Paula Canovas del Vas

Designer Paula Canovas del Vas on curiosity, her design process, working with Kanye West, and more in this week's conversation.

Paula Canovas del Vas is the Spanish-born, Paris-based designer behind the eponymous label established in 2018, after graduating from the Central Saint Martins BA and MA Fashion, completed with the support of the Stella McCartney Scholarship.

Today the label is present at over 30 stockists worldwide including MAXFIELD (Los Angeles), SSENSE, GR8 (Tokyo), International Gallery Beams (Tokyo) and MACHINE-A (London, Shanghai).  The label joined Paris Fashion Week in September 2022 with its SS23 collection. 

Paula was awarded the Vogue Spain Prize 2022 and was a semi-finalist of the LVMH Prize 2022. She was named by the New York Times an emerging designer to watch and her work has been featured in Vogue, Dazed and i-D.  Prior to launching the label, Paula was a creative consultant for Kanye West, following internship positions at Maison Margiela under John Galliano and Gucci. 

Paula’s youthful collections are developed around a rich array of references, research with patterns, shapes, fabrics and cross-disciplinary collaborations with artists.  All collections are made using primarily deadstock and recycled materials.

Advocating for innovative means of presenting fashion, the label has presented installations at Le Palais de Tokyo in Paris (2018) and during London Fashion Week through the multiplayer virtual reality installation See, Saw Seen (2019). 
Paula released two short films in 2021: Visual Diary, a 180° short film created in collaboration with 3D Artist Wouter Gysemans, and Spring-Summer 2022, directed by Hong-Kongese Photographer Joyce NG.

You can also follow Sisonek on Instagram.

Sisonek is hosted by Drew Curry, artist and designer of AIREI.

AIREI is a Los Angeles-based brand from Drew Curry. Shortlisted for the 2022 LVMH Prize for Emerging Designers, worn by Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, and other notables, while also gaining recognition from John Galliano, Suzy Menkes, and Julie Gilhart. 

AIREI promotes humanity by elevating the perception of the outcasts, forgotten, and misunderstood.

Illustrating the human condition, Drew uses deconstruction and reconstruction techniques to call attention to fragility.

Single threads are a signature in his work, representing mending and healing. Each hand-finished garment is signed and numbered by the artisan.

Drew highlights the human touch by allowing the uniqueness of the garments to become the focus.

AIREI is stocked globally at all Dover Street Markets and other retail partners worldwide.

Follow Drew on Instagram and X.

Follow AIREI on Instagram and find the full list of stockists on AIREI's website.

Thank you to our incredible team:

Produced by AIREI LLC

Co-produced by Rohan Satyavrata and Ruance co.

Edited by Jeswin George

Music by Ryan Hughes

Sisonek cover art by Ken Camellia

Artwork by Drew Curry