It's appropriate that Sir Paul Smith showed his S/S 14 collection on the last day of Glastonbury festival. There was something of the free-spirited, outdoorsy music-lover to this collection, most obvious in the bohemian printed neck scarves, the throw-it-on bikers and bombers, and the denim shirt decorated with fabric badges. Smith had been experimenting with magic mushrooms this season, a giant colourful one appeared on the front of a parma-violet-hued sweater, while smaller ones covered a more formal shirt. Also providing an energy boost was a peppy bubblegum pink - the standout tone from the collection. Smith's strength has always been his remarkable sell-through so it'll be interesting to monitor how effectively this tone moves from catwalk to street - they do say only the most confident men wear pink.
Smith's a notorious optimist, but the cheer and playful energy of this collection was striking. It was retro - see those seventies shapes and tones - but not nostalgic. Indeed, this was a notably modern collection for the designer in its ability to tap into the way people are currently putting their outfits together. Its strength came in Smith's ability to acknowledge that men are being more adventurous and experimental in how they dress, hence the lack of traditional formal tailoring, without trying to coerce them into unrealistic shapes or styles. The forward-thinking, accessible approach extended off the catwalk as well with the decision to live stream the mens show on the brand's website for the first time. All in all, the future's looking bright (and, in this case, pink) for Paul Smith.
