Paule Ka
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fashion |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Serge Cajfinger |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
| Products | Ready-to-wear clothing, handbags |
PAULE KA is a French ready-to-wear label established in 1987 by Serge Cajfinger.
Cajfinger, born in Lille in 1955, spent part of his early years in Brazil before moving back to France in 1968. In 1974, he launched a multi-brand boutique called PAULE KA in Lille. Subsequently, he relocated to Paris to create the designer brand PAULE KA, inaugurating the first boutique in the Marais area in 1987. The brand is recognized for its sleek and structured aesthetic—elegant yet metropolitan—with hallmark pieces such as black dresses, essential handbags, and bow details.
In 2007, the state investment institution Caisse des dépôts et consignations became a stakeholder in PAULE KA, which led to the opening of the company's headquarters on rue Saint Honoré in Paris and a new store in Cannes. Change Capital Partners joined as investors in 2011, facilitating further expansion goals.
The brand embarked on its international growth in 2012 by opening stores throughout China and Europe and establishing a showroom in New York City.
After a shift in leadership, Cajfinger stepped down as Chairman and Creative Director in 2014 to focus on other ventures. Alithia Spuri-Zampetti was named Creative Director in July 2015.
By July 2017, Marco Polo acquired majority ownership of Maison PAULE KA, with Cajfinger returning to collaborate with the creative team on forthcoming collections.
Prominent personalities such as Kate Middleton, Amal Clooney, Jessica Chastain, and Anne Hathaway have been seen wearing PAULE KA designs.
Other lines
Following the 2010 introduction of the Black Carpet evening wear collection, Serge Cajfinger styled numerous celebrities including actresses Meryl Streep, Patricia Arquette, Eva Longoria, Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as singers Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, and Jennifer Lopez. That same year, he created a capsule collection for France’s largest mail-order company, La Redoute, which was presented by model Agyness Deyn.
Sponsoring
In June 2020, Paule Ka obtained naming rights sponsorship for a cycling team (later renamed ), with an agreement extending through the end of 2024. However, starting August 2020, the company paid only one month’s salary out of four owed and failed to meet sponsorship financial obligations, resulting in the team's disbandment by October 2020.