From Instagram to IRL: Paloma Lanna’s Cool-Girl Brand Takes the Next Big Step
What happens when Mediterranean ease meets downtown edge? In the case of Paloma Lanna’s fashion brand, it turns out the answer is: global buzz, cult status, and now, brick-and-mortar stores.
Paloma Wool, the Spanish direct-to-consumer label launched by Lanna, first came to life on Instagram — and felt, in many ways, like it belonged there. With its soft color palettes, arty photo shoots, and unmistakable blend of laid-back sensuality and playful surrealism, the brand quickly carved out its own lane in the crowded world of fashion start-ups. Think: sun-faded knits, silky wrap skirts, sculptural coats, and quirky accessories that seem tailor-made for sipping wine on a rooftop at golden hour.
What began as a digital mood board of sorts has become a full-fledged brand — one that’s now taking its presence offline. Paloma Wool recently announced the opening of its first physical locations, with stores in both Barcelona (home base) and New York City (a natural next step, given the brand’s stateside fan base). The company is also projecting $23 million in sales this year, a figure that speaks to just how much staying power this once-niche label has found.
A Visual Brand with a Soul
Paloma Lanna, who grew up around fashion — her parents ran the Spanish label Nice Things — always had a vision that stretched beyond clothing. Her brand isn’t just about what you wear; it’s about how you live. From the beginning, Paloma Wool positioned itself not just as a fashion label, but as a creative platform: collaborating with photographers, artists, and musicians, while maintaining an aesthetic that feels intimate and personal. Every piece feels like a small work of art — wearable, but not without its own narrative.
This highly curated vibe resonated. In a sea of cookie-cutter e-commerce, Paloma Wool felt different. The brand leaned into sustainability and slow fashion before it became trendy to do so, offering limited drops rather than seasonal overload. Each launch feels intentional, almost like a letter to its community.
The Power of Instagram (and Good Taste)
It’s not unusual these days for a brand to blow up online, but what makes Paloma Wool’s rise noteworthy is how quietly confident it has been. The brand didn’t rely on influencer mega-campaigns or flashy PR. Instead, it cultivated a niche — stylish, creative women who favor natural fibers, vintage silhouettes, and the occasional asymmetrical cutout — and then let the clothes (and the photos) do the talking.
Instagram, of course, played a massive role. With dreamy imagery and an almost ethereal consistency, Paloma Wool’s feed became a source of aesthetic inspiration in its own right. You could scroll not just for shopping, but for styling ideas, color palettes, and a general moodboard of slow-living cool.
This approach also meant that when the brand made the move into physical retail, there was already a built-in community — not just of buyers, but of loyalists.
New Stores, Same Spirit
Opening stores in Barcelona and New York marks a new chapter — but not a departure. The physical spaces are designed with the same attention to detail and visual storytelling that made the brand famous online. These aren’t just shops; they’re experiences. You step into a Paloma Wool store the same way you scroll through their Instagram: slowly, appreciatively, soaking in the textures and tones.
For New York fans, the store brings the Mediterranean warmth of the brand into the city’s more kinetic energy — a perfect juxtaposition, and a reflection of the label’s DNA: breezy but bold, soft but never passive.
What’s Next?
With a projection of $23 million in sales this year, Paloma Wool is officially more than an indie darling. And yet, despite the growth, the brand shows no signs of losing its charm. There’s still something intimate about it — maybe it’s the community of artists and creatives around it, or the fact that every drop still feels like an inside secret rather than a global campaign.
Whatever it is, Paloma Wool is doing something rare in fashion: scaling up without selling out.
As the brand continues to expand its physical footprint, it will be interesting to see how it maintains its signature blend of artistry and accessibility. If the new stores are any indication, the team is up for the challenge — and more than capable of creating retail spaces that feel like extensions of the brand’s dreamy world.
In the meantime, don’t be surprised if the next time you’re in SoHo or strolling through Barcelona, you spot a storefront that feels like it was pulled right from your saved Instagram folder.
