Sometimes, it’s the most casual outfits that require the most effort. Rips in a pair of distressed denim are strategically placed; a tendril of hair falling from a messy ponytail takes careful calculation; a scarf, whether worn undone or tightly knotted, can change the feel of an entire outfit.

When Kristen Patterson launched her jewellery line, Olivia Solie, in late 2010, she had no intention of making bold, flashy pieces. Instead, the 24-year-old Vancouver-based designer hoped that her delicate accessories would help women look effortlessly cool, creating what she calls the “oops” effect.

“The ‘oops’ effect is about looking good without really trying,” Patterson tells the Straight while on the line from her Vancouver apartment. “That’s what every girl wants, right? A lot of places in the city are kind of chill, and you don’t want to look overdressed, but like you just kind of threw yourself together.”

The Olivia Solie spring/summer 2012 collection features 15 brass-based pieces ranging from $55 to $110 (available at Fine Finds Boutique [1040 Mainland Street] and Sitka Surf and Skate [1864 West 4th Avenue] and online). The feminine, slightly undone collection includes long chain necklaces embellished with delicate gold and copper coins, tiny skull and hardware accents dangling from drop-chain earrings, simple stud earrings made from twisted gold wires, and multi-strand gold and silver-hued necklaces perfect for draping over simple T-shirts.

“A few of the pieces in there, like the Bolts Chain ($85), was one of the first necklaces I ever made, and it was just something I really liked,” Patterson says. “I noticed people started commenting on it, and then the Olivia Solie aesthetic just kind of built around that.”

Patterson moved from Winnipeg to Vancouver in 2009 to enroll in John Casablancas Institute’s one-year Fashion Business and Creative Arts program.

“When I went into school, I wanted to be a stylist,” she says. “Oddly enough, I never thought I’d be doing jewellery. I just kind of fell into it, but I definitely always wanted to do something in fashion.”

The pieces in Patterson’s first collection, spring/summer 2012, were created over the course of a year. When it came to finding inspiration for these simple, everyday pieces, Patterson looked to her new surroundings.

“It’s definitely inspired by West Coast lifestyle, very relaxed, very casual, and very understated,” she says. “The pieces are meant to just go on and be a little funky, but a little feminine, and not too bold.”

As for the name of the label, Patterson says that she dreamt up Olivia Solie when she was 11 years old after becoming fascinated by fashion magazines and creating her own arty sketches.

"I just made up the name thinking I was going to be a fashion designer someday, which is kind of funny that I ended up using it for a line I actually made," Patterson says.

At the time of the interview, Patterson had just finished putting together her fall 2012 lookbook, which features an expanded collection that includes bracelets, but follows a similar aesthetic to Olivia Solie’s spring/summer collection—using chains, hardware, skull ornaments, and hammered coins—but with an edgier, weighted feel suited to match fall and winter’s heavier fabrics. Patterson says that the fall collection will be available in stores, including Charlie & Lee (233 Union Street), starting June.

Just so guys don’t feel left out, Patterson says that she’s also hoping to launch a men’s collection in early 2013, which will include chains, leather cuffs, and the use of buckles.

"I’ve had a lot of ideas brewing for a really long time,” Patterson say. “It’ll be same aesthetic—real simple—but more masculine."

You can follow Michelle da Silva on Twitter at twitter.com/michdas.