Paul Smith A/W 2018

Four male models wearing looks from Paul Smith's collection. All four models are wearing black suit jackets in different styles and green, red, blue and black plaid style shirts

Paul Smith A/W 2018. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Mood board: In tandem with Lucas Ossendrjiver’s scrutiny of the suit at Lanvin, Sir Paul Smith thought this was the season to consider the future of tailoring. Just what use are suits within fashion’s sportswear vortex? Worn between weddings and webinars, classic smart suits are Smith’s bread and butter. A/W18 strives to remind generation Z of its relevance. The collection opened with a style that had smooth satin lapels rolled into dense pleats, its jacquard wool sleeves woven with dancing fairies.

Best in show: In the 1980s, Smith led the charge for a smarter fashion look counter to the denim and leather attitude of the time. The longer length jackets for the new season nod to his collections from the same period. The formality of suiting is smashed into eccentric textile; a single button jacket in black wool ruched on one side and worn with fluid wide leg trousers. Mismatched jacquards are patchworked; houndstooth panelled alongside Prince of Wales check.

Sound bite: ‘I’m very lucky in that the clothes I design are made to be worn, used and loved and that’s always been the case. I wear a suit everyday and this particular collection really celebrates the enduring relevance of the suit,’ Smith said. ‘The code for Paul Smith has always been about creating something beautiful that people love to wear and then never forgetting the importance of the detail!’

Four models wearing looks from Paul Smith's collection. One model is wearing a green top, chain with pendants and teal suit jacket. Two models are wearing sea blue tops and suit jackets. And the fourth model is wearing a dark blue top, chain with pendant and dark blue suit jacket

Four male models wearing looks from Paul Smith's collection. One model is wearing a blue high neck jumper, dark green, blue, black and red plaid style jacket with black short fur collar and black trousers. Next to him is a model wearing a dark green coat and black scarf. The third model is wearing a dark blue top, dark blue trousers and dark green jacket with black short fur collar. And the fourth model is wearing a green shirt and dark green and blue coat

Four female models wearing looks from Paul Smith's collection. One model is wearing an orange turtle neck and dark maroon jacket. Another model is wearing a sleeveless maroon dress. Next to her is a model wearing a maroon top and blue bottoms. And the fourth model is wearing a black turtle neck, necklace, maroon jacket and black coat over the top

Three models wearing looks from Paul Smith's collection. Two models are wearing jumpers with a multicoloured design and one of them is wearing black trousers and black coat with short fur collar. The third model is wearing a black top with multicoloured wording, black trousers and a dark green textured leather jacket

London based writer Dal Chodha is editor-in-chief of Archivist Addendum — a publishing project that explores the gap between fashion editorial and academe. He writes for various international titles and journals on fashion, art and culture and is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. Chodha has been working in academic institutions for more than a decade and is Stage 1 Leader of the BA Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Central Saint Martins. In 2020 he published his first book SHOW NOTES, an original hybrid of journalism, poetry and provocation.