“Wow, I was expecting only eight people”, a surprised Paul Smith said seeing the crowd waiting for him to get the copy of his new book – ‘Hello, my name is Paul Smith’ – signed.
Right on time at 12.30pm, without any sign of celebrity attitude, smartly dressed in a black suit over a blue turtleneck jumper and brown shoes, Paul Smith stepped into the Design Museum greeting his many fans with a big smile and a friendly “hello, everyone”. I think that this casual, friendly approach is the winning formula for Paul Smith’s success: he is not only a worldwide famous designer and skilled businessman, but he is also very down to earth, someone who knows his limits but is not afraid to overcome them.
Everything was already set up, people already lined up so he didn’t waste anytime and started signing books, posters and even clothes – yes, a super excited guy asked Paul to sign his shirt. Even if the queue was getting longer every minute, he didn’t mind exchanging a few words and taking a few – or many – pictures with everyone. He kept on apologising for keeping us waiting, but let’s be honest, it was totally worth it. After a picture with him, and wishing me good luck with my future career in journalism – which he described as “an exciting profession” – I was off to see the exhibition.
The Design Museum is not new at hosting fashion exhibitions – remember the fabulous Christian Louboutin’s exhibition in 2012 – and its white, contemporary rooms allow designers to experiment and create exciting displays. The “Hello, my name is Paul Smith” exhibition – which will run until 9 March 2014 – was cleverly designed and divided into difference sections which allow the audience to immerse into the designer’s creative world – both from a fashion and personal point of view. When stepping into the room, you are welcomed by a very inspirational quote “everyday is a new beginning”. Right at the entrance, there is a reproduction of the designer’s first shop in Nottingham – where he was born and raised – which was literally 3×3 square metres big: it is incredible to think that from such a small space, the now 67-year-old designer managed to create and develop one of the most important and famous British brands in the world.
A main gallery, adorned with pictures, posters, prints and painting is the heart of the exhibition: from there, the visitors can access all the different sections, many of which are recreations of key places for Smith’s success – including his office, his first shop and the hotel room in Paris where his first showroom took place. In the “collections” section, there is a sample of the brand’s most iconic designs: an elegant, wool blue coat from the A/W 2004 women’s collection; a rich silk embroidered sequin jacket from the S/S 1993 men’s collection; a cotton floral jacket from the S/S 2006 men’s collection and many others. Right after this section, you can step into the “fashion show”: a dark room, with three screens and a video of the designer explaining the process that goes into the creation of a fashion show, from the initial stages of setting up and casting models to the catwalk.
Since a young age, the designer has always had a great passion for cycling. When he was still a teenager, he started a career as a professional cyclist but after a dangerous accident he had to quit and then moved on to fashion. His fascination with the world of cycling is still there and he has collaborated with different brands for the designing of bicycles – as it happened in 2007 with the brand Mercian Cycles. The collaboration between the designer and other brands is not limited to bicycles, since he designed a special edition for the Mini Cooper, a special edition of the Leica Cameras and in 2005 even the HP Sauce bottle had a glamorous makeover. Paul’s international reputation is undeniable and in the exhibition it was celebrated through pictures of his main shops around the world: from Floral Street in Covent Garden to the shop in Tokyo, probably the main international market for the brand.
The exhibition is a journey into Paul Smith’s life: you step into his world made of creativity and professionalism, madness and sense of duty. All of this made him into the charming person and exquisite designer that he is today. Both the exhibition and its homonymous book are the perfect way to explore one of the most celebrated British brands in the world. Don’t miss this great opportunity, head over to see the exhibition!
By Flaminia Maria Vannozzi
*Image courtesy of: author’s own
