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KIN Conversations: Olivia Katherine Ralston
Kin Conversations is a space for conversation, reflection and inspiration – a place to slow down and sit with ideas that shape how we live, create and care for ourselves.
Olivia Katherine Ralston is a New York–based creative we’ve followed for some time. She invited us into her Manhattan apartment for a conversation on comfort, creativity, and the quiet work of returning to intention again and again.
images by Christina Marie Arza, words by Aisling Rose Portman, in conversation with Olivia Katherine Ralston.
What are you curious about at the moment?
In all seriousness, slowmaxxing. I came across the term online and instantly connected with it. It’s about moving through life speaking, walking, cooking, working at a more intentional pace. Slow does not mean unproductive. For me, it means creating space to breathe, pause, and think more clearly. That shift has led to better focus, stronger work, and less anxiety throughout my day.
What do you always make time for?
Every morning, no matter where I am, at home, on a plane, or on the subway, I spend two to ten minutes on breathwork and affirmations. I do this before my feet even touch the ground. It sets the tone for the day ahead.
Tell us something that is inspiring you?
Louise Bourgeois. I have returned to her work since I was a teenager. It is unsettling and deeply human, capturing vulnerability with a rare honesty that continues to feel just as relevant.
Collaboration, especially with women. My earliest style icons were my mother and grandmothers. Their taste shaped my perspective and continues to guide who I choose to build with creatively.
Communion by Bell Hooks. Her perspective on finding love and the idea that it begins within deeply shifted my outlook as a young woman.
In the city, my walking shoes. Upstate, I take my shoes off and step outside. Bare feet and sunlight always bring me back.
At home on the West Side, I love stopping into Book Culture, visiting the Hungarian Pastry Shop, and sitting by The Peace Fountain by Greg Wyatt. For a weekend venture, Mezzrow Jazz Club in the West Village feels timeless. I also love Dimes in Chinatown and Colbo on the Lower East Side, a beautiful store and bar run by friends.
Comfort has evolved. I have lived in the same apartment for three years now, and I am proud of the space I have created. Beyond that, comfort lives on a more spiritual level. Believing and knowing I am never truly alone, and trusting there is a larger plan, brings a sense of calm wherever I am.
