Paisley Brocade by Paul Smith 05.21

Introducing Paisley Brocade, the twenty-second woven textile designed by Paul Smith in collaboration with the Maharam Design Studio.

With its myriad interpretations over centuries and throughout the world, paisley has long garnered the attention of Paul Smith and makes an appearance in his forthcoming Autumn/Winter ‘21 collection. The primary reference for Paisley Brocade was Smith’s photography of a paisley-shaped flower garden in London’s Hyde Park.

Building on Smith’s interest in traditional apparel references, Paisley Brocade transforms the classic motif through a series of contrasts in construction, pattern, and color. Juxtaposing old and new, Smith and Maharam opted for a brocade construction to pronounce slightly raised motifs in contrast to sleek mercerized cotton ground. The bold-scale pattern offers four expressive paisleys, each comprising a unique arrangement of flowers that reference both old-world needlepoint and digital pixelation. Unusual pairings of bold and traditional colors lend dimensionality and freshness to Paisley Brocade’s timeless influences.