Paul Smith SS25 PITTI 2024

*New Collection
Paul Smith SS 2025
The shifting harmonies of Britishness

written Chidozie Obasi

In a big shift, Paul Smith returned to Pitti Uomo in Florence to debut its Spring/Summer 2025 collection. Presented by Sir Paul himself, he spoke to audiences by talking through the ‘60s-inspired designs.

Nestled in the sumptuous settings of Villa Favard, a gorgeously ornate 19th century compound in the heart of Florence, it was transformed into Bar Paul: a tribute to the Italian cafes that Paul frequented in Soho in the 1960s. Typically open all night, these cafes were a place for people to go after the likes of the Scene Club, Flamingo Club, and Whiskey-A-Go-Go had closed for the evening. Naturally, they drew a bohemian crowd of musicians, artists, and designers who helped to make Soho the epicenter of the creative world at that moment in time. The presentation space will be set up with cafe tables complete with ‘Bar Paul’ branded items such as napkins, coffee cups, sugar packets, and match boxes, to evoke those after-hours meetups of Soho’s artistic circle.

The collection itself expanded upon this theme, with a pleasingly louche and tactile approach to tailoring. Ties are worn loosely knotted, paired with denim chore jackets and unstructured blazers in cotton canvas – a look which suggests an artist heading to dinner straight from a day’s painting in the studio. Suits are cut from classic houndstooth and Prince of Wales fabrics, bringing to mind London in the ‘60s, while outerwear uses bold statement fabrics to eye-catching effect. One collection highlight – an oversized trench coat – is constructed from a custom Italian cloth with an exploded pastel check design, based on the Paul Smith Signature Stripe.

Paul Smith
Spring/Summer 2025

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Soho stalwarts Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud provide key inspiration, and this painterly influence is reflected back into the presentation space with art materials provided by Winsor & Newton. Seating throughout the venue was provided by Artek, in the form of their iconic Stool 60.

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SS 2025 during PITTI 2024 (c) Paul Smith

Commission &PaulSmith Collaboration *Archival-Inspired

New Collaboration
Commission &PaulSmith
* Tribute to Archival Style & Generational Fashion

written Sarah Arendts

In the vanguard of sartorial innovation, a new collaboration emerges, blending the storied heritage of British design with the pulsating edge of New York's modern aesthetic.

The &PaulSmith series, renowned for its discerning partnerships, presents its latest venture: a limited-edition collection with the NYC-based label Commission, a dynamic fusion of archival inspiration and generational homage.

The inception of this alliance took root through the CFDA's discerning eye, planting seeds of creative camaraderie between Paul Smith and Commission's co-founders, Dylan Cao and Jin Kay. Smith, with his repository of British design ethos, finds kinship in the diasporic narrative of Cao and Kay, whose design philosophy is a tender nod to their East Asian heritage and the professional panache of the 90s.

The collection, christened ‘Commission &PaulSmith,’ unfolds as a narrative thread, binding the familial bonds of 'Father & Son' — a photographic anthology by Paul and his late father Harold Smith. The book's visual dialogues mirror the collection's essence, where Harold's "light, witty juxtapositions" meet Paul's poignant snapshots. This correlation with Cao and Kay's generational musings solidifies the collection's undercurrent.

Diving into the Paul Smith archives, the duo resurrects the vigor of the late 90s — a period Smith himself describes with evident zeal: “Tapping into new ideas is exactly why I wanted to start the &PaulSmith series, and Commission is brimming with them.” The admiration is mutual, as Dylan and Jin reflect on the archive's "mash-up of preppy, sex, and post-punk" aesthetics that profoundly resonate with their own ethos.

The tangible fruits of this collaboration are 22 masterpieces. From the sweeping wool-cashmere overcoat to the butter yellow leather field jacket, each piece is an exaggerated echo of the past, reimagined for the contemporary wardrobe. The designers inject a sense of nostalgia into the oversized silhouettes, while the color palette, rich in browns, yellows, and blacks, is electrified with vibrant reds, blues, and greens.

Commission &PaulSmith
collaboration campaign

Distinctive to Commission are the "fatherly stripes" and the audacious red flourishes, alongside coats that reinterpret the classic mac in fabrics like padded cotton-jersey and gabardine. Their signature back yoke shape design stands as a testament to their inventive tailoring. Commission's roots in punk aesthetics intertwine with Americana through raw denim and embroidered monograms, evoking Paul Smith's own handwritten logos.

The collection will be an emblem of sartorial storytelling and a homage to cross-generational dialogue. It's not merely about the garments but the stories they embody. As Smith himself mentors Commission in business development, one sees not just a collection being crafted but a legacy being woven.

creative visuals
(c) Paul Smith

Antony Collection *Mulberry x Paul Smith

*New Collection
A British Design Evolution
Mulberry x Paul Smith

written Mark Ashkins

In a harmonious blend of legacy and innovation, Mulberry and Paul Smith present the ‘Antony’ collection. As products of the vibrant 1970s, both these iconic brands weave a tapestry of shared British heritage.

“Our brands matured together in the same era. It’s our intertwined essence of Britishness that drives this collaboration to new heights,”

expresses Paul Smith.

Premiered at Smith’s AW23 show in Paris, the collection revives and reinvents the revered Antony bag. Originally a men's staple, this bag has grown beyond gender confines. With the introduction of the Antony Clip and the Antony Tote, the collection seamlessly merges Mulberry's rich history with Paul Smith's signature flair.

Representing Mulberry, Thierry shares,

“In partnering with Paul Smith, we're celebrating our mutual values and dedication. Each piece, crafted in our carbon-neutral Somerset factories, resonates with our Made to Last vision.”

Beyond design, the collection is a beacon of sustainability. Crafted in Mulberry’s carbon-neutral Somerset studios from environmentally conscious leather, it's an embodiment of both brands' commitment to a greener future.