ONES TO WATCH: PARADIS PERDUS
Launching this month, Paradis Perdus is a new brand of knitwear that aims to offer a playful wardrobe of sweaters for the discerning luxury consumer.
Designed by a group of French-born, New York-based fashion industry veterans with an earnest commitment to sustainability, the label was initially conceived as a pipe dream some time ago. However, the confines of lockdown during a global pandemic compelled the friends to push forward, inspired to express their vision of fashion while not contributing further to the industry’s pollution and high consumption of natural resources.
“We’ve done a lot of research into sustainability and the rampant greenwashing in our industry,” said co-founder Thomas Poli. “By sourcing the highest-quality fibers, working with the right partners, and educating our customers, we want to show that it is possible to create something new, express our voice and build a brand while being extremely respectful of the Earth.”
For Paradis Perdus, this means being fully transparent, using only 100 percent recycled cashmere, wool, and cotton (among others), and working with factories each step of the way to achieve the lowest possible impact on the planet. Each piece in the collection is subject to two-step verification. First, Global Recycled Standard (GRS), an internationally recognized product standard that sets requirements for certification of recycled content (including chain of custody, social and environmental practices, and chemical restrictions), reviews each garment. It is then verified by REMOkey, an independent agency that analyzes the garment against GRS requirements, determines a final percentage of recycled content, and calculates an approximation of environmental savings on water, CO2, and energy. The goal is to bring the customer full transparency, resulting in a QR-code on the care tag of each garment that leads the customer to a website explaining each certification, in addition to a “100% Recycled” tag that will accompany the brand’s label.
As for the actual designs, the direction is elevated—collectively, the group has experience at Alber Elbaz-era Lanvin, Isabel Marant, and more—infusing French DNA into classic shapes from the sixties and seventies. A mix of iconic high-fashion silhouettes and recycled materials imbue a feeling of rediscovery; a remembrance of times past while delving into the future. Knitwear, by its nature, is meant to be comfortable, easy to wear, and unbound by conventions. Thus, Paradis Perdus is decidedly versatile and intentionally non-binary, both in fit and fabrication. And because they aim to build a wardrobe of sweaters, there is one of every type—including a Breton, Fair Isle, novelty/graphic, classic cashmere, and more, with a considered palette of cream, navy, burgundy, and grey tying it all together.
For its part, the cashmere—and all yarns in the collection—comes from the stock of discarded sweaters that are taken apart, filtered by color, and spun into new fiber. And because the group could not find 100 percent recycled buttons, there are none in this collection. “We finally found a supplier who transforms old eyeglass frames into buttons,” said Poli. “Next season we’ll have buttons.”
Initial imagery featuring top models Julia Frauche and Seth Hill was shot during quarantine in New York City by rising photographer Annie Powers, who most recently lensed campaigns for Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Alexander McQueen.
Paradis Perdus will be available for pre-order on November 9th at paradisperdusnyc.com, and then on Net-a-Porter beginning November 20th. With 17 pieces in total, prices range from $395-$895 for knitwear and $110-$295 for jersey items.
