The highlight of every fashion week, Paul Smith once again didn’t disappoint with his Spring/Summer show at London’s Claridges hotel last night.
Based on glossy book ‘Gentlemen of Bacongo’, which celebrates Congolese ‘fashion-obsessed dandies’ known as sapeurs - Paul’s collection was vivid, vibrant and accompanied by a killer dancehall and ragga soundtrack.
Although the title of the book suggests this inspiration would be better suited to menswear - Paul used this look as a theme for the entire collection - with banker striped shirts worn as dresses, and tan suits consisting of waistcoasts, collars and ties. Add to this some pork pie hats, skinny ties and brogues, and the models were transformed into vibrantly coloured androgynous dandies.
We caught up with a very relaxed Paul Smith just before the show began, who explained to us that the collection was divided into menswear influenced pieces, and more feminine items. Dresses were carefully draped over the models - in earthy tones and tribal prints, with bras and bandeaus worn on the outside - which Paul suggest’s is what the girlfriends of these sapeur’s might wear!
And of course, a few of Paul Smith’s signature strips managed to sneak in too!
For runway shows, style commentary and celebrity interviews from London Fashion Week A/W 2010 check out http://www.livefromfashionweek.com/ for a live stream from fashion week.
