Paul Smith Is Down To Earth

Filed Under: Fashion Smashion

We're kind of crushing on Paul Smith right now. While his brand is extremely successful and well known, the designer himself isn't often in the spotlight, but in a recent interview he shares some pretty attention-grabbing thoughts.

Now, don't get us wrong; we love fashions hows as much as anyone. Who (other than Paul) doesn't love a good show?! And we love the clothes, natch. But we can't help but smile at the Smith's down-to-earth take on the whole matter. He says:

"I've always preferred the creative process of designing and selling clothes to the idea of putting on a poncey fashion show. It would be wonderful if fashion shows died out completely. They're so time-consuming and costly…. It's [designers'] 15 minutes of fame: pure, self-indulgent theatre. How many girls were there this year in horns or neck braces with bare breasts? It wouldn't matter if they didn't take it all so seriously, but the fashion world is a dangerous, superficial and fickle place."

We don't want fashion shows to die out, but we see what he's saying. It's refreshing to hear a designer recognize that it's important not to take fashion too seriously - it's supposed to be fun, after all.

Bearing that in mind, he wishes more designers would more focused on the clothes and less concerned with what is "chic", saying:

"I was given a fantastic grounding at Balmain and Yves Saint Laurent's couture shows in Paris when I was just starting out, it was all about proportion and tailoring, something I've held dear ever since. So many brands are too conscious of what everybody else is doing. I like to get my inspiration elsewhere: from exhibitions, books, or even a stained-glass window…. At work, we don't talk about fashion – we talk about clothes."

Our love for him really grows, though, with the following quotation:

"I'm not interested in all that. Those celebrity designers … they have neither the training nor the design awareness necessary in the business, which means it must be purely about ego and money. I wouldn't bring in a celebrity to work at Paul Smith in a million years. Actually, make that a trillion."

Stole the words from our mouth!

We love his honesty! Where has he been hiding all these feelings?? Share your thoughts, Paul! We want more juice!

[Image via AP Images.]

Posted: October 22, 2009 at 2:00 pm