Paule Ka’s SS18 collection preview was an affair to remember- the city’s key editors and influencers were present to celebrate the House’s latest offerings.

Guests were invited to The Maine in JBR to discover two collections from the Parisian brand; the SS18 Pre-Spring collection, which is the last collection made my former creative director Alithia Spurri Zampetti and the Black Carpet collection designed by the Paule Ka studio, which embodies the Spirit of the founder Serge Cajfinger, who will make his return this fall. Media mingled and explored the rich new collection, touching and feeling the femininity of the fabrics and appreciating the detail of the clothes.

The SS18 pre-collection is inspired by sunset on the City of Lights and colours that slide from the vivid tones of the day to the subtle shades of night. Alithia Spuri-Zampetti envisioned a Parisian woman influenced by many cultural sources, and seeking new horizons. Therein resides the magic of the Paule Ka 2018 Pre-Collection: a delicious slide into the city and the impressions and souvenirs of Oriental voyages.

Little by little, a new day dawns, where the rich tones of winter are awoken by the nascent light of spring. Silhouettes are constructed for a woman out on the town. Paule Ka redefines the trouser-suit, and transforms daywear into a glorious moment, to guide an ever-more active woman.

As she surrenders to the prospects of summer, the Paule Ka woman traverses the last day winter and her urban environment with ease: a blouse takes on new volumes, a bow restrains a skirt and a cascade of ruffles gives movement to every step. These new associations redefine an open and contemporary wardrobe.

The rich palette keeps the contemporary freshness of the city thanks to colourful and vivid colour blocking, a nod to the Seventies and Eighties of Monsieur Saint Laurent.  Warm and spicy, they can even reach for burnt tones for flattering pairings with any skin tone. Large flower motifs play peekaboo, appearing and fading in a symphony that alternates between pale and mysterious, and assertive, enlivened by almost metallic highlights. This daytime opulence is transformed, step by step into personal orientalism. Mirror of the dream that leaves room for rich fabrics and astonishing textile manipulations, full of grace and evocative power. When night-time comes, luminous washed pastels threaded in luxuriant satins, foamy crêpe or creased leather as fine as skin transform into generous and fluid pleats.

 

For the accessories- they are urban inspired, and are easy to live with, full of poetry. A surprise guest within the looks are gloves. An ode to summer, comes in the form of costume jewellery,  they recall the treasures of the sea: clusters of pearls curl around the earlobe, while corals, threatened treasures, are subtly recreated to decorate lariats and brooches. A lobster, dressed in crystallized finery, invites himself to this seaside caper. Bags are present, being small and large, they are made for the everyday use. Small clutches, previously relegated to evening, come out to play by day. The new tote bag, now a familiar shape, wears a ruffle while a heart motif reveals its passion red leather when the bag is closed.

On the feet, embroidered slippers and chic moccasins get in step with a nomadic season, they’re the must have of the season, an irresistible babouche- rather a mule than a pedestrian slip-on, it gives this collection its spicy and exotic beat.

You can find both collections, Pre-Spring Summer and the Black Carpet via Paule Ka.