Paul Smith RTW Fall 2023 – WWD

Having been in the industry for more than five decades, Sir Paul Smith was blunt about the reality of the fashion business at the preview of the brand’s fall 2023 collection.

“It’s a collection that’s very much based on the fact that I am the Saturday boy in my shop. So many of my customers just come in and, actually, they have no interest in the theme of a collection. They just say, ‘I need a coat or a jacket’ and so it’s very much based on that,” he said.

The collection showcased a slew of tailoring and outerwear options with whimsical or thoughtful details, like invisible pockets to put AirPods, and sleeve buttons purposely misplaced at the front. Many of them were cut in fabrics that were parallel to the men’s line and lined with the brand’s signature stripe fabric.

He was proud of his take on Le Smoking too. His version in satin and wool came with a Bar jacket-like waist detail, offering a softer curve compared to the original by Yves Saint Laurent. A longer coat version of the style was also on offer.

“So summing up the collection really is stronger shoulder and tailoring, more of an asymmetric shape for new styles. I think it’s modern dressing,” Smith said.

The look book, featuring Lily McMenamy, whose face covered a whole wall in the showroom, also featured the brand’s unisex collaboration with Mulberry, hitting stores this fall.