With his trademark stripes, printed shirts, slim-cut suits and quirky trims, Paul Smith has created an inimitable style that transcends each season鈥檚 trends and flippancies, always with quality at its core, always with humour in its design. Hello, my name is Paul Smith鈥塧t the , London, celebrates Paul Smith as a company and a creative mastermind. Looking at the impressive scale of its global operation today, the exhibition draws on Paul Smith鈥檚 personal archive, from the company鈥檚 beginnings to its international prominence today. The show explores how Paul Smith鈥檚 intuitive take on design, together with an understanding of the roles of designer and retailer, have laid the foundations for the company鈥檚 lasting success and offer a unique insight into the magnificent mind of Paul Smith.
Curated by Donna Loveday, even the exhibition鈥檚 title illustrates how the company and the man are inextricably intertwined and at the heart of all of Paul Smith鈥檚 output lies Smith鈥檚 curiosity and insatiable creativity. Although the Design Museum mounted a Paul Smith exhibition in 1996 (Paul Smith: True Brit鈥) and it鈥檚 very rare that it stages a second exhibition, the decision to do so was made because of Paul Smith鈥檚 continued success in the fashion world and unstoppable global expansion, now into China after his most notable success in Japan (where there are more than 200 Paul Smith stores). Ultimately, the rise and rise of Paul Smith is a great story: 鈥淲hen you look at where he started from, as a very small shop in Nottingham in 1970, to the truly global scale of operation today, we wanted to document that in this presentation and to show how that鈥檚 happened. It really charts the development of the company鈥檚 beginnings through to where it is today.鈥
Loveday describes Smith as 鈥渁 uniquely British designer [with] a career in fashion that spans over 40 years, which I think is incredible,鈥 and the exhibition attempts to deconstruct this success and demystify the design process, with a view, it seems, to encourage new, young designers. Smith has always been incredibly supportive of new designers and often receives visitors in his shop in Covent Garden: 鈥淗e really takes the time to talk to them, every generation of designers is important to him [and while] it鈥檚 not something we directly reference, it is something that I know is very close to his heart.鈥 In this cycle of endless artistic encouragement the exhibition focuses very much on Smith as a creative and on his process. Loveday explains: 鈥淗ow his unique and intuitive take on design combines with an important understanding of the roles not only of the designer, but of the retailer. I think these are the foundations of the company鈥檚 lasting success.鈥
To highlight this growth, visitors are guided into the exhibition through a replica of Smith鈥檚 first boutique, a tiny three-metre-square space where Smith would welcome visitors for two days a week 鈥渂ecause the rest of the week he was doing freelance jobs to keep it open,鈥 and from which the business grew into what we know today. From the shop we are plunged Inside Paul鈥檚 Head 鈥 an audio visual experience where Smith鈥檚 stream-of-consciousness exposition on his many, myriad influences highlights the utterly absorbent nature of his personality, and hints at the skill involved in taking so many elements and creating a coherent brand, which in spite of such influences, always maintains consistent values at its cores: 鈥淢ore than anything, it鈥檚 the fact that he鈥檚 innovative, he鈥檚 always pushing boundaries, he was one of the first designers to put photographic prints on shirts 鈥 anything from leaves to spaghetti 鈥 the shirts are incredible. Also, what he鈥檚 very well known for, and which again he was one of the first to do, is to bring a certain unexpectedness to menswear. Taking a sober grey suit and combining it with a floral shirt, or a classic navy suit with bright fuchsia pink lining; those unexpected surprises in a jacket lining, a tie, a cuff, a print or pattern. I think that鈥檚 really why his collections are so popular all over the world.鈥 He really is credited with bringing colour to menswear.
This area that showcases Smith鈥檚 influences takes much of its imagery from his extensive photographic archive: 鈥淧aul takes his camera wherever he goes. He鈥檚 constantly observing and taking photographs.鈥 It鈥檚 an incredibly inspiring space and, although the narrative and images are looped, it鈥檚 difficult to leave after one listening because it enables you to, like Smith, discover new elements on different sittings. Located beside Inside Paul鈥檚 Head is a recreation of Smith鈥檚 infamous, chaotic, Covent Garden office, every surface strewn with books, records, models, curios and ephemera that Smith has collected or received from admiring fans over the years. Describing the office, where the Design Museum and Paul Smith team undertook numerous meetings, Loveday says: 鈥淭he office is just crammed full of objects. He has a desk that he鈥檚 never sat at; it鈥檚 totally covered in things 鈥 books, bicycles, rabbits, cameras, robots, all sorts of things. These are things that have either been sent by anonymous people, or which he鈥檚 picked up on his travels and amuse and interest him. He describes the office as his brain and I think he derives a lot of inspiration from that space. You do get distracted because there are so many things around you.鈥
The fact that there are so many recreations of Smith鈥檚 鈥渦nique鈥 spaces highlights how integral the designer as a person and his personal quirks and habits are to his eponymous brand. In addition to the first shop and Smith鈥檚 office there鈥檚 a recreation of the Paris hotel room where Smith showed his first collection in 1976 (鈥渉e invited various people to come along and only one arrived, right at the end of the day, but they placed an order so that was very much the beginnings of the collection鈥) and of Smith鈥檚 Covent Garden design studio which focuses 鈥渙n the design process and Paul鈥檚 creative practice,鈥 and transfers the viewer from these eclectic, slightly overwhelming inspirations of Smith, towards something like a new direction for each collection. The design studio displays fabric off-cuts, prints, buttons, threads and all the elements of dressmaking as well as representations of more intangible aspects of each collection such as mood board, wallpaper swatches and advertising campaigns. Always a keen amateur photographer, Smith shot many of his promotional images, and in spite of the distinctive elements that run through all his work, seeing them together highlights the individuality of each season and the manner by which Paul Smith constantly keeps its designs fresh.
