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PAUL SMITH CELEBRATES 50 YEARS

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Hailing from Beaston, Nottingham, Paul Smith was born on 5th July 1946. An avid cyclist until he was 17, when a road accident put paid to his competitive dreams, through a new friendship group Paul found himself amongst a new world of creatively-minded young people and from there embarked on a life-long journey of discovery and exploration in design, music and fashion.

Paul met his now wife Pauline when he was 21. It was Pauline who introduced him to visual arts, cinema and much more and her influence and training at the Royal College of Art was instrumental in developing Paul’s understanding and skill of tailoring and garment design.

Paul opened his first shop called Paul Smith Vêtements Pour Homme in Nottingham on October 9th 1970. It sold established clothing labels alongside pieces that Paul had designed himself. The store was just 3 square metres and was located at 6 Byard Lane in Nottingham. In 1976, Paul travelled to Paris to showcase his first men’s collection, which featured a mix of casual and semi-formal wear. Following its success Paul Smith continued to grow, with the first flagship London store opening in 1979 on Floral Street in Covent Garden, London.

Paul has grown to become one of Britain’s foremost designers. He is renowned for his creative spirit, which combines tradition and modernity. Famous for men’s and women’s tailoring, clothing and accessories collections, Paul Smith specialises in an inventive use of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge design to create beautifully made, modern pieces.

Individuality is key to the Paul Smith ethos and is the theme that carries through all collections and products that the company creates. Paul Smith is synonymous with colour and playful design, most represented by the iconic stripe print which has had many incarnations over the years.

From its origins in one small shop in Nottingham, England, Paul Smith has grown into a global business, selling to five continents, over 70 countries and 3,000 shops. Paul Smith remains an independent company, with Paul Smith himself holding the majority stake.

The 50th anniversary of Paul Smith will be marked by the launch of an eponymous book published by Phaidon, which will celebrate Paul’s varied inspirations through portraits of fifty objects. This book is edited by Tony Chambers, with a foreword by Jonathan Ive and weaves together the selected objects along with quotes and contributions from many of Paul’s friends and collaborators from across his fifty years in business.

A 50th anniversary capsule collection of casual menswear and womenswear looks into the vast back-catalogue of photo prints that Paul Smith has created over the years. Archive graphics spanning from 1988 to 2002 offer a snapshot of Paul’s vivid approach to design.

2020 not only sees the 50th anniversary of Paul Smith, but also the launch of Paul Smith’s Foundation. Launching in September 2020, Paul Smith’s Foundation will give helpful advice to creative people. The digital platform will make available his person`al archive of all the advice he has given and received over the last 50 years. Having advised many young people looking to grow their own businesses, he now wants to share his learnings with a wider audience. At a moment of celebrating the past, The Foundation is a testament to Paul’s drive to always look ahead.