Ceci Paolo – Bringing eskandar to the Heart of England
The eskandar ‘Embrace Colour’ Spring/Summer 2023 collection arrives in store
Luxury UK clothing brand, eskandar, has a reputation for being easy-to-wear, yet hard to find outside London. Ceci Paolo, a fashion, culinary and lifestyle emporium in Ledbury, Herefordshire is the brand’s only UK independent high street stockist, attracting fans of the range from around the world to the picturesque market town in the West Midlands. For convenient online shopping, the range is also available from www.cecipaolo.com.
Eskandar’s inspiration is drawn from the shapes of traditional clothing from cultures found across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. He then puts a modern, wearable spin on them. Traditional clothing is seldom tight fitting, so eskandar clothes tend to be loose and free flowing. Sizing is unique to eskandar, with many one-size-fits-all garments. People who wear the range are in all shapes and sizes, with typical ages ranging from 35 to over 75.
Ceci Paolo founder and managing director, Patricia Harrison, has been a personal admirer of the brand since its launch in the early 1990s and was an eskandar stockist from 2008, until its wholesale operation was disbanded in 2016. During this time, she formed a special bond with Eskandar Nabavi, based on their mutual love of cooking, architecture, travel and beautiful fabrics and pattern.
A trip to Japan just prior to the pandemic coincided with eskandar's launch of a shibori collection. This propelled her to approach Eskandar to successfully request that she could again be a stockist. A shared passion for being selective about the people they work with and for embellishing their stores with antiques set the scene for the partnership.
Speaking of the new ‘Embrace Colour’ collection, Patricia said: “The vibrant colour palette is just what we need to lift our spirits at this time of year. The exquisite quality of the natural fabrics and detailing makes each garment an heirloom piece that lasts for many years – as evidenced by my own wardrobe.”
Beautiful when layered or worn individually, the range is especially suited to climates with fluctuating temperatures, such as the UK. Ceci Paolo’s global client base extends beyond the UK, with many customers from the US and Australia.
Ceci Paolo’s West Midlands location means that devotees of the exclusive brand no longer have to head to the capital to buy in person. Shoppers can experience and buy the eskandar range in the calm and relaxed clothing showroom spread over three rooms on the first floor. With historic black and white timber buildings and eclectic shops, Ledbury is a delight for shoppers venturing beyond the city and is easily accessible by road or rail.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
High-res images and interviews with Patricia Harrison are available.
Contact Emma Starrs at Kenland Media Relations
Tel: 07704 110703 / email: [email protected]
About the Designer, Eskandar Nabavi
Known only by his first name, Eskandar founded his eponymous label (eskandar) over 30 years ago. With an English mother and Persian father, Eskandar draws inspiration from the cosmopolitan blend of cultures found across Europe and Asia, as well as the Middle East and North Africa. Designing primarily knitwear and tailoring, Eskandar transcends trends in favour of unstudied pieces with silhouettes inspired by function and tradition and for all occasions.
Taking the shapes of traditional clothing which may have been around for centuries, Eskandar puts a modern wearable spin on them. Traditional clothing is seldom tight fitting so it follows that the brand’s clothes tend to be loose and free flowing. His look remains distinctive and has created a deep-seated loyalty with his customer base who value the timeless design, its wearability and quality.
About the eskandar ‘Embrace Colour’ collection
Building on layers that can be removed or added as temperatures fluctuate, the collection offers a range of easy-to-wear dresses, tunics, jackets, shirts, knits, relaxed trousers and t-shirts using only natural fabrics. The collection predominantly features fine Italian linens in different weights. The vibrant colour palette comprises amber orange, burnt orange, dijon, yellow ochre, greenlemon, limelight, darklime, lipstick, magenta, tincture, violet, wisteria interspersed with white, navy & black.
Design features include bold tailored silhouettes, lightweight fabrics and clear lines giving flowing movement. Necklines vary from scoop neck to V-neck and collars to collarless. A mixture of sleeve and hem lengths and many one-size-fits-all garments are available along with exclusive signature prints inspired by antique inlay tiles (one of Eskandar’s passions). Sizing is unique to eskandar with many one-size-fits-all garments. All garments are made in Europe or the UK.
About Ceci Paolo
Ceci Paolo is a fashion, culinary and lifestyle emporium based in the charming, historic market town of Ledbury, Herefordshire. Housed in a revitalised 16th Century timbered building, the store paved the way in the '90s for the establishment in the town of a fine collection of individual “real” shops, attracting visitors from far and wide. Fans of Ceci Paolo are typically well travelled, professional and confident in their own style.
The business was founded and designed by Patricia Harrison, an Australian who worked internationally for over 30 years. Her aim was to open a shop that shared her love and enjoyment of food, wine, clothing and beautiful, stylish but useful objects for the home. The shop offers a feeling of excitement and anticipation as soon as you enter it. Everything is chosen by Patricia to give a total internal consistency. Most of the store's exciting products are available to buy online through www.cecipaolo.com
Clothing & Accessories
The exquisite clothes ranges have several things in common – they are stylish, comfortable, generous, exceptionally well-made, mainly in natural fabrics, and are fashionable but are beyond fashion. Brands include eskandar, Yacco Maricard, GR Nature, Oyuna, Yavi and a stunning collection from Traces of Me TM of Portugal. Out of season clothing is always available for customers in the Southern Hemisphere or travelling to other climates.