FLAIR FEMININITY

Having stumbled upon the brand in Bali, Prestige’s Ajeng G. Anindita gets to know more about the brilliant Parisian-born designer MAGALI PASCAL as well as her flair for femininity and sustainability

We featured the island of the gods two issues ago and we have completely fallen in love all over again with Bali after a two-week visit there. During our visit, I regularly stumbled upon this minimalist yet beautiful boutique from Parisian-born fashion designer Magali Pascal, who happens to reside in Bali. If you have ever wandered around Seminyak and Canggu, you most probably have seen her boutique. You really can’t miss it. Its minimalist and elegant décor, of course with beautiful clothes hanging around, will entice you to go inside and find out more. So, that is exactly what I did I got to know the brand as well as the woman behind the brand.

Magali Pascal was born and raised in Paris. She spent her childhood visiting art museums and exhibitions with her grandmother, discovering her passion for the arts from an early age. She has always been creative and enjoyed fashion, so it was no question when she took her fashion study at Ensad (École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs) and learned everything about fashion. Pascal was obsessed with the idea of making her own clothes and knew right away that it would become her career of choice. “I see fashion as an art form that people can express themselves through.”

So, she did, and established her own brand in Bali. Magali Pascal, at the core, creates high-end pieces that embody effortless French style, designed for women who embrace their femininity, with signature styles blending timeless silhouettes and Bohemian sophistication.

Some of the highlights of our conversation:

What type of woman did you have in mind while designing?

The Magali Pascal woman is someone who embraces her femininity. She cares about where her clothes come from, who made them, and how they make her feel. The Magali Pascal woman is strong and independent and has an effortless approach to fashion. She wears the clothes; they don’t wear her.

What made you decide to move to Bali and build your brand here?

I first came to Bali in 2002 after completing my studies in Paris. While on the island, I was designing a capsule collection for a small French brand. I just ended up falling in love with the island! I wasn’t planning on moving to the island longterm but I returned in 2004 and basically never left.

I started my business by designing and sewing all my own pieces in my little studio in Bali and then opened my first shop in Seminyak in 2006 and the brand has just continued to grow ever since. We now have four boutiques in Bali, one in Sydney, sell online worldwide, and wholesale internationally.

I feel like Magali Pascal’s aesthetic never shies away from being feminine and embracing femininity, which is great. Has it always been like that since the beginning? Is there a message behind the brand’s design language?

Feminine designs have always been key to my collections. However, I would say the brand has definitely evolved since 2006, the same way that fashion has. How the fabric moves is very important to me and I feel that sheer styles move beautifully in the light which makes for feminine design. Many of my designs are oversized or relaxed fits which I think compliments the delicate prints and fabrics.

Where do you look for inspiration?

I’ve always found inspiration from my travels, whether I’m visiting a new country or returning to Paris. I love discovering vintage markets and searching for antique art pieces, ceramics, or clothing, and I feel that this really does inspire my collections.

We understand that creativity is really important, but at the same time, you are a business and you have customers. How do you deal with trends and market demands? How’s your relationship with your customer?

I like to design timeless pieces that don’t go out of fashion so I’m not hugely influenced by trends. I believe this is core to building a sustainable business, as I want my customers to feel like they are purchasing something they can wear time and time again.

We do have several markets, though, including our Bali customers who are quite different to our European or Australian customers, as they are on holiday on a resort island. So, my designs for our Bali boutiques tend to be more resort and usually use lighter fabrics that are more wearable in this climate.

I love our customers! They are the most important part of the business! We’re a small business, so I’m often in touch with our customers via Instagram when they reach out and I love connecting with our Bali customers here on the island. We’re working towards setting up trunk shows in Bali to help us connect even more with the customer, so stay tuned!