Paul Smith SS26 charts a course through Paul’s own personal history of travel, with colours, prints and textures conjuring memories from his many voyages. An enthusiastic frequenter of marketplaces, Paul can often be found digging through textiles and vintage garments in search of inspiration, a practice reflected throughout the collection which made its debut at Milan Fashion Week on Saturday 21st June. In an intimate salon-style show at the company’s Milan headquarters, Paul Smith presented a louche, sophisticated vision for the SS26 season through a series of 30 looks.
A palette of warm, nostalgic tones like lime green, fuchsia, and coral evoked a fondly remembered summer voyage, but also brought to mind the practice of hand-dyeing which gives fabrics an exceptional depth of colour. Above all, the palette elicited an impression of heat, with the bright standout colours complemented by an array of sun-bleached earth tones, inspired by a book of Cairo street photography which caught Paul’s attention during the early design phases.
Collages were assembled by hand especially for the collection, which were then turned into bold prints and applied to shirts, outerwear, and ties – a technique which Paul Smith pioneered in the company’s early days. The collages incorporated fragments of photographs taken by Paul, his keen eye seeking out those things that others miss. This collage theme was echoed in a double-breasted jacket with applique birds, and a leather blouson with applique flora rendered in suede, offering a textural counterpoint.
Styled in an eclectic manner, the show created an impression of a worldly traveller who throws on pieces he picks out in far-flung markets and hidden corners of the globe, inventing new and unexpected looks as he goes. Silhouettes recalled tailoring of the 1950s, with cropped jackets met by high-waisted trousers. In place of the double-pleated pairs which formed an important part of the company’s previous two collections, we instead saw a preference for flat-fronted styles, which served to underscore a sense of ease and relaxed sophistication.
The collection’s accessories told a story of travel and souvenir hunting. Vintage-style hotel room key fobs have been crafted from the same acetate used for the company’s made in Italy eyewear, while collectible metal charms decorated leather belts, jewellery, berets, and even tailoring. The bags, meanwhile, suggested impromptu road trips or weekend getaways to new places. As well as these more conventional accessories, models carried net bags containing fresh produce, as if strolling back in from a trip to the farmers’ market. On the models’ feet were lightweight, sleek shoes that took inspiration from those worn by racing drivers. Constructed from a mixture of leather, mesh, and suede, the shoes continued the theme of collage in a subtle, understated way.
