Paul Smith at Paris Fashion Week Men’s S/S 2019

Paul Smith S/S 2019. Seven models wearing Paul Smith's colourful Spring / Summer 2019 collection.
Paul Smith S/S 2019. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Mood board: The affable British designer was spotted riding his bike through the streets of Paris a day before his co-ed show – his cheery vitality is what keeps us coming back. His S/S 2019 collection was influenced by the photographic printing techniques he learned as a child. Propped up against the wall in Smith’s busy London office is a picture of him at the age of 13 flying on a magic carpet over Brighton Pavilion. In reality he was sitting on a rug placed over wooden fruit and veg boxes installed in his back garden. Smith’s father Harold was a founding member of the local camera club and taught his son how to process film in a makeshift darkroom in the attic. He was interested in trick photography too. The collection features many of their images applied to outerwear.

Best in show: In the course of Smith’s career, tailoring has gone through monumental changes. S/S 2019 looked at suits synonymous with British style and subculture. ‘In the eighties I was involved in the softening of the suit where once stiff fabrics and shapes were suddenly relaxed. It feels like something similar is happening today – many people are talking about a move towards sportswear and a relaxation of dress codes but I’m still passionate about suits,’ Smith said. The collection focused on suits for both men and women. An oversized two-button blazer in lavender cotton was worn with black wide-leg technical pants. A wide-leg wool suit in windowpane check was worn with a polka dot cycle jersey. Jackets and trousers were mismatched.

Sound bite: Smith’s joie de vivre flows through everything he does. ‘I’ve used photographs both from my own collection and from my dad’s archive and used very innovative production techniques to print them onto nylon coats, cotton dresses and accessories,’ he said. ‘I take photos every day of my life, they are a constant source of inspiration both for me and my team.’

Paul Smith S/S 2019. Two male models and one female model dressed in Paul Smith's collection. The female model is wearing sunglasses


(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Paul Smith S/S 2019. The model on the left is wearing a blue check jacket with a pink and black scarf, while the model in the middle is wearing a lavender jacket and cap. The guy on the right is wearing a gray check jacket and white shirt.


(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Paul Smith S/S 2019. Three female models looking stunning in the colourful collection of Paul Smith.


(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Paul Smith S/S 2019. The colorful bright yellow and orange is very indicative of Paul Smith's collection this season.


(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

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.