British fashion designer Paul Smith recently unveiled his latest collection, drawing inspiration from the early stages of his career and revisiting fabrics he hadn’t used in a while. One of these fabrics was velveteen, which Smith incorporated into sleek patch-pocket jackets, trousers, and puffer jackets with vents at the side, all with a glamorous rock and roll edge.
When discussing the use of velveteen in his designs, Smith reminisced about the days when rock legends such as Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton would request the fabric for their stage outfits. He explained that the appeal of velveteen to the rock ‘n’ roll crowd is its combination of being fancy yet not too formal, with a worn-in look.
Smith also included cozy pieces such as tweedy, zip-front knits, sweeping capes with abstract flower patterns, and shearlings in bold colors like cobalt and aubergine, perfect for the colder months. He also drew designs from his brand’s Nottingham archives, featuring plaids, checks, and houndstooth on suits and caped trench coats, some adorned with little scarves at the neck.
Inspired by the intricate designs of Persian rugs, Smith layered traditional checks with a flower print and scattered the same flowers across a variety of items including long scarves and houndstooth jackets. To add even more pattern and color to the collection, Smith collaborated with Mulberry to reinterpret the Antony bag, incorporating his signature bold stripes and blocks of color in a joyful and playful manner.