Introducing our latest member, Paul Smith

Founded by Sir Paul Smith in Nottingham in 1970, Paul Smith has grown from a 3x3 metre shop into a globally recognised independent British design house. Renowned for its distinctive blend of British craftsmanship, colour, wit and unexpected details, the brand brings a playful perspective to fashion and design across more than 50 countries.

Learn a little more about our latest member in our interview with Ewan Venters, Executive Chairman of Paul Smith.

Walpole: Tell us about the history of your brand...  

Ewan Venters: Paul Smith was born out of the vision, passion and entrepreneurialism of Sir Paul Smith in his hometown of Nottingham in 1970. A cycling enthusiast, Paul had originally dreamed of racing professionally, but a life-changing accident forced him to change direction. Growing up around the rag trade, he developed an instinct for great product, a tendency to challenge convention and an extraordinary eye for detail. His first shop was just 3x3 metres, but quickly became a destination for people looking for something different.

Alongside Paul was his wife, Pauline, a Royal College of Art graduate whose understanding of fashion, cut and construction complemented his instinct for product, people and retail, together they established a point of view that became distinctly Paul Smith: British tailoring and craftsmanship, but never too serious. Colour, humour, attention to detail and a belief that inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere.

From that tiny shop in Nottingham, Paul Smith has grown into an independent British design company with a presence in more than 50 countries. But what I love most is how much of that original spirit remains.

Paul is still deeply involved and can still be found on the shop floor every Saturday, but those founding ideas have grown beyond Paul himself. They are now part of the character of the brand, influencing everything from the clothes we make to our shops and how we connect with our customers.

The business has changed enormously in 56 years, but that sense of curiosity, optimism and doing things differently remains unmistakably Paul Smith.

What is your brand best known for? 

I think people know Paul Smith for bringing a sense of wit and personality to British design. Tailoring has always been at the heart of the brand, but there is usually something that makes you look twice. A flash of colour, an unexpected lining, a stripe or simply a detail that doesn’t quite behave as you expect it to. There’s a playfulness to it, often discovered rather than announced. 

We take the craft and quality seriously, but we don’t believe the clothes themselves, like people, always have to be serious. There’s something quite Paul Smith about knowing the conventions, respecting them, and then finding a way to gently subvert them. Importantly, the clothes are made to be worn. Creativity and practicality have always gone hand in hand. 

That way of thinking goes well beyond clothes. We’ve collaborated across art, music, cars, furniture and hospitality, often with people and brands who are masters of what they do. From the Paul Smith Grand Suite at Brown’s Hotel in London, which brings the character of the brand into a completely different setting, to Barbour, where we took something familiar and quintessentially British, respected what makes it iconic and gave it an unexpected Paul Smith edge. 

For me, it comes back to taking something familiar and looking at it differently. There’s a curiosity and optimism to Paul Smith, and always that little element of the unexpected. 

What has been a significant achievement in your company’s timeline?

There are so many moments I could point to, but I think the greatest achievements is that, 56 years on, Paul Smith is a globally recognised British design house that remains proudly independent. To have grown from a tiny shop in Nottingham into a global brand, while retaining the freedom to think differently and do things our own way, is increasingly rare. And I think that independence has enabled some of the most interesting moments in our history.

Paul was a pioneer in taking British fashion to an international audience, particularly in Japan, long before it became the obvious market it is today. But the influence of Paul Smith on British fashion goes much further than our own international growth. Over the years, the business has championed and nurtured a significant number of designers and creative talent, many of whom have gone on to shape the wider industry in their own right. That spirit of generosity, openness and supporting creativity is part of the culture of Paul Smith.

That same pioneering spirit has taken us into some wonderfully unexpected places, from collaborations with MINI and the Musée Picasso in Paris to the decision to paint our Melrose Avenue shop bright pink. A bold and unconventional choice at the time, it has since become an LA landmark in its own right.

More recently, Paul Smith’s Foundation has given that commitment to supporting creativity a more formal expression, sharing the experience and lessons of more than five decades in business with the next generation of creative talent.

For me, independence is the thread that runs through all of it. It has given us the freedom to follow our instincts, support others, take a few risks and, importantly, continue to do things in our own way.

Why do you love the brand? 

I love the passion that runs through Paul Smith. It is a business with an extraordinary history, but what I find compelling is that it has never become a business that looks backwards. Paul often says, "nobody cares how good you used to be", and I think that is a very powerful philosophy. Fashion is an industry defined by what happens next, so having a strong heritage is only valuable if you continue to evolve and make it relevant to people today.There is also a wonderful humanity to the business – it has wit, warmth and personality, and most certainly doesn’t take itself too seriously.  

That combination, respecting what has gone before while remaining curious and relevant, is one of the things I admire most about Paul Smith. It is a business that knows where it has come from, but it remains curious about where it can go next. After 56 years, there is still a genuine sense that there is much more to come.  

Why does your brand represent the very best in British luxury? 

For me, the very best of British luxury has never been about price or exclusivity. It is about quality, integrity, craft and longevity, of course, but there is also an individuality to it that I think is particularly British. Paul Smith embodies that rather well. We have a deep respect for traditional craftsmanship and work with some extraordinary manufacturers and craftspeople, but we’re not constrained by tradition. There is always room for wit, colour, personality and the unexpected. 

There is a confidence to British design that doesn’t need to shout. We take what we make incredibly seriously, but luxury doesn’t need to be intimidating or overly precious. The best things should be beautifully made, feel relevant to the way people actually live and, ultimately, be things they want to keep.  Perhaps that is what feels most British about Paul Smith. A respect for where things come from, but the confidence to do something different with them.

paulsmith.com