English eccentricity and French elan meet in latest Paul Smith collections
Leading British fashion house, Paul Smith, introduces its autumn/winter 2008 collections for both men and women. The collection for men is a very English with a rich selection of checks. Layering is key to the styling with contrasting detailing. Alternate check designs are introduced in an outfit teaming a grey Prince of Wales jacket worn over a brown Prince of Wales waistcoat and fine dogtooth shirt. A skinny pair of jeans completes the outfit for a modern look.
A slim silhouette dominates tailoring with narrow shoulders, slim waist and slim lapels. Two- and three-button suits come in solids and subtle stripes. Evening wear is sharp and is available in rich velvet and barathea with alternate satin or velvet lapels.
Injecting a variety of colour and pattern in the collection, jackets are fitted and feature four buttons which is new this season, allowing for higher fastening.
Checks - from houndstooth and dogtooth to Prince of Wales and large over-sized checks - are strong in separates. Fabrics are washed for a modern feel. Layering contrast checks and fabrics is key for winter.
Shirting is slim and features small detailing with small round collars and contrasting cuff details. Subtle stripes and small checks sit alongside muted florals. For a touch of English eccentricity bold stripes grace shirts and are worn under a classic English tweed jacket.
Jerseys and knitwear provide great layering items. Understated detailing and block colouring features on cardigans, tanks and plain V-necks. English Fair Isle knits are well placed under a houndstooth jacket and contrast heavily with skinny satin trousers.
Outerwear is sharp and fitted. Tailored overcoats in classic winter fabrics like barathea and luxurious cashmere are slim and feature high buttoning. Bespoke contrast detailing includes slim velvet lapels on classic wool Epsom's or satin lapels on cashmere designs.
For women, the Paul Smith Mainline collection is fresh and feminine, defined by ironic twists and attention to detail. This season's look takes inspiration from the French singer and actress, Juliette Greco, one of the stars of the intellectual crowd of post-war France who embodied the disenchantment of the era through her outspoken beliefs and beautiful voice.
Combined with Greco's seductive style, 1950s couture has had a major influence on the collection this season with flattering silhouettes created by fitted pencil coats, cinched-in waists and cropped jackets. Femininity is celebrated with crinoline double petticoats and structured bodices.
Fabrics are sophisticated and decadent. Taffetas and silks are voluminous, contrasting with the fluidity of laser cut chiffons and soft, clean cottons. Boucle is used in varying finishes to create slouchy dresses and jackets. Knits take shape from mohair, skinny cashmere and waffle wools.
Prints are busy and blooming, reworked from the original 1950s archives. Pretty tea roses are juxtaposed against heavy stripes and graphic blocks. The People Print is vivid and quirky, reminiscent of a Lowry painting. Colour is distinct and vibrant with jewel green and bright orange highlighted against a warm base palette of smoke, mist, mimosa and lamp black.
The capsule "Men Only" collection continues to draw influences from the gentlemen's wardrobe and is designed and fitted to flatter the female form. Masculine jackets, waistcoats and trousers are cut in traditional Prince of Wales checks, pinstripes and flannels. RT
| For women, the collection takes inspiration from the French singer and actress Juliette Greco's style. It is fresh and feminine, defined by ironic twists and attention to detail. |
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| For men, it is a very English collection with a rich selection of checks. A slim silhouette dominates tailoring with narrow shoulders, slim waist and slim lapels. |
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