The Made in UK Collection
Drawing on the traditional textile industries of the British Isles, we present our made in UK collection, featuring knitwear, outerwear, ties, socks, and leather accessories.
With deep connections to Japan, Italy, the USA and France, Paul Smith is very much an international affair. But at heart we are, of course, a British brand, and always look for opportunities to support British makers. This was the thinking behind our made in UK collection, a capsule featuring chunky knitwear, heavy-duty outerwear, leather goods, socks, and ties, each utilising the best of British materials and craftsmanship.
Given the UK’s climate, it’s unsurprising that our makers tend to excel at heavier fabrics. Materials that will keep you warm and dry in an environment which so often conspires to make you cold and wet. For many UK residents, weather is a constant source of bitterness and disappointment, and while this is entirely understandable, the tendency towards the inclement does at least allow us to invest in substantial coats and cosy knitwear.
Where Italian mills make beautiful linens, silks, and tropical wools, the British Isles produce peerless waxed cottons, tweeds, and heavy gauge knits, which form the backbone of this collection. For one of the collection’s highlights – a classic car coat – we sourced a dense, weighty melton wool from Abraham Moon, a mill in West Yorkshire who’ve been honing their craft for more than 185 years. The collection’s military-inspired parka jacket is made from an unusual waxed ripstop cotton, produced by Halley Stevensons in Dundee. Their history stretches back 160 years, with its roots in producing hard-wearing sailcloth for ships. This unmatched expertise allows them to make some seriously waterproof fabrics.
The coats themselves were made in collaboration with an exceptional factory in east London who have produced garments for some of the most recognised (not to mention exacting) names in outerwear. For leather goods, we went to a historic tannery in Somerset, who – like our friends in Dundee and Yorkshire – have been operating since the 19th century.
To help tell the story of this collection, we’ve produced a map which shows where each element originated from. Below, you can also find some images we shot of the collection’s knitwear being expertly made in a factory in Nottinghamshire, not far from where Paul was born.
Made in UK
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