“Playsuit”, as defined by The Oxford English Dictionary:
1. An all-in-one stretchy garment for a baby or very young child, covering the body, arms, and legs;
2. A women’s all-in-one garment, or matching set of garments
During a recent trip to Barcelona, I got to meet a select group of up-and-coming Spanish designers through fashion consultancy, Maison LeLook. This included Guillem Rodriguez, currently one of Spain’s hottest young talents; one of the designers behind funky leather shoes and accessories brand, Mus&Roew; as well as Paloma Lanna of Paloma Wool.
I was drawn to the clean, fluid lines of the Paloma Wool clothes that were on display, as well as the light fabrics that I immediately assumed must be comfortable. In particular, I was attracted to a dark playsuit (this was a new word that I learnt that day!) with female figures reminiscent of Matisse’s cut-outs.
Paloma confirmed that the inspiration was from Matisse. She had photographed herself in different poses and cut out the human figures in a similar style. These Paloma cut-outs were then used to create the fabric to make the ‘Corpini’ playsuit which comes with waist-level slits.
I tried it on and bought it without hesitation. The playsuit is well made and allows for easy movement. I love the silhouette of the outfit, the side slits and the bare back held together with a ribbon.
I wore the playsuit with my favourite pair of Trippen shoes, fence. It was a nice coincidence that my Anthem sunglasses by Michel Henau matched the colour of the Paloma cut-outs!
Working with local artisans in Spain, Paloma produces 50 pieces of each item. All Paloma Wool designs are sold online, a deliberate decision to leave out a middleman and keep prices affordable.
Even if you’re not planning to buy any Paloma Wool, I would recommend visiting the website to see how she presents each design through contemporary art photography.
This is the final post is a short series showcasing fashion apparel and accessories made in Barcelona and/or designed by emerging talents in the city. To see the first article, which featured a Progono backpack, click HERE. For some recommended boutiques in the El Born district, check out THIS post which also highlights a cape by L’Nena Atelier.
Angelina Hue 