This emphasis on individuality and something that is entirely bespoke is carried through Paul Smith stores worldwide, where each store is meticulously curated by the Paul Smith team to echo its surroundings with elements that aim to appeal to each particular locale: 鈥淚ndividuality is the most important thing. There鈥檚 no set formula for the design of the shops. The Paul Smith team create all their shops and he wants them to have their own character and one which reflects the setting that they鈥檙e in.鈥
Referencing Paul Smith鈥檚 first London store in Floral Street (opened 1976), Loveday highlights that 鈥減eople were surprised at the time because it was one of the first minimalist shops in Europe: cream floors and walls and a very different approach. People were also surprised to find shops selling objects as well as clothes. There might be a Braun calculator, or a pink Dyson vacuum cleaner, or a Filofax. That鈥檚 something he continues today, setting beautifully tailored clothes next to vintage artefacts and books and collectables. In his shops you will find interesting objects.鈥 This meticulous focus on the retail environment alongside the design is all part of the Paul Smith identity, and another strength to which Loveday attributes Smith鈥檚 success: 鈥淗e has always shown an understanding of the importance of the retailer and good customer service. When you enter a Paul Smith shop, even if you don鈥檛 buy anything you have a pleasant and memorable experience.鈥
The precise curation of Smith himself upon every aspect of his work might have made mounting an exhibition of his work an overwhelming experience, but the show successfully segues from inspiration, to the design process, then to the final product. There鈥檚 a section dedicated to Smith鈥檚 collaborations over the years, 鈥渟omething that people are less familiar with,鈥 which takes in everything from cars to bins, snowboards to mugs, cameras to china, and which highlights the prestige and respect that Smith commands outside of fashion. Clothing, as opposed to fashion perhaps, is what lies at Paul Smith鈥檚 core though, and the exhibition shows rather a conservative number of Smith鈥檚 final designs for both men and women in a hall of fame, loosely based around 鈥淏ritish tradition, colour, travel and print.鈥 Considering Smith has practised for more than 40 years, the collection of final show pieces is somewhat sparse, but it does serve to emphasise the exhibition鈥檚 exploration of the elements and inspirations of creativity, rather than simply highlighting the final product. There is, however, a dedicated screening room where Smith鈥檚 latest menswear show is screened (as preparation, rehearsal and final showcase) in Sony鈥檚 latest 4k technology, providing unparalleled clarity, where the textures and colours of each fabric are rendered as in real life. 鈥淲e really give people an insight into the workings of a fashion show, not only the experience itself but what goes into putting that show together. It gives a really good insight into how Paul and his team work and how everything comes together for the launch of a new collection. It鈥檚 very much designed to take people on a journey through Paul Smith鈥檚 extraordinary world.鈥
Paul Smith鈥檚 continued success and his consistently creative output is all the more remarkable considering he built his empire from nothing. With no design training, Smith had intended to become a professional cyclist until an accident at 17 put an end to those dreams and he searched for an alternative career: 鈥淩eally he hasn鈥檛 had a traditional background or training in fashion design but in a way that has given him a different perspective. He鈥檚 very much concerned with the business side of the operation.鈥 Loveday speculates that this unusual path to a competitive career has given Smith the edge in his understanding of both the creative and the commercial: 鈥淗e has this passion, perhaps from wanting to be a professional racing cyclist, and it鈥檚 transferred across to his business. He says it鈥檚 important to have a dream, but you need to be able to support that dream financially. There鈥檚 a very strong underpinning of the importance of the designer but also the retailer and being able to support your business in whatever way you can. He鈥檚 not a designer with classic training, but that鈥檚 the message really; he has done it by himself. Paul has always had this very clear and strong vision.鈥
What鈥檚 particularly touching is the repeated references to his wife throughout the exhibition. Pauline Smith, who trained at the Royal College of Art and designed clothes when they met, is credited with teaching Smith 鈥渢he importance of the principles of good tailoring, cut, proportion, scale and fabric. All those things laid the foundations for Paul when he set up his business.鈥 Smith personally argues that his wife taught him how to see, and take inspiration from the world. This original back-story, Smith鈥檚 irreverent attitude and his hardworking ethic have combined in a designer who has inspired a unique affection amongst his advocates. Paul Smith is perhaps on a par in British affections only with Vivienne Westwood, and this is something that is reflected in the remarkable collection of prints, snapshots and framed ephemera that form a corridor along the length of the Design Museum. Comprising many gifts from friends, fans and admirers, there is a collection of donations from famous faces as well as anonymous gifts. The corridor highlights once more the curiosity of Paul Smith, a designer who has consistently enjoyed critical acclaim and commercial success and who remains irreverent, charming and humorous 鈥 the perfect English gent.
Hello, my Name is Paul Smith ran from 15 November 2013 until 22 June 2014 at the Design Museum, London. For more detail, visit .
Ruby Beesley
Unrivalled Iconography, Hello, my Name is Paul Smith appeared in Issue 55 of 人妻少妇专区. To pick up a copy, see .
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Credits
1. Paul Smith, Hello, my Name is Paul Smith, installation shot. Courtesy of the Design Museum.
