“Hello, my name is Paul Smith” invited us into designer Paul’s world of inspirations, creations, collaborations and fashion last month. I hadn’t known much about the designer beforehand, so I was looking forward to checking out the fashion exhibition first hand. The first showcase included a recreation of Paul’s first ever shop; a small 3x3m space opened in Nottingham in 1970 and we were then given an exciting insight in to his many store designs he went on to open around the world and how successful the brand has been.

The walls were beautifully covered in striking photography and colourful artwork, which has clearly inspired Paul over the years and my favourite was a mesmerising wall decorated entirely in buttons, each stuck to the wall by hand! One of my highlights from the exhibition was the display example of the designer’s office, filled with curious objects from his travels, quirky sketches, exquisite leather fabrics, garment patterns hung on the roof and various artworks. The office was a place of creative chaos, inspiration and admiration – very relatable to my sewing space when I’m working on a project!

It was also great to see some of the brands unique pieces on show from various collections over the years and listen to an insightful video interview from Paul Smith himself on preparing for fashion shows and his influences and thought processes over the years. We were also given a peak at some of Paul’s many collaborations, from cars to Evian water bottles, stationary and furniture at the end.

Overall, definitely one of the best fashion showcases I have seen in Glasgow and worth a visit for anyone interested in fashion or all things creative!

The exhibition runs until 20 March, 2016 at The Lighthouse, Glasgow. 

Gayle x