The legendary tailor from Nottinghamshire lensed a visual diary from his LC:M presentation, exclusively for Port
Sir Paul Smith is a father figure for London’s menswear scene. Not only has he made a career out of suiting, but he established himself on the international scene a long time ago – today he’s probably as well-known in Japan as in the UK. His mentorship is visible in, for example, his friendship with young design duo Agi & Sam. They go to him for advice and Paul Smith, I imagine, finds inspiration to drive his brand forward when talking to the new generation fashion designers showing at LC:M.
It’s therefore also very important that Paul Smith, at least partly, has returned to London to show. Admittedly it’s not his catwalk-based mainline but a presentation of formalwear – the tailored British Collection – but the main point is that Paul Smith recognises that London craves his support and nod of approval. To have him – plus Alexander McQueen and, from this season, Burberry – back on UK soil not only helps push domestic fashion, but also shows the younger menswear designers that the big brands believe in and cherish what LC:M is trying to create and achieve.
The British Collection is like a capsule line of smart and formal tailoring – but done his way… a classic with a twist, as the old Paul Smith saying goes. Using fabrics from Yorkshire mill Joseph H Clissold, the collection aims to update traditional materials. New versions of the pin-dot, the herringbone, the pinstripe and the overcheck feature throughout, often playful in colour combinations and fabric details: “Pioneering techniques in fabric construction enable these perennial classics to be reimagined; the traditional overcheck is engineered into the weave to play with scale; the pinstripe encapsulates the vibrant colour with subtlety and a deft touch; and the herringbone is jacquarded across the full repeat of the cloth to hint at an icon of British design,” Paul Smith said of the collection.
Photography Paul Smith
