Paule Ka has announced the appointment of Catherine Vautrin as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company. Her role will be to guide the evolution of the brand’s identity and to continue with its expansion both in France and abroad. Catherine Vautrin, who holds a master’s degree in law and is a graduate of HEC business school, is a well-known manager in the fashion world.
Since 2011, she has been the CEO of Cerruti, where she implemented a significant repositioning of the brand, in particular by overhauling its image and design.
“The Paule Ka brand is synonymous with a certain kind of French chic”
She was also previously the CEO of Emilio Pucci, where she was responsible for its relaunch and international expansion. Prior to this, she worked for Louis Vuitton Malletier, where she was successively head of global store image and then head of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear. Since 2009, she has also been a member of the Board of Directors at Yoox, one of the leading international fashion e-commerce sites, which is listed in Milan.
“The Paule Ka brand is synonymous with a certain kind of French chic, with a graphic and contemporary allure. By capitalising on this unique spirit, which has formed the foundation of the success of the brand created by Serge Cajfinger in 1987, we will continue to develop Paule Ka, supported by the confidence of our shareholder, Change Capital Partners, and our talented staff” comments Catherine Vautrin.
Story of Paule Ka
Serge Cajfinger, founder of the fashion brand Paule Ka, was born in Lille in 1955 and spent his childhood in Brazil. Upon his return to France in 1968, he opened his first multi-brand store in his hometown, which he named Paule Ka.
Moving to Paris in 1987, Serge Cajfinger created the ready-to-wear brand under the same name, and opened the first Parisian Paule Ka boutique in the Marais. Inspired by the grace of the 50s and 60s, he sought to give a modern twist to the timeless elegance of the wardrobes of icons such as Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly.
The brand’s style is geometric and simple, sophisticated yet urban, with a few must-haves like the perfect little black dress and handbags made with impeccable materials and detail. Serge Cajfinger’s work for Paule Ka plays upon charm more than seduction, and his distinguished and contemporary silhouettes have earned him the loyalty of a diverse clientele.
Located, since 2007, at 223 Rue Saint-Honoré, the fashion house Paule Ka continues its global development with the opening of boutiques in China and throughout Europe, as well as a flagship store and a showroom in New York.
To this day, Paule Ka is established in 57 countries and distributed throughout 475 points of sale, 60 of which are stand-alone stores dedicated exclusively to the brand in cities such as Paris, London, New-York, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
