Paul Smith: the British Designer Who Revolutionized Men's Fashion

Editorial TeamEditorial Team
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June 21st, 2022
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3:07 PM

Encompassing four key areas of sustainability, iconic British designer Paul Smith has established immaculate menswear clothing, combining tradition with modernity to create a sharp yet elegant aesthetic.

In October 1970, in Nottingham, a town some 200 kilometers north of London, a young and unknown designer opened his first clothing store: Paul Smith Vêtements Pour Homme. Half a century later, his name is already part of British fashion history. In addition to modern and groundbreaking clothes, difficult to find in the early seventies in a city like Nottingham, the small shelves of that precarious original establishment (the store was only open two days a week and barely occupied a room of three square meters) displayed his first own creations, the first Paul Smith garments. Attracted by the world of art and fashion, a young Paul Smith began by taking tailoring classes and quickly finds a job in a workshop in the famous Savile Row in London, where he acquires great knowledge about fashion and the men's sector.  

  He went on to found his own label in the early 70s with the idea of changing the course of British menswear and takes the classic English men's style for a twist creating his own -and recognizable- aesthetic that combines traditional pieces with a peculiar touch of humor. , eccentricity and fun color accents. A recurring theme in his collections is jacket linings in vibrant colors, buttonholes with colored threads, and colorful trims on shirts. All this, in a sector, that at that time was recognized for its classicism and rigidity The expansion came exponentially, and in 1976 he presented his collection for the first time in Paris and in 1979 he opened his second store. Then came the store in New York, multiple stores, and points of sale in England and other countries. In the year 2000, after his entire career as a designer, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. To this day, Paul Smith remains one of the few independent designers in control of his own destiny. His eclectic collections always arrive charged with a unique amount of energy, thanks to his fun and colorful combinations.  

  Sustainability Commitment As an international design company, Paul Smith Clothing House understands that it has a responsibility to protect the environment and the people around it. They are committed to constantly reassessing the role they play in creating a more sustainable fashion industry and are passionate about maintaining that sustainable focus in all aspects of their business. This includes both the practices within the international headquarters, as well as the processes of manufacturing, distribution, and delivery of the designs to their clients. The brand strives to uphold four main areas of sustainability: responsible sourcing; community care; reducing emissions; and increased circularity. Its goal is to continue creating high-quality designs without compromising future generations; without ceasing to be aware and have a global vision of responsible production and consumption with the environment.  

  As part of this commitment to move towards sustainability, Paul Smith is continually looking for ways to improve production processes and reduce their impact on the environment. Using this extraordinary recycled nylon, these board shorts are a step in the right direction. In terms of responsible sourcing, Paul Smith is a certified trade member of the Global Organic Textile Standard as well as the Responsible Wool Standard, and 41% of its SS22 leather products used leather from Leather Working Group rated suppliers. Outlined in its future sustainability goals, the brand aims to use only organic or recycled cotton, verified by supporting industry-leading standards such as GOTS and Textile Exchange standards, and to source all leather from LWG, I.CE.C, or IS014001 certified suppliers.