Paolina Russo has a gap year for spring 2025, at least according to this season’s mood board. It all started with a trip Russo took to LA. “It was the first time I went as an adult, and when I stayed at Venice Beach there was something very positive about the lifestyle,” said the designer, describing the surfers she saw catching waves every morning, dressed in colorful swimwear. .
It’s this vibe that Russo and her co-founder, Lucile Guilmard, wanted to capture in their latest offering, quite literally translated into Lycra surf tops with bold sunburst patterns, reminiscent of the Billabong and Roxy designs found in the late 1990s. and early ’00s. Beachwear is a new category for the London label best known for its knitwear: there was a brightly printed chiffon mini dress, a sarong and the brand’s first bikinis. Elsewhere, babydoll tops tapped into the boho revival currently underway.
While the bright color palette of neon pink and lime green won’t necessarily be to everyone’s taste, it’s clear that Russo and Guilmard approached this collection with a real sense of freedom. “It is super important to maintain this experimentation process; it is what gets us excited about our work and motivates us to keep going,” said Russo. The duo, who aim to highlight a new craft each season, worked with artisans in Peru to create a hippie-esque crochet hoodie and Bermuda shorts, while the jeans with hand-woven lattice details were dyed naturally.
But most of all, the couple wanted to bring much-needed joy into our lives through clothing. “We had a lot of fun creating this collection,” said Guilmard. Paolina Russo’s positive energy shone through more than ever this season.