How incredibly fitting that Paul Smith, the veteran British designer, who is rarely seen without a smile on his face, has launched a new line of clothes dubbed the Paul Smith Happy Collection. Smith, or ‘Smithy’, as he’s fondly nicknamed by friends, is no stranger to adulation, be it from fellow designers or admirers of his eponymous label. Once famously crowned ‘the nicest man in fashion’, Paul Smith is well aware, of course in the humblest manner, that people – far and wide – flock to his stores to be cheered up.

In 1970 a young, chipper Paul Smith cut his creative teeth inside the four walls of his first boutique, a cramped 3 square meter store at 6 Byard Lane, Nottingham, better known back then as ‘Paul Smith Vêtements Pour Homme’. Two stand-alone employees oversaw all operations in-house, Paul himself, and Homer – a show-stopping blonde, aka Paul’s beloved Afghan hound. The two coincidentally looked like twins.

Smith and Homer are equal parts responsible for laying down the early workplace culture and lively nature of Paul Smith, the brand. Nottinghamians would enter Byard Lane, and just like any other clothing establishment, you’d find yourself greeted by the store manager, only this time it was different. The boss at Paul Smith was actually Homer the dog. “There weren’t any other shops that I knew of where you walked in and the manager was a dog. This might sound silly, but honestly, I think Homer was one of the main contributions to the success of the shop”, says Paul.

The camaraderie between Paul and Homer was pure alchemy and customers instantly fed into it. Smith’s personable manner, mixed with Homer’s adorable ways and exuberant energy charmed every single person that walked through the door. The boutique became known for its happy, wholesome spirit and, just like how Paul Smith stores are beheld today, the resounding feeling when you walked in was of warm hospitality.

Fast forward 51 years and sadly Homer is no longer manning the store. However, he does remain fondly remembered and even stole the spotlight in Paul Smith’s 50th Anniversary collection last year, the capsule was titled ‘The Story of Homer’. The sense of glee kick-started by Homer and Paul in the brand’s formative years very much lives on today. From the brand’s kaleidoscope of colours, to its playful animal mascots, and more recently, the Paul Smith Happy campaign, everything just feels monumentally joyful and totally sincere with this British label.

The Paul Smith Happy Collection first launched in the spring of ‘21 after a period of stillness due to the pandemic and is inspired by the feeling of being with friends, listening to music and connecting with nature – moments of pure joy, basically. The line spans almost every department and is easily identified via a ‘PS Paul Smith’ logo which also takes the shape of a smiley face motif.

The line perfectly represents the kind spirit of the brand, and the human driving force behind it. Despite receiving a knighthood, dressing a slew of Oscar-winning stars, and acquiring hundreds more stores since Homer’s humble rein in Byard Lane, Paul and his brand remain impeccably humble and approachable. The capsule is a testament to the label’s modest, but merry ways.

Shop the PS Paul Smith Happy Collection.