Sunday 9 September 2018

Brand Spotlight: L'Atelier Touché


Tucked away, above the hustle of Colombo's Duplication Road, is L'Atelier Touché; a luxury Franco-Italian brand born here in Colombo in March 2016. It's a boutique like no other because when you exit to the second floor, you think you would've walked into a café with the surrounding of coffee. But as you move further into the space you find the rails of
clothing and realise that it's a different experience.

It was a Saturday morning when I met co-founder Catherine Obrenovic. I thought when I arrived late, due to the never-ending chaos that is Sri Lankan traffic, I wouldn't be able to have my meeting with Catherine as her schedule is hectic and she's not always in the boutique. However, for my luck she gladly made the time. I contacted the brand after coming across it on Instagram. I was intrigued because I hadn't heard of L'Atelier Touché and I loved the pieces I was scrolling through on their feed. Catherine was kind enough to get in touch immediately and our meeting fell into place in days. 

The boutique is European chic and not just from the clothes and accessories surrounding us, but from the overall feel - the white washed walls, the minimalistic furniture with pops of colour here and there, the white wooden desk that Catherine sits behind. It's just a place that you want to shop in. 

  
Just a couple of images of the store, so you get the vibe.

Catherine tells me that everything about L'Atelier Touché is a reflection of hers and her co-founder Heidy Rampinelli's own love of fashion. The clothes that they present are what they look for in their own wardrobes. Be it the signature cargo pants, the utility jumpsuit or the Italian leather jacket, these pieces are what both Catherine and Heidy consider to be perfect for every woman. The simplicity and sophistication of the pieces allows for them to be dressed from day to night and isn't that what everyone looks for? Well their worldwide clientele surely do.  

I tried on a range of pieces but the one that stood out to me was the utility jumpsuit. I have been wanting one for what feels like forever and L'Atelier Touché delivers a utterly chic version. It comes in a classic beige that is perfect for wear all year round. You can style it in many ways; with a pair of sneakers for day-to-day wear or jazzed up with a pair of heels. I thought that my Dune London leopard sandals went perfectly with the jumpsuit and hair tied for a change, for a more sophisticated vibe. The piece is super comfortable, much like all their other pieces, and the best part is I didn't feel odd in it. You know when sometimes you worry about whether your body will look nice in it? Especially if you have curves, like moi, it can be tricky to feel comfort in pieces like this. But the actual material was comfortable, I could roll the cuffs and sleeves to suit my style and I had enough material to lift and tug where I wanted the piece to sit on me and it turned out pretty good. 


Outfit: Jumpsuit - L'Atelier Touché // Shoes - Dune London

A piece that I adore but didn't get the pleasure of trying (because it was sold out!) was the Liz Wrap dress. I saw it on their Instagram and immediately wanted to try it, but sadly I couldn't. I also love the Melanie and Naomi jumpsuits from the Touché Couture collection, as well as the waterfall collar leather jackets (see in store, they are gorgeous) and the Maré Sand maxi dress. There's so many gorgeous pieces both online and in store that are worth the purchase. They are made with high quality European and Asian sourced fabrics and are all made in Sri Lanka. Also, the pieces can be tailored to fit you as Catherine told me she wants her clients to feel comfortable and "in their own skin" when wearing L'Atelier Touché, so if what they have in stock isn't the perfect fit then they will tailor-make within a few days for you.

Alongside their beautiful pieces and accessories, L'Atelier Touché is also the first authorised reseller of designer fashion in Sri Lanka. They have a unique collection of pre-owned (sometimes even brand new) designer pieces from Gucci, Chanel, Christian Louboutin and more for sale in the boutique. The brand is also moving online, so that their clientele, both new and old, can shop from the comfort of their own home and have the expertly tailored pieces of L'Atelier Touché delivered to them. 


It's a very exciting time for the brand, with the new growth, but also because their minimalistic, sophisticated style is something that is primarily lusted after today by fashion lovers of the world. Having a brand like this in Sri Lanka is so interesting too because it is different to the typical, traditional dressing of the country. Catherine and Heidy are bringing a taste of European finesse to our little pearl nation and I think that's what makes them stand out. 

I want to say a thank you to Catherine for teaching me about the brand and being so incredibly welcoming to my proposal of working together. It's been a pleasure. I look forward to seeing what L'Atelier Touché presents in the future and I hope that you loved this first edition of Brand Spotlight. I hope to continue the exposure of unknown brands so that we can all learn a little something new about what's going on in the fashion world. 

Lots of Love, 

Emily xx
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