What makes Paul Smith one of the most exciting fashion labels in the country right now? Maybe it’s the classic-with-a-twist approach of the brand? Or it’s the smashing new Autumn/Winter collection? Or maybe it’s because the leading names from the fashion and film industry are donning the brand on red carpet and social dos? For all we know, it might well be a combination of all three.
What we absolutely love about the brand is the ability to make formal menswear young and fun. No Paul Smith piece is boring or similar to something else. The Paul Smith identity is very unique –young at heart, hard working and successful, a discerning taste in fashion and the confidence to ride against the tide – be it with career decisions or wardrobe choices. That’s the first thing that hits you when you walk into a Paul Smith store – the strong sense of individuality that encourages you to make choices that are outside the box. Other than a plethora of suits, ties, shoes, bags and accessories, you will also find brightly-colored coffee mugs, bunny rabbit figurines and other knick knacks — acquired by Sir Paul Smith from his travels — at a Paul Smith store. Why, you ask? “The aim,” he says, “Is for people to come in and browse because it’s an interesting looking shop. They’re not necessarily looking for a major item of clothing – they may just end up with a small trinket – but they’re getting to know the brand.”
The Autumn/Winter 2017 collection is a delightful balance between classic British fashion and evolving global tastes in menswear. Prints are a huge part of the collection. Feathers are a focus for Paul Smith this season as a colorful new print and features throughout the collection. The vibrant feather graphic features on bomber jackets, shirts and pocket squares while single feathers are also embroidered onto statement outerwear. Another striking feature of the collection is the inspiration from the drawings and collections of British naturalists that has resulted in the new Paul Smith monkey print being the other key motif from the collection. Shirts, backpacks and leather accessories like laptop sleeves and wallets don the bold print which makes them enviable pieces that everybody would love to own.
The collection is high on fun graphics like dinosaurs and zebras, alongside tastefully done florals and micro-prints, and they have found favor with influencers and trailblazers from various fields. Celebrity chef Kelvin Cheung digs the jackets and the fun socks from the collection while ace fashion stylist Kazim Delhiwala has been swooning over the printed tees. The very stylish young guns, actor Aadar Jain and DJ Shaan Singh love the collection’s use of color and print – fun and quirky but with a sophisticated sensibility.
