One of the best things about the Interwebs are blogs that offer great insight into brands and the minds behind them. Case in point, being able to follow the life of a highly respected fashion icon such as Paul Smith. A privilege for fans like us. Thank you Interwebs! Written by the man knighted by the Queen in 2000, it offers us a way to interact and follow the brand, and learn a little more about the main driver. He comes across as a normal guy you’d wanna hang out with; he’s down-to-earth, likes biking and football (the suits he designed for ManU pictured above), you might even find him working in one of his own shops.
Follow Sir Paul (the other one) as he gives you a behind the scenes look at upcoming shows, exhibitions, discover what he likes or just who and where he’s hanging out with. But before leaving you to discover the Paul Smith blog for yourself, a few Paul Smithisms after the jump…
-In London, we’re not so passionate about how we look, as opposed to the Italians, who are very self-conscious. We’re not stylish dressers, but we’re good on ideas and on freethinking.
-Generally speaking, I wear a suit every day, because my suits are custom-made. They are comfortable. They move with me.
-I’m very happy if a man smells like himself. But if he does wear a scent, it shouldn’t be too attention seeking. The people on the other side of the office shouldn’t be able to smell you.
-I’m insatiably curious. It’s fatal if there happens to be a junk shop on the way to some important meeting I’m supposed to be attending. I’ll emerge hours later with an inflatable tomato or something. I tend to find inspiration in the incongruous and overlooked. I bought a jacket off the back of a guy walking a donkey in Morocco recently. It was a cool jacket, but the stench was horrendous.
-Humour is my default setting. My dad always tried to laugh his way out of any difficult situation and I’m the same. I have been known to pull a rubber duck out of my pocket if things get too solemn.
-I am the mythical man who literally has everything. Birthdays and Christmases are a nightmare for my wife Pauline. She can’t really get me a Paul Smith tie or cufflinks. She’s clever, though – she gives me one of her own paintings or drawings, which is worth far more to me than something that costs thousands of pounds.
-Communism didn’t work because people like to own stuff. I wish I’d said that. But Frank Zappa did.
-I’ve got a huge rabbit collection, in the early 80s I foolishly said that rabbits bought me good luck and now I get lots sent to me. I think i have about 80 boxes in my warehouse in Nottingham.
(Quotes from The Observer, men.style.com, It’s Nice That)
