AHLUWALIA X PAUL SMITH
From opening a modest, 3-square-meter Nottingham clothing shop in 1970, to building up a fashion empire, Sir Paul Smith has grown to become one of the UK’s—wait, let me correct that—of the world’s most talented, hard-working designers. A relentless optimistic, he managed to remain relevant in a competitive field where trends and the people behind them come and go by the season. Half a century on, the time has come for him to share what he’s learned with fellow ready-to-wear up-and-coming talents, starting with the London-born designer Priya Ahluwalia.
Serving as the inaugural collaboration of the new mentorship program &Paul Smith, the collection brings two distinct yet complementary insights—one of decades-long work experience, and one of a fresh outlook—to the table. “I had the pleasure of being introduced to Priya through a mutual friend and our shared approach to design was obvious from our first meeting. Her maverick spirit reminded me of myself when I was just starting out. While our styles may appear different at first glance, we’re coming at it from the same place: a real conviction that clothes should be a source of joy. This collaborative collection is proof of that.”
Combining the two designers’ own distinctive styles, the result is an in-depth collage-like collection. The duo took cues from Priya’s personal archive of photographs taken in Nigeria and India, while Paul’s life-long passion for cycling is represented through sports jerseys with vibrant prints. Driven by Priya’s proclivity for repurposing, they’ve taken surplus fabrics from past Paul Smith collections and looked at them anew, merging branding from both parties—Paul’s classic check fabrics, and Priya’s signature panelled fleeces.
“This collaboration is so special to me as it was born out of friendship and curiosity. A while back, Paul so kindly invited me to come and meet him and learn about how he works, and I was blown away by him and his treasure trove of an office,” Priya commented. “They have been so supportive, and I have learnt a great deal from them.”
Ahluwalia &PaulSmith will be available online at paulsmith.com, in selected Paul Smith shops, at ahluwalia.world, and exclusively at SSENSE.com /
