Reviving an Item from the Archive
We took a much-loved (and much-worn) jacket from our archive and gave it new life.
The beauty of investing in quality clothes lies not only in their longevity, but in how they age. Fabrics soften, colours gently fade, and wear develops around favoured pockets, painting a personal portrait of the wearer. Where some items of clothing inevitably wear out over time, well-made clothes wear in. Though of course, even the best made clothes need a bit of TLC to continue looking good through the years.
We design and manufacture all of our items with the hope that they will be enjoyed for a long time, and with more than five decades in business we’re sure that there are people around who are still wearing Paul Smith items they’ve had for ten, twenty, thirty years – perhaps even longer (and if you do happen to be one of those people, we’d love to hear from you).
To get a close-up look at how a Paul Smith piece wears in over time, and the difference a bit of simple maintenance can make, we decided to focus on an item which was recently donated to our archive. Said item is a soft, unstructured jacket from our Spring/Summer 2008 collection, reminiscent of a traditional boating blazer but with a few unexpected design choices. The dark cotton canvas used for its construction is contrasted by piping in rich greenish blue, which follows the line of the lapel all the way down the front of the jacket and around the hem. This contrasting material has also been used for the pocket trim, and to cover the buttons.
The SS08 collection was bright and whimsical, with an explicitly British feel thanks to visual references to regattas and rowing culture. This particular jacket was a key feature of the collection, available in a number of colours and finishes. It’s been well-worn by its former owner, with all three patch pockets on the jacket’s front separating from the body, and the cuffs beginning to fray. The jacket was also in need of a good steam and press, to alleviate some of the crumpling that had inevitably set in.
But before we began our restorations, we wanted to photograph the jacket in its worn-in state, to demonstrate the beauty of an item that’s really showing all of the years of wear and enjoyment it’s provided. After that, we patched up the pockets, re-did a bit of stitching, then carefully pressed it, returning it to its former glory.
If you have your own Paul Smith item in need of sprucing up, we offer our Repair, Restore, Refresh service. Get in touch for more information, and to find out if your item is eligible.
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Words: Nathan Sharp.
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