Paule Ka’s new creative direction

Aviamost spoke to chic Parisian fashion brand Paule Ka’s new Creative Director Alithia Spuri-Zampetti to discover her plans for its future. She took over the post in 2015 from brand founder and creative director Serge Cajfinger

Tell us a little bit about your fashion journey. 

Before coming to Paule Ka I worked for Valentino and Bottega Veneta. I then worked six years at Lanvin under Alber Elbaz.

What inspired you to become a fashion designer?

I used to love comic books when I was younger, I used to draw the characters and dresses for the girls while creating new stories. Little by little I was only drawing dresses. It became a true passion for me and I decide I wanted it to become my job.

How do you incorporate that with the aesthetic philosophy of Paule Ka?

I love dresses and it’s a statement piece for Paule Ka. I love creating new pieces while being faithful to the classic shapes of the house, like the trapeze dress. I try to create a new one each season. For the SS 17 collection, I created a pleated blue one.

What kind of vision do you have for Paule Ka?

Paule Ka dresses the modern woman, with a subtle elegance and feminine pallet. For this collection, I was inspired by Japan and the structure in Japanese clothing, especially the Kimono style.

What are the biggest changes/developments in the fashion industry in the past 10 years in your opinion?

The rise of social media has definitely been the biggest change in the past 10 years. Trends are instantly shared around the world and the visibility of brands has completely changed and expanded. Social media has even changed the way our customers buy with the development of e-commerce opening up a whole new way of selling for houses like Paule Ka.

What do you think of social media’s impact on fashion?

Trends change so quickly these days and people are very influenced by the looks they see on social media. I think it’s important to stay true to your style and communicate it with you community online.

As a fashionista yourself, who is your favorite designer and why?

Cristobal Balenciaga has been one of my biggest inspirations. I was also lucky to assist Alber Elbaz at Lanvin for a few years. I have great admiration for him and his work.

Would you be considering haute couture for Paule Ka?

The atelier PAULE KA is a beautiful workspace with pattern-cutters who have worked in many great couture houses. It is in a way a small couture atelier. Our ambition as a brand is to offer luxury goods to our clients at a reasonable price, a positioning that is unique in the industry today, so doing couture would be against our philosophy. For special events though we make made-to-measure pieces for actresses and celebrities.

As Paule Ka is a designer brand loved by the Chinese customers, what do you think of their fashion taste?

Chinese women mix femininity and elegance so tastefully. They show through their style the power they have in their personal and professional lives. Their love and use of bright colors makes them look so attractive and sophisticated.

Would you consider using Chinese culture/elements as inspiration?

Of course! I always find inspiration in travelling and culture, and China is so rich of history and beautiful artifacts that I am sure would inspire me very much. I remember when I saw the exhibition “China through the looking glass” at the MET in New York, I started dreaming about a Chinese collection.