Paul Smith’s rise to Britain’s most well-known menswear designer began just over a half-century ago. Now, through his &PaulSmith mentorship program, the iconic designer now looks to pass down his plethora of knowledge to the next generation of designers. First up, a collaborative capsule with London-born designer and rising star in fashion Priya Ahluwalia.
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Altogether, the collection includes eleven pieces drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources. Starting with the signature work of each designer, the capsule uses Paul Smith’s distinctive check fabrics alongside Ahluwalia’s seaming and paneling techniques. This is seen on a grey marl hoodie and matching sweatpants, mixed-stitch sweater, and fisherman-style hat. Further, the duo’s shared focus on sustainable fashion is on full display. Materials use 100% organic cotton and yarns, biodegradable Lenzing Ecover viscose, and surplus jersey.
Additional inspiration came via Smith’s affinity for sport and vintage cycling gear. As well as Ahluwalia’s archive of photographs taken in Nigeria and India. The duo also pays homage to the work of graphic designer Ikko Tanaka and multidisciplinary artist Ernesto Canovas. The highlights of the collection are a cotton jacquard zip cardigan and a printed viscose short-sleeve button-up with matching shorts.
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In accordance with the launch, Paul Smith had this to say.
“I had the pleasure of being introduced to Priya through a mutual friend and our shared approach to design was obvious from our first meeting. Her maverick spirit reminded me of myself when I was just starting out. While our styles may appear different at first glance, we’re coming at it from the same place: a real conviction that clothes should be a source of joy. This collaborative collection is proof of that.”
Priya Ahluwalia added her thoughts on the collection as well.
“This collaboration is so special to me as it was born out of friendship and curiosity. A while back, Paul so kindly invited me to come and meet him and learn about how he works, and I was blown away by him and his treasure trove of an office. The collaboration conversation happened naturally, and it has been such a pleasure to work with Paul and the Paul Smith team. They have been so supportive, and I have learned a great deal from them. The collection is a perfect mix of Paul Smith and Ahluwalia codes and I look forward to it being released.”
The complete Ahluwalia x &PaulSmith collection is available now via the Ahluwalia and Paul Smith web stores. Feel free to check out the official campaign images in the gallery above. As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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