My life in colour

Francesca Romana Paciaroni: when creativity becomes wellness

How did Poupine come about?

It all started with a difficult time in my life, an illness I had to fight, and a special encounter - meeting Francesca Petaccia. It began as a game, but together we created Poupine, a brand of tartan or striped skirts that exude femininity, lightheartedness and the joy of living, and which are now for sale online.

Why skirts, and why tartan?

We thought of a product people could identify with, and the skirt seemed the quintessential women’s garment. Tartan is the typical Scottish fabric that takes us back to childhood. In our recent collections, besides kilt fabrics, there are also stripes and houndstooth, and for this latest one we’ve added a palazzo pant-culotte that’s really wide even at the top, to offer our customers a new type of garment.

What does Poupine mean to you?

Poupine is a dream in colour. For me personally, the project is constant gratification, because of the letters I receive from women who rediscover their femininity through the brand. I never expected to get such positive feedback from customers who identify with our story of rebirth.

How central to your life was the illness you managed to beat?

My illness was a point in my life, and in the past two years I’ve started living all over again. The colourful nature of our skirts represents the way I see the world these days. I threw away all the black clothes I had, to change my life for the better and be reborn in colour.