Paul Smith (fashion designer)

Sir Paul Smith CH CBE RDI
Smith in 2009
Born	Paul Brierley Smith (1946-07-05) 5 July 1946 Beeston, Nottinghamshire, England
Spouse	Pauline Denyer ​ (m. 2000)​
Labels	Paul Smith PS Paul Smith
Website	paulsmith.com

Sir Paul Brierley Smith CH CBE RDI (born 5 July 1946) is an English fashion designer, best known for his eponymous luxury brand. He was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry in 1991.

Founded by Smith in 1970, it has since expanded to more than 70 countries. The brand sells clothing and accessories through both physical shops and online. Its fluorescent pink flagship store in Los Angeles has become a widely photographed landmark.

Early life

Paul Smith shop on King Edward Street, Leeds

2007 Paul Smith suit, merino wool with pink windowpane check

Paul Smith shirt showing the company's signature striped pattern

Mini by Paul Smith, 1997

Interview with Paul Smith about the exhibition 'Hello, My name is Paul Smith'

Maggie's Centre Nottingham, designed by Piers Gough. Smith helped design the interior.

Paul Smith Boutique, Las Vegas

In 1946, Smith was born in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, the youngest of three children of Harold Smith. One of his early ambitions was to become a professional cyclist. He left school at age 15 and began work in a Nottingham clothing warehouse, continuing to train as a cyclist. At 17 he was involved in a serious accident that kept him in hospital for nearly six months. During his recovery, he was introduced by friends to the world of art and fashion, which shaped his later career. Cycling remained an influence on his design work throughout his career. Smith later took classes in tailoring and began working with the Savile Row tailor Lincroft Kilgour.

Career

Smith opened his first shop, Paul Smith Vêtements Pour Homme, in Nottingham in 1970. The shop, located at 6 Byard Lane, measured only three square metres and sold a mix of established labels alongside Smith's own designs.

In 1976 he presented his first menswear collection in Paris, featuring a combination of casual and semi-formal clothing. Three years later, in 1979, he opened his flagship London store on Floral Street in Covent Garden.

Smith launched his first womenswear line, Paul Smith Women, in 1993, following demand from female customers who had been buying smaller sizes of his menswear.

The brand expanded internationally in the 1980s. The first Japanese store opened in Tokyo in 1984, growing over the years to 165 stores across the country. Smith opened a shop in New York City on Fifth Avenue in 1987, followed by additional locations, including a flagship on Greene Street as well as Williamsburg, Bleecker Street and Brookfield Place.

In 1993, he acquired the long-established workwear label R. Newbold, founded in 1885, and incorporated its styles into his own collections.

In 1990, Smith introduced a one-off collection for boys, which marked the beginning of his childrenswear range. In 2010 this developed into the seasonal line Paul Smith Junior, often including child-sized versions of adult pieces.

In 1995, the Design Museum exhibited 'True Brit', a show marking 25 years of his business. The exhibition later travelled to Glasgow for the 'Festival of Design' and then moved to his hometown of Nottingham and was put on display in Nottingham Castle.

Smith published his first book, You Can Find Inspiration in Everything, in 2001. The brand launched its e-commerce site in 2004. In 2013, Smith designed and made a school tie for Beeston Fields Primary School in Nottingham.

In 2016, Smith's second book, Paul Smith's Cycling Scrapbook, was released: it documents a personal history of the sport about which he is passionate. In January 2016, Smith combined his men's and women's fashion shows, showcasing during Paris Fashion Week.

In 2019, Smith made a cameo appearance in the film Men in Black: International; he also designed the suits in the film.

The company remains majority-owned by Smith. In 2006 Itochu bought a 40% stake in Paul Smith.

Awards

Smith has received a wide range of awards during his career. He was named Designer of the Year at the GQ Men of the Year Awards for four consecutive years. In 2010 he received the Condé Nast Traveller Innovation and Design Award, shared with Anya Hindmarch. The following year he was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Fashion Awards 2011.

In addition to industry honours, Smith has been recognised by professional bodies. He holds an Honorary Fellowship of the British Institute of Interior Design. In 2015 he was included in GQ's 50 best dressed British men.

Smith has also been honoured by the Crown. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1994 New Year Honours for services to fashion. He was knighted in the 2000 Birthday Honours and in 2020 he was appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH), again for services to fashion.

Local recognition

In February 1997, Smith was made an honorary Freeman of the City of Nottingham in recognition of his contribution to fashion and his ties to the city.

