Paul Smith

Smith was born in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, on 5 July 1946, the youngest of three children. He left school at age 15 without qualifications and, his father being a textile and clothing retailer, began work in a Nottingham clothing warehouse. One of his early ambitions was to become a professional cyclist, and cycling has been a lifelong influence in his work. But at the age of 17 he was involved in a serious accident that kept him in hospital for over three months. During his recovery he found the opportunity to make new friends at a local Art School and was introduced to the world of graphic art and fashion design. He left the warehouse and worked as store manager for a retail clothing and fashion start-up in Nottingham, owned by one of the new friends he had made. At the age of 21 he married Pauline, who had two young children from a previous marriage and was working as a teacher at the Art School. She had been trained as a fashion designer at the Royal College of Art in London and contributed to the creation of many of the articles sold at the business he was working at in Nottingham. Smith was manager there for six years. He later took classes in tailoring and began working with the Savile Row tailor Lincroft Kilgour.

Automotive and transport

In 1997, Smith designed a Mini that was produced in a limited edition of 1,800 cars. He later returned to the brand in 2021 with the Mini Electric using sustainable principles, with recycled and natural materials, for example cork. Smith also designed the Mini Strip, an electric model created with recycled and natural materials, intended to demonstrate sustainable design principles. He also worked with Triumph Motorcycles, restyling the Bonneville T100 in 2005 and with Land Rover on a bespoke Defender. In 2018 he collaborated with James Turner of Sports Purpose to cover a 1965 Porsche 911 with multicoloured stripes; the car went on to appear at Le Mans Classic and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Furniture, interiors and product design

Smith has undertaken a number of projects in furniture and interiors. In 2002 he worked with Cappellini on a small homeware collection, and in 2006 collaborated with Mercian Cycles on a series of bicycles. He also designed seating for Broadway Cinema in Nottingham that year. In 2014 he began a collaboration with Anglepoise, reimagining the Type 75 lamp as "Edition One"; further editions followed in 2016 and 2018. He has also produced designs for Gufram, creating a new version of its cactus-shaped coat stand in 2016.

Fashion, textiles and accessories

Smith's textile and fashion collaborations include his long-running partnership with US brand Maharam, which began in 2003, and work with Rapha, the cycle clothing company, from 2007. In 2010 he collaborated with Burton Snowboards, adding his signature stripe to boards and apparel. In 2012 he joined with John Lobb to produce a series of Oxford, derby and loafers. He has also worked with Kask on the design of cycling helmets (2015, 2018), with Caran d'Ache on two editions of its "849" pen (2015, 2016), and with Berry Bros & Rudd on a limited wine collection (2016). Further accessories projects include limited edition eyewear with Cutler & Gross in 2018, in tribute to his close friend Tony Gross. The same year Smith collaborated with the Globe-Trotter by redesigning their 20" trolley case to celebrate its 120-year anniversary, first showcased at the Salone del Mobile.

Paul Smith's Foundation in Nottingham maintains the designers archives and a collection of "5,000 garments and accessories, as well as press cuttings, look-books and swatch books, objects relating to our many collaborations, and Paul’s amazing collection of magazines, books and objects."