Paul Smith Suits

Paul Smith suits come from a well-known English fashion designer. They are not as popular in the States but they definitely are worth considering.

They were first founded in the late 1960s and have grown steadily since then. They are based in London but are not one of the traditional Savile Row designers, but are based in Notting Hill. They have gained international exposure in recent years, and huge popularity in Asia, including Japan. Paul Smith is notorious for being extremely critical of the fabrics and tailoring on his suits.

English men's fashion can sometimes be considered conservative, but not usually with these. They often use fabrics outside of the main conservative styles. You'll even see corduroy. They offer a wide variety of two and three button styles. They recently have been pushing their slim fit designs as well. Some of their models are made in Italy and have a little bit of Italian edge to them.

They have a mainline brand and then a London brand. The London brand is inferior quality and is usually fuzed with poorer fabrics. The mainline brand is very nice. They are usually fully canvassed and have top-quality stitching. Take a look at the work around the pockets if you have a chance to see one up close.

These will go for abour $1200 or so dollars. They are available at Neiman Marcus and Barneys, one of the few British brands available there. At $1200 they are a little bit pricey in my opinion. Definitely try to wait until a sale gets them down to the $700 range. The London style will retail for around $500-$600. Again, they are better priced in the $200-$300 range.