Paul Smith + Martin Parr

The great British seaside is celebrated by Paul Smith and Martin Parr through a new capsule collection launched at Dover Street Market as part of Photo London.

The new capsule collection of five products combines unpublished images from Martin Parr’s archive with Paul Smith’s signature use of photo print to stunning effect.

Finding links between Paul Smith and Martin Parr is easy work.

Both men are regarded as British icons, yet behind their reputations they are firm friends and frequent collaborators – before this partnership Paul had already hosted exhibitions of Martin’s work in his London and Tokyo shops.

“He was one of the first photographers who really got my attention for his love of kitsch and odd situations”, remembers Paul.

Both were bitten by the photography bug at a young age, influenced by amateur photographers in their family – Paul tells stories about his father Harold and Martin his grandad George. And, through their individual work, both are acclaimed for capturing the humour and irreverence of the British way of life.

As well as being a comfortable partnership, this new collaboration is a perfect blend of styles.

Smith has been a pioneer of photo print since the 1970s and Parr’s instantly recognisable documentary-style imagery is as vibrant as anything that has come out of the Paul Smith print design room.

“I have collaborated many times with Paul Smith and on each occasion, it’s a different project or concept”, said Martin.

“But this one I like best of all. I love to see my work used in different ways, and this is a great way to bring my beach images back to the beach.”

The collection comprises:

Men’s Martin Parr ‘Beach’ print swim shorts (2 designs) £110 each
Men’s Martin Parr ‘Beach’ photo-print silk pocket square (2 designs) £50 each
Men’s Martin Parr ‘Beach’ photo-print silk scarf £125
Paul Smith
16, The Royal Arcade
W1S 4SR
Tel: 0203 205 1135
www.paulsmith.co.uk