The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2024 - Issue 35

G Gaâla Paris intrigues Jada Brookes with their sustainable, vintage-inspired, and luxurious collections for romantic, strong, ambitious women. bitefashion aâla Paris A s a young girl born in Switzerland to a French father and American mother who spent most of her childhood in the US, Kelly de Gaalon experienced many hand- me-downs. She recalls watching her mother hand- sew clothes and adjust pre-loved pieces to pass down to her or one of her eight siblings. As a teenager, she spent five years in China. She later worked in Lon- don, Singapore, Shanghai and Beijing, where she met her husband, Alexander Zhalezkha, before moving to Belarus, his native country. She struggled to find high-quality yet affordable clothing in classic cuts and elegant silhouettes dur- ing her professional life. She sought to collaborate with skilled tailors to realise her vision and create designs that made women feel feminine and beauti- ful and stand out without calling attention. Initially, her idea started as a hobby of crafting clothing for loved ones, which evolved into Gaâla Paris, a sus- tainable slow-fashion brand she established with her husband. Their small team of highly skilled artisans created vintage-inspired silhouettes and contemporary de- signs using luxurious upcycled fabrics. “My vision was to design timeless apparel for women who cou- rageously celebrate their femininity in a world that encourages toughness as the key to success.” The Gaâla woman embodies romance, strength, ideal- ism and ambition. She is a mother, a grandmother, a career woman, a student, an educator, and an artist whose power lies in her capacity to ‘do it all’. Like the pre-loved garments her mother rendered, Kelly uses deadstock to give fabrics a second life and reduce waste. “The fashion industry accounts for 20% of the world’s water and 10% of global carbon emissions, yet 85% of fabrics created each year end up in landfills or incinerated. Not only does this re- sult in disastrous environmental consequences by polluting our land and oceans, it is also a waste of unspoiled, high-quality fabrics that can be crafted into beautiful garments and given a loving home.” Images courtesy of Grove Communications