LFW Day 4 , Paul Smith

Beautiful velvet jacket & tie - works so well

Paul Smith girls always look so cool!

Beat nik 50s look

more from the tie, this time with a waist coat !

Johnny Depp styling! cool

Effortless style - love the colour blocking

I love this coat

The embroidery was gorgeous 

easy to wear coats -

George Langford went to Epsom college of Art , then bagged herself  a job ( paid) as fashion assistant to Melanie Rickey at Grazia. 

The Ball room at the Savoy was packed

The British Vogue Team headed by Lucinda Chambers

Franca Sozzani of Italian Vogue waiting patiently for the show to begin

The Paul Smith Ladies collection held in a Savoy Hotel Ball room was a very laid back affair much like the man himself. It was good for fashion royalty spotting, British Vogue stylist Lucida Chambers was there surrounded by her group of assistants. Sitting alone on the same row I saw Franca Sozzani of Italian Vogue, everything about her was also understated apart from that signature mane of blond wavy hair. There was no question of taking their photographs close up as some brave people apart from press do in the BFC tent at Somerset house. Infact I took these as you can see from a considerable distance away ie from behind someone elses head at the other side of the room! 
I decided to reposition myself a few minutes before the show started to try and get better shots of the collection and found myself next to one of the Grazia magazine team called George Langford a good companion to chat to as I waited for the show to begin. Check out her blog glitter bird. She had been flying around London from show to show like a mad thing with Melanie Rickey her boss, Paula Reed and rest of the brilliant Grazia team. 
http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/ 
The show started later than we expected as at the last minute a group of photographers scuttled in with their equipment having sped over fresh from the Burberry show.  
This A/W2011 was the most mannish show I have seen Paul Smith do for his women's collection. I have always liked the fact that girls can look great in boys clothes, it looks very cool. I was pleased to see the pretty embroidered floral black silk dress at the finale of the show though. However that it not to say that I totally loved the use of the tie as an accessory in this collection - take a look at this post of mine from last year! where I spout forth about it's merits. http://schelay.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html
Sir Paul Smith you are a star, I also really liked the bright colours and the mix of texture and pattern that you do so well, but for me the best item was the grey military style coat in the photo selection above. I will be trying that one on in the Notting Hill or Covent Garden shop! http://www.paulsmith.co.uk/ It was a brilliant collection and a real treat to be there.


Photography Schelay McCarter please credit