Yahoo Lifestyle PatBo, the Brazilian Lifestyle Brand, Taps Isabella Baboury as President
PatBo, the Brazilian lifestyle brand, has named Isabella Baboury president.
She succeeds Cara Chen, who had been with the brand for eight years and introduced and spearheaded the Brazilian business in the U.S. Earlier, Chen was director of global wholesale for Calypso St Barth.
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Baboury has previously held roles such as director of Burberry, Christian Loubouton and Chloé in Canada, as well as vice president of Saks Fifth Avenue.
“We are thrilled to welcome Isabella and to have her be a part of the next stage of PatBo,” said Patricia Bonaldi, founder and creative director of PatBo. “Her extensive background in the luxury market is an asset, but her fresh approach to this ever-changing market will be where she shines and is most valuable to my brand. Together we will build this new and global chapter in PatBo’s story.”
Baboury, who is based in New York, reports to Bonaldi.
“Joining PatBo felt like a natural evolution for me — the brand embodies everything I believe in: bold femininity, craftsmanship and global vision,” Baboury said. “What excites me most is the opportunity to build a deeper connection with the North American audience while honoring the brand’s Brazilian roots. PatBo is more than fashion — it’s a movement, and I’m truly honored to help lead its next chapter alongside such an incredible women,” she said.
PatBo, which was founded by Bonaldi in 2005, has significantly grown its eveningwear, resortwear and ready-to-wear offerings since entering the American market in 2017. The brand has been worn by such celebrities as Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Tate McRae, Alicia Keys and Paris Hilton. It is sold in more than 20 countries and 150 stores globally including Net-a-porter, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Mytheresa, Neiman Marcus, Fwrd and Revolve.
On a recent visit to New York, Bonaldi told WWD she was meeting with potential investors in the company. “I don’t want to sell. I want to bring money to the brand without losing the DNA or control,” she said.
The São Paulo-based company, which is profitable, has 15 stores in Brazil and two stores in the U.S., in the Miami Design District and New York City. Bonaldi looks to open more stores in locations such as Los Angeles and Dallas and Austin. “I’m following the clients that we sell through e-commerce to see where the customer is,” she said. She plans to open at least 10 to 12 stores in the U.S. over the next five years.
Bonaldi said she doesn’t have any licenses, but eventually hopes to produce accessories, bags and shoes. “I want to be a lifestyle brand. I can service the woman from resort to evening gowns,” said Bonaldi, who is known for her hand-embroIdered ready-to-wear and swim collections that blend vibrant Brazilian culture and bold designs.
In addition to Brazil and the U.S., PatBo also sells 50 different stores in Italy.
Bonaldi has established a school in her hometown of Uberlandia, Brazil, along with PatBo’s atelier, where local women are taught craftsmanship skills that enable them work as artisans. The company employs 600 people globally.
Bonaldi, who has been making clothes since she was a child since she couldn’t afford buying new clothing, fell in love with the process of creating out of a family necessity. After a few detours, including a period of studying law, Bonaldi created her eveningwear collection in São Paulo. She has since expanded that eveningwear focus to resortwear and lifestyle clothing.
Bonaldi has been showing in the U.S. during New York Fashion Week for the past five years. “I thought it was a very good decision. It was a stage for me,” she said.
Even though the seasons are opposite in the U.S. and Brazil, Bonaldi said she doesn’t need to design a totally different collection, and 80 percent is the same. “It’s one of the reasons my business is successful. That’s why I can sell both,” she said.
Retail prices at her stores range from $350 to $3,000, including the runway collection. The average retail price is $700, which would be a beach dress or the entry price for eveningwear.
“What I’m most proud of of all this is happening organically. I’m building step by step without investors. I think Isabella can take the brand to the next level,” she said. She’s said she’s talking to investors that she believes can help her take the brand “where it can be,” declining to name them.
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