Paul Smith: Company Info

In 1970, Paul Smith was a 24-year-old lad who had just opened his clothing store in Nottingham. His father was a tailor, but the headstrong young man originally preferred cycling. After a serious cycling accident, Smith spent six months in a hospital and had to reinvent his life. Clothing was the answer. He quickly gained reputation for his eccentric combinations of patterns, colours and designs, and was soon able to open stores elsewhere. His international reputation came from Japan, where Smith's distinctive Englishness appealed to consumers.

Paul Smith has described his own style with the phrase “Savile Row meets Mr Bean”. Smith offers men the opportunity to buy clothes that are fairly traditional, but still have a touch of something special. The company’s sizing is mostly aimed at tall and slim men, who most suit makers seem to have forgotten. The company’s clothes are exported to around 35 countries, and there are 200 stores in Japan alone.

The majority of the clothes are made in England, Portugal, and Italy, with fabrics sourced from France, England and Italy. Sir Paul Smith, knighted in 2001 for his achievements, is a celebrated menswear designer. His trademark is the multi-coloured stripe pattern, which can be found in most of his clothes at some point. The figure of a naked woman is also a captivating detail that customers eagerly hunt for.