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Paul Smith to show women's and men's collections together
It is now Paul Smith's turn to be seduced by the mixed show format. The fashion label has announced in a press release that in January 2017 it "will present a mixed show featuring the men's and women's collections, during the Men's Fashion Week in Paris."
The show is scheduled for 22nd January, at the tail end of the Fashion Week, exactly 41 years after Paul Smith's very first show in the French capital, in 1976.
According to the British designer, combining the two shows is "a natural development". Paul Smith launched womenswear in 1994, long after introducing the first menswear line in 1970 and, as the label underlined, womenswear is always closely linked to the men's collection from a creative point of view. Strengthening the link between the two worlds is therefore, a logical step, as will be highlighted by the mixed show.
"Being an independent company, we can be very flexible and respond to how the market is evolving in an intriguing fashion. I am happy to feature the womenswear show alongside the men's one in the heart of Paris, where it all began in the 1970s. It is the dawn of a fascinating era," enthused Paul Smith in the press release.
"When I started out in this industry, there were no fashion weeks in London or Milan. It was natural for me to showcase my collections in Paris. Initially, there was only one fashion event, based at the Porte de Versailles [exhibition centre]. Then I began to hold runway shows. My first presentation took place at a friend's flat in rue de Vaugirard. I believe that, for women's fashion, Paris is still the most important city," stated the designer in an interview to FashionNetwork last year.
The fashion label is now focusing on two lines, Paul Smith and PS by Paul Smith, the recently launched contemporary collection. In the last few months, the label's store openings have increased exponentially, notably in Sydney, Tokyo and Paris.
The two new shops opened in the latter city, in rue Saint-Honoré and rue de Marseille, has brought the number of Paul Smith stores in the French capital to five.
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