In October 2024, a Nottingham Express Transit named tram numbered 230 after Smith. Other local figures honoured in this way include football manager Brian Clough, footballer Mary Earps, actress Vicky McClure, and cricketer Stuart Broad.

Partnerships and other business pursuits

Smith has collaborated with a wide range of companies and cultural institutions across fashion, design, sport and media.

Automotive and transport

In 1997, Smith designed a Mini that was produced in a limited edition of 1,800 cars. He later returned to the brand in 2021 with the Mini Electric using sustainable principles, with recycled and natural materials, for example cork. Smith also designed the Mini Strip, an electric model created with recycled and natural materials, intended to demonstrate sustainable design principles. He also worked with Triumph Motorcycles, restyling the Bonneville T100 in 2005 and with Land Rover in 2016 on a bespoke Defender. In 2018 he collaborated with James Turner of Sports Purpose to cover a 1965 Porsche 911 with multicoloured stripes; the car went on to appear at Le Mans Classic and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Furniture, interiors and product design

Smith has undertaken a number of projects in furniture and interiors. In 2002 he worked with Cappellini on a small homeware collection, and in 2006 collaborated with Mercian Cycles on a series of bicycles. He also designed seating for Broadway Cinema in Nottingham that year. In 2014 he began a collaboration with Anglepoise, reimagining the Type 75 lamp as “Edition One”; further editions followed in 2016 and 2018. He has also produced designs for Gufram, creating a new version of its cactus-shaped coat stand in 2016.

Fashion, textiles and accessories

Smith's textile and fashion collaborations include his long-running partnership with US brand Maharam, which began in 2003, and work with Rapha, the cycle clothing company, from 2007. In 2010 he collaborated with Burton Snowboards, adding his signature stripe to boards and apparel. In 2012 joined with John Lobb to produce a series of Oxford, derby and loafers. He has also worked with Kask to design cycling helmets (2015, 2018), with Caran d’Ache on two editions of its “849” pen (2015, 2016), and with Berry Bros & Rudd on a limited wine collection (2016). Further accessories projects included limited edition eyewear with Cutler & Gross in 2018 in tribute to his close friend Tony Gross. The same year Smith collaborated with the Globe-Trotter by redesigning their 20" trolley case to celebrate its 120-year anniversary first showcased at the Salone del Mobile.

Publishing and cultural projects

In 2005 Smith contributed to the 60th anniversary of Penguin Classics, redesigning the cover of Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence. In 2009 he also designed a limited series of bottles for Evian, becoming a third guest designer after Christian Lacroix and Jean-Paul Gaultier to contribute to the series. Smith designed sets of stamps for the Isle of Man Post Office to coincide with the 2012 London Olympics, and in 2011 produced four limited-edition prints marking the release of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. In 2013 he created the official T-shirt for David Bowie's album The Next Day, and in 2015 collaborated again on designs for Bowie's final album Blackstar.

Sport

Smith has designed uniforms, kits and accessories for major sporting events. He created a jersey for the start of the Tour de France in London in 2007, designed suits for the Manchester United team in 2009, and in 2013 produced the leader's jersey for the Giro d’Italia, including the Maglia Rosa. He also worked with New Balance in 2018 to mark the 30th anniversary of its 576 sneaker, creating footballs and boots in his trademark stripe pattern.

Technology

In 2005 Smith redesigned the Lasonic i931 boombox, giving it a white look with Smith's trademark multicolour look. In 2012 Smith partnered with Leica to release a limited-edition version of the Leica X2 camera.

Publications

• Smith, Paul; Sudjic, Deyan; Loveday, Donna; Aboud, Alan (2013). Hello, my name is Paul Smith: fashion and other stories. Design Museum. New York: Rizzoli. ISBN 978-0-8478-4158-5.
• Smith, Paul (2016). Williams, Richard (ed.). Paul Smith's Cycling Scrapbook. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-29236-5.
• Smith, Paul; Usher, Sam (illus.) (2019). The Adventures of Moose & Mr Brown. London: Pavilion Children's Books. p. 40. ISBN 9781843654285.
• Smith, Paul; Ive, Jony (2020). Chambers, Tony (ed.). Paul Smith. London: Phaidon Press. p. 264. ISBN 978-1-83866-127-4.
• Smith, Paul; Usher, Sam (illus.) (2022). The Young Designers: The Adventures of Moose & Mr Brown. London: Pavilion Children's Books. p. 48. ISBN 9781843654766.

External links

• Media related to Paul Smith at Wikimedia Commons