Paul Smith, Gentleman Designer.
400 boutiques and corners in 35 countries, 12 clothing lines, annual sales of 400 million euros, sales exceeding those of Chanel, partnerships with Evian, Apple, Austin, prestigious bicycle and racing car brands, Paul Smith’s worldwide popularity continues to grow.
The key to his success? A concept: “Maximizing Britishness”, or how to build a style and empire on British popular culture with marketing genius and uncommon whimsy. From a chic suit to a pair of socks, everyone, whatever their means, can invest in a piece signed by the English designer. It all began on Saville Road with a crazy idea: to make men’s suits from fabrics usually reserved for women, to break with conformism… from this crazy idea was born an empire.
Luxsure had the immense privilege of meeting Paul Smith and previewing Stéphane Carrel’s documentary, which will be broadcast on Arte on Tuesday November 22 at 10:10 pm.
This is the first time the English designer has agreed to reveal himself in a documentary.
How did the modest lad from Nottingham who dreamed of becoming a racing cyclist become the world’s benchmark for masculine elegance? How did he create? How does he manage his immense empire? For Paul Smith is certainly the only designer in the luxury goods industry today to decide on all fronts: business and design. Fashion is an industry, and Paul Smith is a major player in it.
After the screening, Paul Smith made a few confessions about fashion in general and his vision of life. His leitmotiv has always been “don’t think in the obvious way”, you have to know how to bend codes, and not be afraid of “weird” things, he tells us. Ego is a big problem in fashion and in France”, he says, “you have to take things with a sense of humor. I’ve never thought of myself as a designer, but rather as an eternally curious person.
From London to Paris to Tokyo, where Paul Smith is a superstar, Stéphane Carrel follows the designer to his work sessions, fashion shows and meetings… These hectic sequences will be enriched by interviews in which Paul Smith will evoke his childhood, his passion for photography, his relationship with fashion and his illustrious competitors with his characteristic sense of humor.
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
