Paul Smith Women
LONDON, February 11, 2008
By Tim Blanks
When he was 21 years old, a little more than 40 years ago, Paul Smith went to Paris for the first time with his wife, Pauline. They soaked up the Gitanes-jazz-and-coffee-bar flavor of the city, took in a couture show or two—if I'm hearing him right—and now, all this time later, his life-changing experience has resurfaced, like a buried memory, to change his approach to womenswear. It seems that the past master of English quirk got all French existential on us this season. Think basic black in a pencil skirt or a tautly tailored coat-dress; think beat in a striped mohair top with a swingy little skirt, or a black bouclé coat paired with cigarette-legged moiré jeans.They were such incongruous associations for Smith that it was a relief to see a woman less Juliette Gréco, more naughty secretary (or some similar dolly bird from any Carry On movie) in a pinstriped blouse with a pinstriped pencil skirt, or a gray topcoat with a hint of petticoat poking through its kick pleat. But there were echoes of another ambassador for fashion existentialism, Miuccia Prada, in the retro florals, with the blouse matching the stockings and the skirt matching the shoes. A combination of green bouclé jacket and orange bouclé dress also had a distinct eau de Miuccia at her bad-taste best.
Backstage, Sir Paul was revved by the couture references—something new for him—but let's face it: A sack dress is just a sack, unless it's been blessed by Cristobal Balenciaga's magic touch.
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Fall 2008 Ready-to-Wear
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3.1 Phillip Lim 6267 -
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D&G Daks by Giles Deacon Daryl K Daughters Dennis Basso Derek Lam Derercuny Diane von Furstenberg DKNY Dolce & Gabbana Donna Karan Doo.Ri Douglas Hannant Dries Van Noten Dsquared² Duro Olowu -
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Eley Kishimoto Elie Saab Elie Tahari Emanuel Ungaro Emilio Pucci Emporio Armani Erdem Erin Fetherston Etro -
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Fendi Francesco Scognamiglio -
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Gareth Pugh Giambattista Valli Gianfranco Ferré Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Gucci -
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Haider Ackermann Halston Hermès Hervé Léger by Max Azria House of Holland Hussein Chalayan -
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Iceberg Isaac Mizrahi -
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Kai Kühne Karen Walker Karl Lagerfeld Katy Rodriguez Koi Suwannagate Kris Van Assche Krystof Strozyna -
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L'Wren Scott Lacoste Lanvin La Perla Lela Rose Limi Feu Louise Goldin Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luella Luisa Beccaria -
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Naeem Khan Narciso Rodriguez Nathan Jenden Nicole Miller Nina Ricci -
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Paul Smith Women Peter Jensen Peter Som Phi Philosophy Pollini Ports 1961 Prada Preen Pringle of Scotland Proenza Schouler -
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Rachel Comey Rachel Roy Rag & Bone Ralph Lauren Requiem Réyes Richard Chai Richard Nicoll Rick Owens Roberto Cavalli Rodarte Rodnik Roksanda Ilincic Rue du Mail Ruffian -
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Salvatore Ferragamo Sari Gueron Shipley & Halmos Sinha-Stanic Sonia Rykiel Sophia Kokosalaki Stærk Stella McCartney Stephen Burrows Sue Stemp -
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Tao Temperley London Thakoon Threeasfour Todd Lynn Tommy Hilfiger Topshop Unique Tory Burch Tracy Reese TSE Tuleh -
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Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo
