Mood board: Paul Smith is a designer with bags of British charm. And so, whilst the mood in London dips as the UK prepares to leave the European Union, Smith offered up a jubilant, bright collection, defiantly upbeat in mood. The collection took reference from the 1960s – a time when the youth generation fought actively and loudly for political and social change. During times of uncertainty, their collective message was one of peace and positivity. In the same period, Smith was a teenager busy making trips down from his hometown in Nottingham to London, where he would sleep on a friend’s floor in Notting Hill. The bon fête of its Carnival inspired a perky, sunny show.
Best in show: Sixties tailoring silhouettes were revived in strong Caribbean colours and tropical tartan. Elsewhere, yellow, green and red came together to create a series of stripes applied to the inside of collars on jackets. Backstage, Smith gestured to the ‘17’ graphic appliqued onto plaid shirts and printed on Ts – it marks the year that the collection will be on sale. Smith hopes it will be a brighter, happier and more peaceful one than the last.
Sound bite: 'My way is always very positive and in a world that's seeing so much change it's important to bring a ray of sunshine however you can,' Smith said. 'The show is optimistic, happy and very reflective of my attitude to life.'
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Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans