Paul Smith’s introduction into fashion was completely accidental.
At the age of 16, with no career plans or qualifications, Paul Smith was propelled by his father into a menial job at the local clothing warehouse in his native Nottingham. However his real passion was sport and his ambition was to become a professional racing cyclist, until aged 17 years when cycling-mad Paul was in a terrible accident.
Six months in hospital followed and during this time Paul made some new friends. After leaving hospital he arranged to meet them again and by chance the meeting place was a local pub that was popular with the students from the local art college.
They talked of Mondrian, Warhol, Kokoshka, David Bailey and listened to the Rolling Stones, Miles Davis and much more. It was then Paul knew he wanted to be a part of this colourful world of ideas and excitement.
Within two years, Paul Smith was managing his first boutique in Nottingham and with the encouragement of his girlfriend Pauline Denyer (now wife) and a small amount of savings, opened a tiny shop in 1970. Paul started to take evening classes for tailoring and with the help of Pauline (an RCA fashion graduate), Paul was able to create what he wanted. By 1976 Paul showed his first menswear collection in Paris under the Paul Smith label.
In business for over 40 years Paul Smith had established himself as the pre-eminent British designer. Paul Smith has an ability to anticipate, and even spark off trends not only fashion but in the wider context of popular culture. He manages to transmit a genuine sense of humour and mischief mixed with his love of tradition and the classics
Today there are 14 different collections; Paul Smith for men and women, PS by Paul Smith, Paul Smith Jeans, Paul Smith London, R.Newbold (Japan only), Paul Smith Black, Paul by Paul Smith, Paul Smith Accessories, Paul Smith Shoe. Paul Smith rugs, china, spectacles and fragrance are made under license. Designed in Nottingham and London, the Paul Smith collections are primarily produced in England and Italy while the fabrics used are mainly of Italian, French and British origin.
The Paul Smith shops reflect the character of Paul and his designs, an unmistakable Englishness augmented by the unexpected. Each and every Paul Smith shop is totally different, from a shocking pink building with movie set styling on Melrose Avenue, LA, to a Japanese garden at the heart of the Jingumae store in Tokyo. Each shop is a showcase for diverse and eccentric objects complementing the clothing collections with an extensive selection of jewellery, books, art and antiques.
Paul explains his eclectic aesthetic: “We’re a leading and uniquely British brand. We mix up one-off antiques with high quality tailoring: the chair you sit on when you buy a suit is for sale and we can wrap the suit and have the chair waiting for you when you get home.”
Paul Smith is global - the collection is wholesaled to 66 countries and has 17 shops in England. Paul Smith shops are found in London, Paris, Milan, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Antwerp, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, U.A.E. – and over 200 throughout Japan. Paul remains fully involved in the Japanese business; designing the clothes, choosing the fabrics, approving the shop locations and overseeing every development within the company. Paul Smith also has impressive and diverse showrooms in London, Paris, Milan, New York, and Tokyo.
Paul Smith continues to be an integral part of the company; he is both designer and chairman. Paul Smith is continually involved in every aspect of the business and as a result, Paul Smith Limited retains a personal touch often lost in companies of a similar size.
http://www.paulsmith.co.uk/company/
1946
Paul Smith is born
1970
First shop opened at 10 Byard Lane, Nottingham
1976
First Paul Smith collection shown in Paris
1979
First London shop opens at 44 Floral Street, Covent Garden,
WC2
1982
Second London shop opens at 23 Avery Row, London, W1
1983
Third London shop opens at 43 Floral Street, Covent Garden
1984
Paul Smith Ltd. signs license contract with Japanese company,
C.Itoh
1986
Paul Smith toiletries collection launched
1987
First shop opens in New York, 108 Fifth Avenue, NY
1987
Fourth London shop opens at 41/42 Floral Street
1989
London showroom opens at 7/8 Langley Court, London WC2
1990
Paul Smith franchise shop opens in Hong Kong
1991
Paul Smith Childrenswear Launched (January)
1991
Paul Smith receives British Designer for Industry Award
1991
Paul Smith receives BKCEC award (November)
1991
Flagship shop opens in Tokyo making a total of 60 shops in
Japan
1992
Showroom/Press office opens in Paris (May)
1992
Showroom/Press office opens in Milan (July)
1993
Paul Smith launches Accessories collection
1993
Shop opens in Paris at 22 Blvd Raspail, 75007 (January)
1993
Autumn/Winter 1993 collection is shown in Florence, as guest
of Pitti Immagine (January)
1993
Covent Garden shops extended to include “The British Room”,
a shoe shop and children’s wear
1993
Shop opens in Singapore (April)
1993
First R. Newbold store opens in London at 7/8 Langley Court,
W1 (September)
1993
Launch of the first Paul Smith Women collection
(Spring/Summer 1994) (October)
1994
First Paul Smith Women shop opens in Paris, at 22 Boulevard
Raspail, 75007 (January)
1994
Autumn/Winter 1994 collection is shown in Cologne, as guest
of Kölnmesse (February)
1994
Second Paul Smith Women shop opens at 40 Floral Street
(February)
1994
Launch of Paul Smith Spectacles collection (February)
1994
Launch of Paul Smith Luggage collection (April)
1994
First PS.Paul Smith Jeans shop opens at 9/11 Langley Court
(September)
1994
First Paul Smith for Children shop opens at 44 Floral Street
(September)
1994
Spring/Summer 1995 collection is shown in Barcelona, as
guest of Gaudi Barcelona (September)
1994
Launch of Paul Smith Watch collection (October)
1995
Paul Smith Limited awarded The Queens Award for Industry for
export achievement (April)
1995
Launch of men’s underwear line (Spring/Summer)
1995
Observation display at the Victoria & Albert Museum
(June - November)
1995
Paul Smith True Brit book published by Conde Nast Italia to
coincide with exhibition (October)
1995
Paul Smith True Brit exhibition at the Design Museum in
London (October 95 - April 96)
1995
Paul Smith website goes on line (October)
1996
Paul Smith True Brit exhibition in Glasgow as part of
Festival of Design (September)
1996
Exhibition of ‘Uniforms’ by Steve Pyke in the R Newbold
Gallery (26 September - 5 October)
1996
Third PS Paul Smith Jeans store opens at 66-68 Bridge St,
Manchester (October)
1996
Exhibition of ‘Parking Allotment’ by Max Jourdan in the
R.Newbold Gallery (6-16 November)
1996
Paul awarded the Honorary Freedom of the City of Nottingham
(February)
1997
Paul Smith True Brit exhibition at the Nottingham Castle Museum (15 May - 31 August)
1997
Paul Smith Women shop opens at Sloane Avenue, SW3 (3 September)
1997
Shop opens in Lee Gardens, Hong Kong (29 August)
1997
Exhibition in R. Newbold Gallery by photographers 664 entitled ‘Boys’ (8-22 October)
1997
Exhibition in R.Newbold Gallery by Mike North entitled ‘Into The Dee’ (3-21 November)
1997
Shop opens in Manila, The Philippines (November)
1997
Exhibition in R Newbold Gallery by Unit 2h entitled ‘Advent’ (1-24 December)
1998
Paul Smith Women first catwalk show (London Fashion Week - 24 February)
1998
Launch of Paul Smith Mini ‘Art Car’ available in the UK and Japan only (April)
1998
Westbourne House opens at 122 Kensington Park Road, London (9 May)
1998
A bespoke tailoring service is offered for the first time at Westbourne House (9 May)
1998
Paul Smith True Brit exhibition travels to Japan (Tokyo, Kobe and Fukuoka)(September)
1998
Portrait of Paul Smith by James Lloyd unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery (December)
1998
Paul Smith Ltd. signs footwear collection agreement with Overland Group (December)
1998
Paul Smith Ltd. and Inter Parfums SA sign a 12 year licensing agreement (December)
2000
Launch of ‘Paul Smith Men’ and ‘Paul Smith Women’ fragrances (June)
2000
Paul Smith awarded a knighthood by HM the Queen (24 November)
2001
Shop opens in Milan, at Via Manzoni 13 (February)
2001
Accessories shop opens opposite Westbourne House (September)
2001
An additional floor opens at Floral Street shop stocking women’s collections (September)
2001
Launch of Paul Smith rug collection for the Rug Company (September)
2001
Publication of the book ‘You Can Find Inspiration in Everything…’ (October)
2001
Shop opens in the Royal Exchange, London City (November)
2002
New York showrooms open at 121 Greene Street, NY 10012 (January)
2002
Shoe shop opens in London at 44 Floral Street (February)
2002
Shoe shop opens in Paris at 24 Boulevard Raspail, 75007 (April)
2002
Launch of Paul Smith line of furniture for Cappellini (April)
2002
Shop opens at Heathrow, Terminal 3 (May)
2002
Launch of ‘Extreme’ men and ‘Extreme’ women fragrances (October)
2002
Paul Smith opens the first free standing Women’s shop in Japan, stocks Blue, Black, Pink and Accessories. Its location is in the Aoyama Area, exactly Minami Aoyama. (October)
2003
London showrooms and headquarters open at 20, Kean Street, WC2B 4AS (January)
2003
Milan showrooms and headquarters open at Viale Umbria, 95 (January)
2003
Launch of Swiss-made Watch collection (January)
2003
Paul Smith judges at the Design Museum ‘Designer of the Year Award’ (June)
2003
Paul Smith wins ‘Men’s wear Designer of the Year’ and ‘Women’s Contemporary Designer of the Year’ at the British Style Awards (September)
2003
Launch of the ‘Furniture and Things’ collection (September)
2003
Launch of ‘Bespoke’, a Paul Smith upholstery textile for Maharam (November)
2003
Publication of paperback edition of ‘You can find inspiration in everything…..’ (November)
2003
Launch of the PS30 Watch (December)
2004
Launch of Paul Smith London fragrances for men and women (July)
2004
Launch of Swiss-made women’s Watch collection (September)
2004
Shop opens in mainland China, Plaza 66 mall on Nanjing Road
2004
Shop opens In Hong Kong at the Landmark, the Central District
2004
Shop opens in Tawain in the Breeze Centre Taipei
2004
Franchise opens in Thailand The Emporium Mall, Bangkok
2004
Franchise opens in Kuala Lumpur in KLCC Mall.
2005
Flagship shop opens in Nottingham Willoughby House, 20 Low Pavement, Notts NG1 7EA
2005
Shop opens in Beijing China, Oriental plaza mall, No.1 East Chang An Street (February)
2005
Paul Smith won the 'Great Britons Award for Business' at the Great Britons '04 event organised by Morgan Stanley, RSA in association with the Daily Telegraph
2005
Paul Smith opens Paul Smith Pink + , his first Women's 'Pink' shop in the Daikanyama area of Tokyo, Japan
2005
Paul Smith collaborates with Triumph motorbikes, customizes nine bikes and designs a capsule clothing and accessories collection
2005
Paul Smith collaborates with Burton Snowboards to design an exclusive bespoke stripe snow board jacket and pant
2005
Paul Smith launches a new women’s fragrance, ‘Floral’
2005
Paul Smith opens Furniture and Things shop in Mayfair, 9 Albemarle St, London (October)
2005
Paul Smith opens first shop in Melrose Ave, LA
2005
Paul Smith opens his second shop in Dubai (November)
2006
Paul Smith opens Jeans shop in London’s Borough Market (January)
2006
Paul Smith opens three shops in Japan – Kyoto, ‘Happy’ & ‘Peace’ (January-March)
2006
Paul Smith opens flagship shop in Tokyo, Japan. ‘Space’ (April)
2006
Paul Smith opens flagship shop in New York, 142 Greene Street (October)
2006
Paul Smith launches new men’s fragrance Paul Smith STORY
2006
Paul Smith collaborates with Mercian Bikes, personalising a Track and Tour bike
2006
Paul Smith opens a shop in Moscow’s Red Square, Russia (October)
2006
Paul Smith opens flagship shop in Paris, Rue Faubourg St Honore (October)
2007
Paul Smith opens new Men’s shop in Kanazawa, Japan
2007
Paul Smith is awarded Honorary Fellowship of RIBA – Royal Institute of British Architects
http://www.class-of-its-own.com/2012/09/fashion-paul-smith/
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