At the end of July, just as most of France had switched into summer vacation mode, news spread that Paule Ka s founder and creative director, Serge Cajfinger, had departed his brand to pursue personal projects. If it s true that he still had a hand in the Spring collection, his disengagement came through. The main message consisted of rings of raffia fringe, applied to summer-weight trapeze coats, a truncated pencil skirt, a sleeveless blouse, a clutch, and so forth. It offered textural novelty despite its repetition. A subtler statement—and stronger retail proposition—emerged from sheets of organza layered as T-shirts and day-to-night dresses. And the high-contrast flora print that originated from a Mexican motif will not date itself anytime soon. The collection s 60s thrust extended to miniskirts spliced with a band of chain link and an overall A-line silhouette. A tight palette of white, black, and citron kept the offering focused, even if such focus also implied limited interest. But the collection was not entirely devoid of inspired design: A new compact handbag shape followed the form of a macaron box. Until Paule Ka installs a new creative head, a little sweet will go a long way.
