Paul Smith (fashion designer)
Sir Paul Smith, CBE, RDI ( born July 5, 1946 in Nottingham ) is a British fashion designer and entrepreneur who today its global fashion company Paul Smith Ltd. 1970. founded.
Smith is primarily for his menswear collections, which he himself describes as " classic with a twist " ( German: classic with a twist ) has described, and the use of bright colors and floral patterns in his fashion known. He is regarded as the most successful designer in Britain.
Career and Business History
Paul Brierley Smith, the son of a tailor wanted to become a professional cyclist, originally. These plans, however, were stopped by a bike accident with a car. Through his father he got a job at a clothing operation and after a few jobs as a boutique manager and fashion buyers in 1970 he opened his first fashion shop in Nottingham and founded the Paul Smith Ltd.. His girlfriend at the time, and present wife, Pauline, who had studied fashion design, brought him into contact with people from the fashion and design world and encouraged him to create his own fashion. 1976 Smith presented his first menswear collection under the name ' Paul Smith ' in Paris. The first shop in London followed in 1979. Middle of the 1980s, the company was established in the London business world as a fashion label in the upper price segment. This success resulted in the international expansion of business operations. The women's fashion, which makes up about 25 % of the revenues of the company, followed in 1993. The Men's Fashion of the main line is presented still twice a year at the Paris fashion shows, while the ladies fashion the main line from Paul Smith since 1998 during London Fashion Week shows. As early as 1995 the company went online on since 2004 Online Shop is operated website.
A hallmark Smiths is a pattern of narrow, colorful lines or stripes in 14 colors. Smith is responsible in his company for both the design and the Business and is despite his great success as unaffektierter, witty and funny workaholic. In 1991, the British Royal Society of Arts on Smith for his services to the fashion industry into the circle of Royal Designer of Industry (RDI ). Smith was admitted to the Order of the British Empire in 1994 as a Commander ( CBE) and in 2000 defeated by Prince Charles for services to the British fashion industry knighted. Since then he is likely to ' Sir Paul ' call if he wanted to. On the day of the ceremony, 24 November 2000, he also married his girlfriend since 1969, Pauline Denyer.
Company data
Headquarters of Paul Smith Ltd.. is Nottingham. Worldwide sales of the company ( including licenses ) amounted in 2008 to some £ 346 million. Revenues (without licenses) of the Paul Smith Ltd.. in the financial year 2009/2010 approximately £ 174 million and in 2010/2011, about £ 196 million and pre-tax profit of £ 25 million ( 2009/2010) and £ 34 million (2010 /2011). Smith's office and studio are located in London's Covent Garden.
The state in 2012 Smith operation in addition to the wholesale Paul Smith own 15 shops and 6 outlets in the UK and over 130 stores worldwide, including in Paris, Hong Kong, Moscow and New York, but none in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. In addition, there were 200 sales areas (partly as a shop- in-shop ) in Japan, where the brand is in high demand. 2006 acquired the Japanese business partner of Paul Smith, the Itochu Corporation, 40 % of the shares in Paul Smith Ltd. The remaining 60 % of the shares are still Paul Smith.
Collections
Under the ' Paul Smith ' brand many are sold through its own retail stores and through retailers in over 75 countries:
- Men's Fashion Paul Smith (main line, since 1976)
- Paul Smith London ( business fashion ) Paul Smith The British Collection ( Special Collection, "capsule collection", the London - line)
- Paul Smith (main line, since 1993, for the 1994 season)
- Paul Smith Black Label ( more fashionable second-line )
- Paul by Paul Smith and Paul x (young collection, since 2008)
- Paul Smith Pink Label (from 1998, adjusted )
- Paul Smith Blue Label ( set )
- Paul Smith Junior (since 1991, initially: Paul Smith Childrenswear )