LONDON — The London-based men’s label Ahluwalia is the first brand to take part in &PaulSmith, a new program supported by the Paul Smith Foundation that looks to work with, mentor and provide monetary grants to innovative creators across a variety of sectors.
Designer Priya Ahluwalia’s collaboration with Smith and his team resulted in an 11-piece, limited-edition capsule collection that melds Smith’s signature check fabrics with Ahluwalia’s seaming and panelling techniques for a collage-like effect.
The colorful palette was drawn from Ahluwalia’s personal archive of photographs taken in Nigeria and India, while Smith’s love of sport shines through with references to vintage cycling paraphernalia.
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Smith said he was introduced to Ahluwalia through a mutual friend, “and our shared approach to design was obvious from our first meeting. Her maverick spirit reminded me of myself when I was just starting out. While our styles may appear different at first glance, we’re coming at it from the same place: a real conviction that clothes should be a source of joy. This collaborative collection is proof of that.”
According to Smith, he and Ahluwalia found inspiration in references far and wide, from his own collection of cycling jerseys to album cover art from Studio One Records, the work of graphic designer Ikko Tanaka and the multidisciplinary artist Ernesto Cánovas, whose practice blends painting, drawing, printmaking and photography.
Ahluwalia said the collection was born out of friendship, and curiosity.
“A while back, Paul so kindly invited me to come and meet him and learn about how he works. I was blown away by him and his treasure trove of an office. The collaboration conversation happened naturally, and I have learnt a great deal from them,” said the designer, who last year won the BFC/GQ designer menswear fund and the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
The designers said sustainability was a key consideration. To wit, the collection uses surplus Paul Smith fabrics from the archive, and sustainable alternatives where new cloths were developed, including 100 percent organic cotton and yarns, biodegradable Lenzing Ecovero viscose and surplus jersey and woven fabrics.
Ahluwalia &PaulSmith will be sold online at paulsmith.com, in some Paul Smith shops, at Ahluwalia.world and exclusively at Ssense, with prices ranging from 86 pounds to 699 pounds.