographed in Fort Myers, Fla". Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. March 31, 2026. Archived from the original on March 31, 2026. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  36. "Olandria Slays As 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Rookie". Essence. March 31, 2026. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
  37. "Olandria's High-Fashion Era Is Just Getting Started". ELLE. May 21, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  38. "Olandria Is Stepping Into Her Brandon Blackwood Bag". Essence. May 26, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  39. "Olandria's Greatest Love Story Wasn't the One on TV". Cosmopolitan. June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  40. "OLANDRIA: PURPOSE WITHOUT BORDERS – Rolling Stone Africa". Retrieved June 19, 2026.
  41. Messier, Catherine. "'Love Island' star Olandria Carthen visits Harvard University". Wicked Local. Archived from the original on December 6, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  42. "'Love Island USA' Finale: Find Out Which Couple Won Season 7". People.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  43. Randall, Tiana (November 29, 2025). "Olandria, Jordyn Woods, And More Honored At The Fortune & Forks Gala". Forbes. United States: Integrated Whale Media Investments. Archived from the original on November 30, 2025. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  44. "Olandria Carthen Glitters in Glorious Gold Gown While Looking Back on 'Olavember'". Sports Illustrated Lifestyle. December 2, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  45. "Model of the Year Awards 2025 | models.com MDX". MODELS.com. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  46. "Olandria Carthen Is Our 2025 Beauty Of The Year". Hello Beautiful - Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle and Hair Care for Black Women. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  47. "Las Culturistas Culture Awards 2026: 'Heated Rivalry' Nod, Honors For Will Ferrell & Lisa Kudrow, Ciara Miller & All The Winners Of The Night". DEADLINE. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  48. "Meet Cosmo's Couples of the Year for 2025". Cosmopolitan. December 4, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  49. "Olandria Carthen". theroot100.com. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  50. Taylor, Savannah M. "25 Black moments that defined this year". EBONY. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  51. Busis, Hillary (December 9, 2025). "Timothée, Doechii, and More of the 33 Best Performances of 2025". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on December 11, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  52. Lade, Legendary. "From Rihanna to Kendrick Lamar: 26 celebs who defined style in 2025". REVOLT. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  53. Fluker, Dominique. "Create & Cultivate Announces Return Of The C&C 100 List Honoring Women Defining Culture, Business And Leadership In 2026". Forbes. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  54. "Olandria Carthen". Create & Cultivate. Retrieved June 8, 2026.