Published
June 22, 2026
British design and style; Italian fabrics and manufacturing. Paul Smith’s formula is a winning one, captivating an audience that spans ages and cultures since the 1970s and transcending geographical and stylistic boundaries.
This global appeal was evident once again during the latest Milan Fashion Week: on Saturday, the designer presented his Spring/Summer 2027 collection, titled “Suits in Unsuitable Situations”, reaffirming his unique ability to connect with younger generations. Drawing on a personal memory — a summer in Tuscany when a white linen suit was stained with red grapes — Sir Paul deconstructed the classic notion of the tailored suit to suit the fluidity of contemporary life.
Featuring silky fabrics, loose trousers, fishing lures worn as boutonnières, and 1990s-inflected elements stemming from collaborations with young talents in his studio, the show celebrated a wry, relaxed elegance. It was a demonstration of how the Paul Smith style continues to enchant both those nostalgic for traditional tailoring and Gen Z creatives, redefining the men’s suit far beyond rigid corporate norms.
“Our fathers or grandfathers always wore a suit, but they never thought of it in rigid terms tied to a specific role. It was simply what you wore,” the iconic British designer — who will turn 80 on July 5 — told FashionNetwork.com.
“I want to free the formal suit from the managerial stereotype, reinterpreting it in a contemporary and decidedly informal way. Over the years, I’ve sold suits to David Bowie and many rock bands; they genuinely loved wearing them and showed that you can wear a suit with rolled-up cuffs and an untucked shirt, in far more relaxed ways,” continues the designer, who in 2000 was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II (becoming Sir Paul Smith) for his immense contribution to British fashion.
On the runway, the brand’s Spring/Summer 2027 offering once again championed tailoring, but in an effortless, softer guise. Many pieces are unlined and eschew heavy shoulder padding. “Most of the fabrics are silk, or silk–cotton; they’re washed or piece-dyed, so everything feels very relaxed. And then there are ultra-lightweight shirts, stitching on the collars, and the tie used as a pocket square. Soft, flowing fabrics,” explained Paul Smith, noting that the collection’s most iconic piece is a jacket with a lapel you’d usually find on a double-breasted design, placed on a single-breasted silhouette.
In other jackets, the British designer and entrepreneur has proposed a notch lapel set low at the gorge. There’s abundant fluidity and lightness, and a wealth of beautiful details, particularly on the interiors of the garments.
“We knew it was going to be a hot summer, so I used fresh, pastel colours — cream, beige and putty — which feel cool.”
When asked, “If you had to give this collection a title for a newspaper, what would it be?” the designer replied: “Paul Smith revisited. A collection reimagined through young eyes. All designers need points of reference somewhere. So, they either take them from other designers or from vintage shops on Portobello Road or in San Francisco. But in my case, I have the joy of being able to find them within my own fashion house, simply by drawing on my past. Some members of my staff came to the office with samples from my archive, which is located in the north of England, and said to me, ‘Look at this, Paul — it’s incredible!’ And I replied, ‘I know — I made it!’” the designer smiles. “We’re talking about designs from 1982 or 1984. We’re a truly unique company because we’re still independent and privately held; we’re celebrating 56 years this year. I still start work at 6:00 every morning. This continuity at Paul Smith is certainly a rarity in today’s fashion world.”
On the sidelines of the show, FashionNetwork.com also met Ewan Venters, executive chairman of Paul Smith, to discuss the business and the company’s plans.
“We have a strong global presence, and in 2025 we generated total revenue of $240 million worldwide (approximately €209 million), although the year was challenging due to well-known and ongoing geopolitical turmoil, with net profit down 7% and wholesale down 16%. However, this decline was offset by retail, which held steady, and by the excellent performance of e-commerce, up 13% last year, further surpassed in 2026 with an increase already up 18%.”
In terms of distribution, the company is optimising its presence across Europe, but the most significant results are being recorded overseas. In the United States, the business is growing at four to five times the pace. “In October, we’ll open a new store on Madison Avenue in New York, marking Paul Smith’s first-ever presence on the Upper East Side. And it will mark 40 years since 1987, when Paul opened his first store in New York. In more recent years, we’ve sold successfully on Wooster Street and in SoHo, in the heart of the Big Apple, but having a presence on the Upper East Side is very exciting,” Venters emphasised.
As for Italy, the executive notes that “it’s truly important, since a large part of our production and collections are made right here in Italy, and Paul has a long-standing love affair with this extraordinary country,” smiled the executive chairman of Paul Smith.
The company directly owns and operates 34 stores, in addition to a further 100 locations managed by its franchise partners, while its products are distributed globally in approximately 2,000 multi-brand stores.
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