Oly Innes | Welcome to Ollywood

All images taken by Davide Laffe.

Oly Innes, also known as OLLYWOOD, is behind some of the most iconic LGBTQ+ parties like Evita, and Valhalla. When he's not planning the hottest parties his 9-5 consists of being a Senior Men's Agent at STORM LA. We sat down with Oly to talk business, parties, and incentivizing the LGBTQ+ community on knowing their status. 

You are someone that wears several hats, how do you describe what you do? 

I usually say I’m a producer because I find that covers everything that I do. I am a model agent and run the men’s board at STORM LA. I book models on shoots which is production. Before being an agent I was a shoot producer at various different magazines. I have always produced events and parties since I was 18 years old in London. I resisted calling myself an artist for a long time because I don’t pick up a camera or pencil and paint. However, now when I look at everything I’ve done and the way I approach what I do, I am very much thinking of the bigger picture. The way I produce any project I’m working on, I am very involved in the visual aesthetics, so It very much is creating art. It might be strange to think of a party as a piece of art, but to me it very much is. I control the way things look, sound, the way people feel when they walk into a space, what and who they interact with. It’s a visual and emotional experience where I’m trying to create a memory so to me, it is no different than walking into an art gallery or seeing a broadway show. 

All images taken by Davide Laffe.

How do you balance having several different careers at once? 

I’ve always had my parties and done a job in fashion at the same time. For a while I kept them fairly separate, hence the two names I work under. Then as I got older they seemed to have more cross over. I have also found they helped each other out. Like when I was an editor at GAY TIMES magazine, I would have a special guest at our party EVITA, then that same talent would be shot featured in the magazine or the other way around, so my alter egos started to become more aligned. 

Olly Innes and Trixie Mattel. Photo credit Davide Laffe.

How did the name OLLYWOOD come about? 

I’m British and have been living in LA the past 6 years. I came to Los Angeles on a family holiday when I was 13 and then I was hooked on the idea of moving out here. I guess the name came from my love of Hollywood, or the idea of Hollywood that I had, living in the UK. 

All images taken by Davide Laffe.

You recently collaborated with AHF’s Impulse Group on a pool party in Beverly Hills, how did that come about? 

Yes, last week myself and Andres Rigal, my business husband, teamed up with AHF & Impulse Foundation to throw a mansion pool party in Beverly Hills. Over 475 people tested for HIV/STI for a ticket to the event, raising awareness for knowing your status and safe sex. This was a record breaking number of tests for an AHF/Impulse event. Working with Impulse is an extremely important collaboration for us. This is the third time we have worked together on an event and the third time we have broken the record for most tests for a ticket. Helping de-stigmatize STIs, making testing fun and most importantly, knowing your status is a cause we feel very passionate about.

All images taken by Davide Laffe.

What are OLLYWOOD events known for? 

Our events are always for the LGBTQ community. I focus on creating an environment which is visually spectacular as well as sonically. I feel like I’m able to bring together entertaining and interesting groups of people that make for a great vibe. Everyone knows a good party is all about the people. There is usually a strong performance element, whether that’s a headline act, or just performers and dancers inserted into the mix. I’m sober myself so I always throw parties from the perspective of a sober person. Some parties are just a room with lights and a DJ which is fine, but I need a story, a visual journey, surprises, things you can interact with. Lastly, making sure that the family and team that I’m working with, reflect the types of people I want to come; open minded people from all different types of backgrounds that makes for a diverse and inclusive crowd.