Ashna naidoo
A new trend has taken the fashion industry by storm — sustainability. Barcelona-based fashion house Paloma Wool by Paloma Lanna champions the marriage of sustainable clothing and chicness, with the main philosophies of the brand focused on localized production and creating timeless staples. A relatively new introduction to the industry, Paloma Wool has taken Gen-Z consumers by storm, being seen on the likes of Kaia Gerber and Kendall Jenner, has led to relative financial success, with the brand reporting $25-$50 million US dollars in web sales, with a large part of the brand focused entirely on its online consumers. In addition, the brand possesses a diverse variety of stockists. Although you can find essentials at corporations like SSENSE and Nordstrom, you are also likely to find this elevated and practical everyday wear at small luxe businesses, offering an assortment of products like unisex accessories, warm wool scarves, and even bathing suits.
In studying Paloma Wool’s impact, one reaches to the practicality of the brand. Essentials, made to withstand the test of time, easily accessible (in-house at local boutiques), and produced with an emphasis on low-impact dyes and sustainable fibers, producing minimal waste and championing conscious manufacturing. Indeed, all leather and fibers Paloma Wool uses for production and distribution are crafted within 100km of their main studio, allowing for a personable, centralized supply chain that emphasizes ethics and corporate accountability.
Paloma Wool’s emphasis on circular fashion extends far beyond its production; in the brand’s recent Fall Winter 2023 show at Paris Fashion Week, the house collaborated with artist Carlotta Guerro, embodying the label’s mantra: “Paloma Wool is a circular project around the act of getting dressed.”
The collection showcases signature knits, as well as a transparent and minimalist approach to everyday dress, with influence from the popular low-rise and cargo trends borne in the 1980s. Sneaky leather boots, asymmetrical accessories, and trendy low-heeled ballerinas are seen throughout the show, emphasizing a balance between sustainable and sexy. The colour palette for the collection is muted; deep royal blues, chestnut browns, and blank whites transcend the binaries of gender and appeal to a unisex audience, seeking to prove that comfort and style is genderless.
In addition to seductive cuts, the label showcased puffer jackets paired with their signature wool balaclava, providing consumers with a peek into the layering options they’ll soon be able to purchase. Throughout the show, undertreads of modern minimalism are apparent, presenting a tasteful marriage between environmental consciousness and runway exclusivity.
Considering the success of Paloma Wool, I leave you with the question… Can sustainability be sexy?
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