Paolina Russo

Founded in 2020 by Canadian designer Paolina Russo and co-creative Lucile Guilmard, London-based Paolina Russo is a fearless exploration of craft, nostalgia, and innovation. Russo’s journey began in her hometown of Markham, Ontario, where she transformed repurposed sporting equipment into hand-crocheted collages — a practice that still informs the brand’s experimental approach to textiles. After meeting at CSM, Russo and Guilmard discovered a shared appreciation for traditional clothes‑making and the hands‑on, resourceful techniques they each learned growing up in small suburban towns.

Paolina Russo’s aesthetic is rooted in contrasts: heritage crafts pushed into new territory through unconventional materials, jarring colour, and sculptural form. It's a medley of perfected chaos. 

Collections draw on memories of youth — video games, team sports, and DIY art projects — while foregrounding sustainability, innovation in textile development, and a collaborative, community-first ethos. As Guilmard puts it, “we want to make sure that this remains a human story, with human hands.”

For Paolina Russo, it's clear: fashion is a human story told through unbridled creativity. Shop the collection at END.