diff --git a/powerline/theme.py b/powerline/theme.py
index aad09bdb..05dfb4f9 100644
--- a/powerline/theme.py
+++ b/powerline/theme.py
@@ -1,6 +1,44 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
+import importlib
+
 
 class Theme(object):
 	def __init__(self, ext, theme):
-		pass
+		self.segments = []
+
+		for side in ['left', 'right']:
+			for segment in theme['segments'].get(side, []):
+				contents = None
+				segment_type = segment.get('type', 'function')
+
+				if segment_type == 'function':
+					# Import segment function and assign it to the contents
+					function_module = 'powerline.ext.{0}.segments'.format(ext)
+					function_name = segment['name']
+					contents = getattr(importlib.import_module(function_module), function_name)
+				elif segment_type == 'string':
+					contents = segment.get('contents')
+				elif segment_type == 'filler':
+					pass
+				else:
+					raise TypeError('Unknown segment type: {0}'.format(segment_type))
+
+				self.segments.append({
+					'type': segment_type,
+					'highlight': segment.get('highlight', segment.get('name')),
+					'before': segment.get('before'),
+					'after': segment.get('after'),
+					'contents': contents,
+					'args': segment.get('args', {}),
+					'ljust': segment.get('ljust', False),
+					'rjust': segment.get('rjust', False),
+					'priority': segment.get('priority', -1),
+					'draw_divider': segment.get('draw_divider', True),
+					'side': side,
+					'exclude_modes': segment.get('exclude_modes', []),
+					'include_modes': segment.get('include_modes', []),
+				})
+
+	def get_segments(self):
+		return self.segments