It’s Paul Smith’s fiftieth anniversary but he isn’t the type to wax nostalgic. While the collection he’s created to celebrate it, does indeed include many familiar touchstones (a treat for long-time fans like myself), it has also provided an opportunity to look forward.
The tailoring will be familiar, you’ll see the influence of Savile Row but with a modern approach to the fabrics. In keeping with the late Summer drop, it comes in either a wool-blend fabric with mohair or a lightweight cotton for warmer weather. Also for summer staycations, you find tailored knee-length shorts, camp-collar pajama shirts, polos, and a standout Navy Waterproof Harrington Jacket (in recycled-polyester) for $350 that brings Sir Paul full circle to the time when an unfortunate cycling accident cut short his pro career and set him down the path to fashion.
The creator of “A Suit To Travel In” never goes anywhere without his camera. And he travels a lot, while overseeing the expansion of his global brand. He’s been to Japan, where he is as revered as he is in Britain, more than a hundred times. A keen photographer, Sir Paul uses photography for documentation as well as inspiration. And the 50th anniversary collection is no exception, finding its inspiration not only from past collections, but notably in a trip he took last year to the Andes Mountains in Chile. Never one to shy away from color, the palette has been extended this season to include such shades as a coppery reddish-brown to lavender and turquoise taken from rich mineral deposits, the emerald and mossy greens of the local flora and the blue of the Pacific Ocean.
For this collection, he’s asked Graphic designer, Wei Prior to reinterpret some of his archival photographs (look for cameo appearances by Homer, the Afghan hound that served as Sir Paul’s first shop manager) and commissioned photographer Greg Lin to shoot the clothes.
The first Paul Smith shop opened at 6 Byard Lane, Nottingham, UK on October 9th, 1970. It was called Paul Smith Vêtements Pour Homme and its stock included a number of established clothing labels alongside Smith’s early designs. The shop was only open two days a week and measured a cozy 3-meters square. Fifty years on and a knighthood later, Sir Paul is now a global ambassador for British fashion.