6 Byard Lane, Nottingham. A 3-square metre shop here is where it all began. The year was 1970 and Paul Smith had just opened his first store, albeit windowless in his hometown. Since then, the brand has opened its doors to more than 3000 stores across 70 countries—no mean feat in a landscape that's constantly evolving. As the brand celebrates the momentous milestone of fifty years, we speak to Sir Paul Smith about his life and times. The beginning is always a good place to start.
The Early Years
As a young boy, Smith didn't particularly harbour dreams of becoming a designer. An avid cyclist, he saw himself taking it up professionally, until an accident changed the course of his life forever. "Cycling has been a big part of my life—from the age of 12 until 17 I wanted to become a racing cyclist. This all came to a halt when I crashed my bike and ended up in hospital for 3 months," reminisces the designer. Little did he know that the hospital stay would be his initiation into the world of creativity. "I made friends with other patients and we began meeting in a pub in my hometown—the same pub was where all the art students used to go. From there, I discovered a whole new world beyond cycling and started learning about creative things such as the Bauhaus, and music, and artists such as Kandinsky," he remembers.
Looking back at his five decades, Smith believes it's hard to pick one defining moment, but he fondly recalls his first ever show, held at friend's apartment in Paris: "The models were either friends or models paid with a very modest fee and everyone was very happy to participate. Our biggest expense was hiring gold chairs with red velvet cushions. There were only 30 to 40 people in the audience and everyone had to ring the doorbell to get in."
Evolving with the Industry
In a rapidly-evolving industry, the brand Paul Smith has managed to hold its own for five decades. The designer however believes that not much has changed for the brand. "We are still doing pretty much the same as we did 50 years ago, just on a bigger scale. We grew the business very slowly which meant we didn't outgrow ourselves." He does admit however that the digital age has made a huge impact on the industry and the way people dress. "I have noticed people dress much more similarly all over the world these days," he observes.
It's often argued that the age of luxury brands is diminishing with factors like high street brands, intense competition, technology and low cost abilities of manufacturers in China. When quizzed about the same, the designer says, "It's more important than ever to have a point of view and a point of difference. It's also important to know your customer well. I still love to go to my flagship shop on Albermarle Street in London on Saturdays and work on the shop floor. It's the best way to meet my customers and get to know what they want." And as far as fakes are concerned he believes that imitation is the best form of flattery although "the brand prides itself in the quality of its clothes, which is very hard to copy."
Brand Icons
Over the years, Paul Smith has created many iconic products like the woollen crease-free suit and socks, that have been bestsellers season after season. But perhaps, the one iconic element that the brand is associated with is the colourful stripe. "I'm naturally a very positive and optimistic person and a colourful stripe beautifully captures that. Colour is very important to Paul Smith design—the playful optimism has been a central part of everything we create," he shares.
The Capsule Line
As part of the brand's 50 year celebrations, Paul Smith has launched a capsule collection featuring significant prints from the archives like the spaghetti print that was created after the designer visited Japan. The brand has also unveiled a coffee table book that features 50 objects that have inspired the designer over the years. "They may seem like a strange collection of objects to some, but I hope they also show how I find my inspirations from a wide range of things and the importance of being open to finding your own way to being inspired," says the designer.
Vision for the Future
The pandemic and lockdown gave the brand no choice but to close many shops and the warehouse. However, the warehouse was reopened for business through e-commerce. Looking back through the years, Smith believes he has had many learnings and has always been given great advice. "I started Paul Smith's foundation for this exact reason—to give back. At the moment, it's a platform for the younger generation to seek advice. It is important to me that it's not just for people within the fashion industry, but also in all other fields." On a parting note, we quiz the iconic designer abot his vision for the next fifty years? "To keep doing what we have been doing," he signs off with his trademark optimism.
