Balancing books and business: Meet the owner of Radio Dolls
Andrea Castro, a business administration freshman, wore a strapless white top and a pair of low-rise Diesel flare jeans as she sat on the yakʔitʸutʸu lawn reflecting on her journey as a business owner.
“I want to grow [the business] into more than just clothes,” Castro said as she narrated the origin story of Radio Dolls, her personal clothing brand that emerged as a freshman in high school.
Castro became interested in clothing through the resale platform Depop several years ago, but her inspiration for Radio Dolls took shape when she received an iPad in 2020.
The sleek, portable device allowed Castro to design at any given moment or place, encouraging her to create a fashion piece of her own.
“I was like, ‘I should just print something onto a shirt,’” the student said. Though Castro thought this was just a fleeting idea, the world of Radio Dolls soon erupted.
Woven from the threads of the coronavirus lockdown, her business caught the eye of influencers like Olive Eng-Canty and Madelyn Layer who can be found on Radio Dolls’ social platforms wearing designs from Castro’s first drop “OG Radiodolls.” As the brand’s momentum picked up, more potential customers were reached through Radio Dolls’ Instagram, which now has around 12,000 followers.
Castro’s aesthetically curated feed features pictures of her along with friends, roommates and family members all sporting different variations of T-shirts.
Each article of clothing is adorned with cartoon sketches of grunge doll-like figures and hearts, something you’d expect to find in the margins of a ‘90s composition notebook.
Castro draws inspiration from brands like “Oddli” and “Bella Venice,” as well as ‘70s and ‘90s media such as “10 Things I Hate About You” and the melodies of “Simon and Garfunkel.”
She eventually took it upon herself to learn screen printing, moving forward to the next phase of Radio Dolls. Flipping through the array of screen printing videos on YouTube, Castro was able to build enough knowledge to start experimenting with her own designs.
Castro described the process in detail; getting the screens and the transparency paper, applying the emulsion and exposing the design. Then, with the swipe of ink, her sketches now had a new fabric home.
The business was originally run out of her garage in Corona, California. With the help of her parents and other siblings, Radio Dolls continues to package and ship pieces out of that same garage while Castro studies at Cal Poly.
Within the past two years however, the bulk of the production has taken place in Los Angeles with the blanks locally sourced, something Castro was particular about. Radio Dolls’ exclusive tops, including the “sofia top” and other matching sets, are made with deadstock vintage fabric handpicked by Castro and sewn by her mother.
“We went to downtown LA. It’s so cool because it’s a huge warehouse and you just look through all this fabric that’s not being used anymore,” she said.
Though she is no longer living in the LA area, Castro hopes that she can further her brand’s reach while in college. At first, the balancing act of managing a business, schoolwork, move-in and a new town was quite daunting. Despite such an obstacle, Castro has hope and inspiration for what’s to come.
“I want to focus more on bringing people together who like the same stuff,” she said, playing with the idea of future in-person sales and pop-up events.
“It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Castro is already fostering a space for community building within the fashion world and wants to see this magic grow throughout San Luis Obispo.
Castro’s story stands out for this reason, it is apparent that she creates to connect. Though she wears many hats, Castro won’t run low on the passion that carried her through the beginning stages of her business. For instance, her latest Valley Dolls collection is true to the Radio Dolls branding, with a delicate feminine air, complete with matching hand-sewn sets, tube tops and scrunchies.
The 18-year-old business owner easily embodies the “Learn by Doing” motto, indicating that these next four years of growth can only enhance her journey moving forward.
