Considered Collaboration: Inside the Ahluwalia &PaulSmith Collection

PA: The Paul Smith brand and designer himself are such institutions, it’s very difficult to pinpoint my first experience. It feels like a brand that’s been in my consciousness since I was a kid, like Coca-Cola—you know what the brand is without even knowing when you first came across it. I’ve seen people in my family wear Paul Smith items since as long as I can remember, and I’ve worked in department stores where there are Paul Smith concessions. It’s always been there.

SPS: Priya and I were introduced by a mutual friend, the photographer Julian Broad. From our very first meeting it was clear that we had a lot in common, and conversations about collaborating followed very quickly.

SPS: I think collaboration is only important if it’s really considered—if both sides gain some experience, some energy, and enthusiasm from it.

PA: It’s been such a natural process; since we were introduced, it was like we had known each other forever. I felt really comfortable chatting with Paul. I could ask him lots of questions, as I am quite an inquisitive person and so is he. We worked together in his amazing office, which is an incredible archive of things that Paul’s collected over 50 years, and it was lovely to be able to look through all of that. It honestly has been one of the easiest projects I have ever worked on.

SPS: I get offered a lot of opportunities for collaborations, and I have to really take a breath and think before I go ahead with them. Some of them can have an awful lot of work attached to them and then not really feel very satisfying when we finish them. So, the answer is: Take a breath and think carefully before you enter.

SPS: I think the joy of working with people from a very different age group is their openness; their point of view is so uncluttered with experience and things that they have already witnessed. It’s a fresher mind, and that helps. I balance it out with a more organized, informed mind.

PA: There are quite a lot of similarities between Paul and I. We are both quite cheeky. But there are differences, too—because when Paul came up as a designer it was a completely different landscape. In 2022, you have to be really 360 in thinking about social media, digital, press, and all these different areas. When Paul started, it was much more product- and sales-focused, and now you have to have this whole world built up. What is really nice is now we are both able to share these different points of view, and Paul is able to give me advice that made him have a brand that’s standing strong and independent for 50 years. We have very different experiences of stuff but it’s really amazing that I get to ask and receive feedback from such an expert.

PA: I often take photos as part of my research process. It’s a way I can collect and analyze information. I’m not by any means a professional photographer, but it is a really nice way to categorize and catalog things that I’ve seen. I don’t necessarily always put it out into the world, but I do think it’s really nice to add a personal touch. I’m trying to build a brand where people see the garments that we are making as collectibles or something to be cherished forever.

SPS: Oddly enough, a lot of the music we played during the creation of it was not necessarily music from today but jazz from the past, including John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock. Lots of soul music, too. Soul was an important reference for the collection.

SPS: The thing that attracted me to Priya was not only her bold way of doing things and her talent but also her passion for sustainability. Many young people are passionate about sustainability, but very few of them have found a way to actually do anything about it. We have really approached it from that point of view right from the beginning.

PA: Sustainability is a big word and refers to a number of things, but for me, sustainability is about working in the most positive way possible for people and the planet. It means making business choices that are not only thinking about profit but also the effect of this decision on human cost and the environment. I think if you are mindful in all those decision-making processes, you will naturally build a sustainable business.

SPS: I think my collections now have an enormous amount of content in them—for instance, organic cottons, recycled materials, recyclable material, traceable materials—so that’s one immediate difference, and that’s where we approach it straightaway. Then of course, clothes that are comfortable and very wearable, because of the two years of complications through COVID-19.

PA: It’s definitely been quite an intense and quick buildup of the brand, which I have really enjoyed. My perception of the industry is a positive one. Before I had my brand and I was freelancing for people, or was working as a designer, it seemed like there were a lot more gatekeepers than there are now. I think that boundaries are being broken in terms of representation and who can get a seat at the table. That’s something I’ve really enjoyed being a part of. There is so much talent in the industry, and I’m hopeful that all of that talent and innovation will keep driving it forward in a positive manner.

SPS: I started Paul Smith’s Foundation to give helpful advice to young creative people. Those young people could be aspiring chefs, graphic designers, and filmmakers. A lot of the principles when they’re starting out are all the same: Why me, how do I start, where do I get information from, how do I get experience, what’s my point of view, and that’s what we’ve tried to do from the beginning.

PA: My advice would be to really hone your craft, work hard to really understand the different areas of what you want to do. If you want to be a designer, spend your time learning how to pattern-cut and sew, and all of those bits of information will build together and will form a really strong bank of skills that you will be able to use going forward. In addition to the groundwork of skills, I really think it’s important to figure out and analyze what you want to say as a designer. What’s your unique point of view? There’s a million designers out there in the world; what can you do to stand apart?

SPS: I think the important thing about anybody starting out as creative person today is just be brave enough to ask yourself: What is my point of view? If you can start answering that, even in a very small way, then you will be on your way to establishing yourself as a designer.