According to the label, the Spring/Summer 2027 collection marks Puerto Rican designer Nicolle Joan’s first formal runway presentation in Puerto Rico.
SKAPA Atelier presented its Spring/Summer 2027 collection, Behind the Lace, as part of L’espace, a fashion event held September 11-13 at Popular Center in Hato Rey.
According to information provided by the label, the presentation marked the first formal runway show in Puerto Rico for its founder and creative director, Nicolle Joan. The designer has worked in the fashion industry for more than a decade and participated in New York Fashion Week in 2025, according to press materials supplied by the brand.
“Presenting in my homeland after a decade of work is an honor,” Joan said in a statement. “For me, L’espace represents an opportunity to show Puerto Rico the evolution of SKAPA Atelier and to begin a new chapter in my career.”
Strength, Movement, and Delicacy
Behind the Lace explores the relationship between self-assurance and delicacy. The collection was conceived around a woman who understands her identity, moves forward with determination, and views softness as an expression of strength.
Movement occupies a central place in the collection. Fringe, sheer elements, and contrasting textures follow the body and bring fluidity to the garments. According to SKAPA Atelier’s description, the collection seeks to convey a sense of freedom in response to the weight and demands of contemporary life.
“Behind the Lace is a tribute to the woman who already knows who she is, who moves with ease, and who finds strength in her delicacy,” the designer said.
Lace serves as the collection’s unifying element and is reinterpreted through transparency, shine, beading, feathers, stitching, and combinations of different materials. The silhouettes were developed to follow the body’s curves while balancing softness, movement, and structure.
A Palette Connected to Nature
The collection’s color palette draws from shades associated with the earth and natural landscape. Greens, yellows, blues, and browns are combined with cream, nude, champagne, and black.
Together, the colors establish the visual contrasts that define the collection: the earthly and the ethereal, strength and lightness, and character and delicacy.
A Collection Made in Puerto Rico
The label stated that Behind the Lace was developed and produced entirely in Puerto Rico, from the creation of each garment through its final construction details.
Local production forms part of SKAPA Atelier’s identity and supports the brand’s intention to expand into new markets while remaining connected to its Puerto Rican roots.
With her participation in L’espace, Joan begins a new chapter for SKAPA Atelier after more than a decade in the industry. Behind the Lace serves as a statement about the label’s evolution and the woman at the center of its creative universe: self-assured, free in her movement, and strong without relinquishing her sensitivity.
Instagram: @skapa_atelier
Editor’s note: This story was prepared using a press release and informational materials supplied by SKAPA Atelier. Descriptions of the collection, professional background information, and quotations attributed to Nicolle Joan originated from those materials.
