Singaporean fashion label Raoul is a fast-rising global brand

Actress Viola Davis looked particularly youthful on the red carpet recently, wearing a pink halter floor-length gown from ready-to-wear label Raoul. This came somewhat as a surprise to the brand’s owner-designer couple Douglas and Odile Benjamin, who although they’ve been actively showing their collections in Europe and the US, are sometimes as they jokingly relate, the last to know “who wore what” among their pieces.

Raoul is a rising global brand, if its growing list of celebrity wearers is proof — from Jennifer Lawrence to the Kardashians to Zhang Ziyi. The good news is that Filipino shoppers have easy access to the same pieces sold on the shop floors of Bloomingdales or Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.

For its spring-summer collection launch last Thursday, the brand showed a strong set of bright, vibrantly colored dresses and separates mixed with pale neutrals, in clean and sophisticated lines. Flowy dresses, softly tailored luxurious tops, shorts and trousers make use of rich but lightweight fabrics that work well for our tropical climate. Described as a “breakthrough collection,” the collection wields a more adventurous attitude in its use of animal prints and color splashes.

The couple’s vision is to create a sophisticated wardrobe for the multi-tasking woman. “The response (to this collection) has been quite amazing internationally,” revealed Odile, who heads the label as Divisional CEO of its creative and design division.

A Singapore-born brand, Raoul (the name of their second child) is bringing its mix of global influences (he grew up in Singapore, she was living in London before moving to Asia with him) across markets around the world. Apparently, it’s a market that’s becoming increasingly blurred in its fashion differences.

The ‘Fast Look’

For its spring-summer collection Raoul emphasizes the energetic mood of summer. “Summer is about fun, it’s about being lighthearted. It’s not a time to be sober and serious,” said Odile.

The concept of an “intoxicating sense of speed” is delivered in racer-striped knits and graphic color-block dresses. The collection also uses a lot of white, vanilla, citron, accented by pops of green, cobalt and neon-hot pink.

“If you look at the styling and the silhouette, everything remains very clean and simple,” said Odile. “But everything has a touch of the unusual that makes you want to look at the garment — be it the color, the fabric, the treatment.”

Luxurious but subtle details include laser-perforated leather tanks, handcrafted woven macramé, broad stripes and splash prints. Navy and white zebra prints are featured on kaftans as well as loose pants. The simplest of hooded jackets is feather light. A butter leather handkerchief cape offers an all-weather cover. There are cool and functional pairings — a canvas tunic is attached to its shorts, while an A-line skirt has a “zip-on-or-off” leather racer tank.

Tailored shorts are in silk, perforated leather or printed pique. Skirts and dresses race high above the knee, or graze the lower shins. There are also ankle-grazing dresses in fluid georgette silk and chiffon, such as the one worn by Davis, suspended with a leather choker.

Vintage inspirations for the new world

High-waisted tapered ankle-length trousers are an ode to the elegant dressing of the past. “We did a lot of vintage research out of Paris, Milan, New York, London. It has a little bit of the old world but it’s been modernized and relevant for today,” said Odile.

Accessories also remain a strong component of the collection, and echo a vintage feel, in sexy, strappy wedges and feminine flat sandals, thin belts and long-strap leather saddlebags. Clutches are squarish with a contrasting strap closure. The neon pink Amber clutch is a particularly strong item that’s been flying off the shelves.

The world of Raoul is fast expanding — it just opened a sales and PR showroom along Via Manzoni in Milan and was nominated for “Breakthrough Designer of the Year” at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards 2011. Soon the label will be stocked at Harrods in London as well as Printemps in Paris.

Odile believes that women today needn’t spend tremendous amounts of money on her wardrobe. “(Our customer) understands quality, she understands her sense of style. She does not feel the need to go to a brand that is very, very expensive to feel confident in her wardrobe. She knows quality when she sees it,” she says. Anchoring its collections on the idea of “accessible luxury,” it’s a look that’s “designer but without the designer price points.”

As for targeting a certain age bracket, Odile philosophizes: “We are not targeting a younger customer, but a more youthful customer. It’s not about age anymore. It’s all about mindset.”

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Raoul shops are located at Greenbelt 5 and Shangri-La Plaza Mall.