DÉFILÉ PAUL SMITH AUTOMNE / HIVER ’18
Looking to a bright future, Paul Smith’s autumn/winter’ 18 collection escapes to a more peaceful
and positive place with dreamlike colours and motifs, fantastical embroidery and a softening of
traditional sartorial codes.
With tailoring forever at the heart of Paul Smith, the collection celebrates the suit and reasserts its relevance.
Confident statement suits are presented for both men and women. In the opening look smooth satin lapels
roll into dense pleats with jacquard wool sleeves woven with dancing fairies. On single pieces, houndstooth
is panelled alongside Prince of Wales check and leather juxtaposed with hardy British tailoring cloths. The
added length in jackets is a nod to Paul’s own past when in the Eighties he led a confident movement to relax
the suit again reasserting its relevance.
Muted colour builds to a crescendo of bright red. Illustrator Edmund Dulac inspires a romantic palette of
midnight blues, deep purples and other jewel-tones. Painterly prints bring a much-needed sense of optimism
and respite from world woes and are delivered in other-worldly psychedelic florals and ethereal moonlit
landscapes. Of particular prominence in the collection is the Dreamer print, seen most vividly in the intricacy
of woven lambswool and mohair knitwear.
For women, tailoring is similarly relaxed but always has form. Suit jackets are deconstructed but follow the
female figure, hugging at the waist to give a naturally confident shape that is never masculine. Satin dresses
have an effortless elegance and appliquéd ribbon bows give detail and are inspired by Paul’s own drawings of
flowers.
In outerwear length is again accentuated. The perfect timeless Epsom coat in a traditional English fabric
is given an unexpected burst of vibrancy in turquoise and heavy leather coats appear in the Dulac-inspired
jewel-tones. Leather engineering boots and tool bags further contrast the softened, relaxed tailoring.
Friendship bracelets and charms on necklaces and earrings bring to life the theme of escapism and a sense of
individuality and self-expression.
Hair by Cim Mahoney and L’Oreal Professionnel Paris
Make-up by Petros Petrohilos and the M·A·C PRO team
Nails by Jenni Draper and O·P·I
In Dreams -Roy Orbison
All Tomorrows Parties – The Velvet Underground
Shadazz- The Horrors
Rocket USA- Nik Void
Bela Lugosi’s Dead – Bauhaus
Wide Lovely Eyes- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Zone 1 to 6000 – Nabihah Iqbal
Finale:
Dream Baby Dream – Suicide
Hair : Cim Mahoney & L’Oreal Professionnel Paris