It is almost impossible not to run into someone incredibly famous and respected in the fashion indsutry while in Paris during the Fashion Week. This season we were lucky to chat with none other than Sir Paul Smith, who was happy to discuss the current issues of the fashion industry and the inevitable overtake of technology and digital shopping; his friendship with David Bowie as well as his creative process.

What is your take on the changing climate in fashion business? Do you think that collections should be available immediately after the show? 

To be perfectly honest, I think it’s all pretty mad! I’ve been working in this industry for over fourty years. There has never been more people fishing from the same pond, the market is more competitive than ever before. In order to stand-out you have to have focus and consistency. Something I’ve always prided myself on is consistency, which is very difficult to maintain when the trend is moving towards constant change and upheaval. I’ll continue to keep my head down, keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully people will keep liking it.

SpringSummer’16 Men’s

There was a strong essence of David Bowie in the latest AW16 men’s show in Paris, how did Bowie touch you in a creative sense? 

I was fortunate enough to call David Bowie a friend. As someone who loved his work and his creative mind, he is a huge loss to music, fashion and so much more. Throughout my career my work has often been inspired by people I collaborate with or people who wear my clothes, in the case of David he was both of these things and so there is often aspects of him in my collections.

What do you think of the markets like China and the Middle East? Would you say the poles of fashion are shifting? 

The world of fashion is changing at an extraordinary pace all over the world. Consequently we’re having to constantly rethink the way we design clothes, the way the seasons are split and all sorts of things. Our business in both China and the Middle East is growing at a steady rate. I find it really interesting to observe the differences in the markets and work with my team to make sure that we’re adapting and evolving with them.

SpringSummer’16 Women’s

What is the essence of your latest men’s collection? 

It was a celebration of ‘independent minds’. I’m proud of the company’s independence and I’m proud of all the different people that we’ve worked with throughout my career from Gary Oldman to Daniel Day Lewis to David Bowie, they all wear my clothes and they’re all independent minds. This collection was dedicated to just that.