The Forgotten Picasso: Who is Paloma Picasso?

Words by Amelia Erswell

Whilst Pablo Picasso is a renowned name in the art industry, most known for the likes of Guernica (1937) and the Weeping Woman (1937), the importance of the little girl in his piece Paloma with an Orange (1951) is often overlooked. Before we look into the life and career of Paloma herself, it is first vital that we understand her role in Pablo’s painting. 

In the second of the two images below we see a family portrait of Francoise, Claude and Paloma (1951) in which Pablo captures the intimacy of familial affection; Francoise’s arms envelop both of her children in a maternal embrace. Although her children look directly towards their father’s familiar face, beyond the canvas, Francoise’s gaze veers towards her daughter. The yellow and blue outfits that Francoise’s children wear are cleverly mixed to produce the green garment she adorns. Pablo’s cohesive colour palette and use of negative space further provides a sense of balance. In both of these paintings from 1951 there are two recurring motifs: the presence of Paloma, and a female figure holding an orange in her palm. Traditionally, in Northern Renaissance paintings oranges symbolise prosperity and joy. Given that either Francoise or Paloma holds the orange, it seems that Pablo attributes his success and prosperity to them; his joy is metaphorically placed in their hands.   

Paloma with an Orange (1951)

Francoise, Claude and Paloma (1951)

So, now we understand Paloma’s relationship to Pablo, back to the question at hand: who is she? 

Not only the daughter of Pablo Picasso, Paloma is a designer in her own right; she is most commonly known for her affiliation with Tiffany & Co. and has been designing jewellery for them for the last 42 years. Of all her collections my personal favourite is Paloma’s Melody (2017); there is something immensely lyrical about the smooth curves that interweave and lock together, producing a harmonic and expertly crafted piece of jewellery. Tiffany & Co. described this collection as “the perfect soundtrack for a beautiful life, the Paloma’s Melody collection features interlocking bands that gently move with the body.” The flow and lyricism of these pieces expose Paloma’s love of movement and fashion, two elements of her career that we shall come back to. 

From collection: Paloma’s Melody (2017)

Unfortunately, owning a piece of Paloma’s excellence doesn’t come cheap! This five-band eighteen carat rose gold ring will set you back £3,600. Not to worry … some of her other pieces are a lot more reasonable (like the Mini Olive Leaf Pendant at £220). Paloma’s jewellery is absolutely timeless and provides a sense of elegance, thus making it a perfect gift for a special occasion. Her Olive Leaf Climber Earrings cleverly creep up the earlobe and make a feature of the whole ear, curving and tapering away at the tip of the vine. Such innovative and considered construction highlights her ability to design modern and aesthetic jewellery with a lasting and distinct impact. 

Mini Olive Leaf Pendant

Olive Leaf Climber Earrings

Paloma’s career began in Paris in the late 1960s, where she was working as a costume designer. It was here that she became friends with the likes of Andy Warhol and Yves Saint Laurent. Despite Catherine Deneuve and Betty Catroux often being attributed as Yves Saint Laurent’s muses, Paloma has also had a foundational impact on the direction of the fashion house. Indeed, according to Anthony Vaccarello (the creative director at Saint Laurent) their SS/22 show was inspired by Paloma. Prior to meeting her, Yves favoured tailored couture but once he observed Paloma’s sense of fashion he became more susceptible to avant-garde designs. The SS/22 looks to further hyperbolise Paloma’s style through broad and lively silhouettes, raunchy plunge necklines and dramatic splits. 

Yves Saint Laurent with Paloma on his arm

From the Yves Saint Laurent SS/22 collection, inspired by Paloma

Above is an old photograph from Vogue Italia’s archive of Yves Saint Laurent with Paloma on his arm. The second is taken from the SS/22 collection, inspired by Paloma. A comparison of these two images exposes how great an influence Paloma had upon the current showcase; the style of the long maxi gown (albeit with a rather accentuated v-neckline), bold pop of red lipstick and gold choker/ bangle-cuff are virtually identical. The SS/22 image directly draws from the styling of Paloma’s original outfit. 

When commenting upon the collection, Kinza Shen from Hero Magazine observes how the outfits ‘wrapped glamorously around the contours of the body’. This comment immediately reminds me of the Tiffany climber earring, how Paloma employs the perfect proportions and style to hug and fit the body with her jewellery. Thus, not only is Paloma a fashion icon and muse, her style inspires a sense of unlevelled calculation and precision; she demonstrates an ability to amplify the preordained beauty of the human form through her styling and design. That is a true skill in itself!

I would like to end by offering the sage advice Paloma gave at a Harper Bazaar interview in 2018, when she declared: ‘elegance and humour will always be in fashion no matter how much time passes’. Her designs for Tiffany & Co. and her ability to inspire Saint Laurent’s current fashion collections are a testament to the importance of this statement. Paloma’s own sense of elegance and humour has helped her become a cornerstone in the fashion and design industries, to establish a legacy that will live on and inspire many more generations of budding designers.