Paul Smith Fall 2026

Paul Smith has always been fashion’s master of nostalgia, but this season he turned that instinct inward. Before the Fall 2026 show in Paris, the designer joked that while most people look to old references, he has “5,000 of my own,” a nod to his decades of design history and seemingly endless archive. At seventy-nine, Smith remains as sharp and mischievous as ever, crediting his young design team for bringing new energy to his world. Their fresh eyes, he said, help him see the past differently, transforming memory into something modern.

The collection that followed felt like a quiet homecoming. Slouchy, relaxed tailoring and weathered tweeds gave the clothes a lived-in charm, while autumnal tones of brown, olive and rust anchored them firmly in the Paul Smith universe. There were caped macs that swayed softly as models walked, utility shirts and wide-leg trousers that nodded to the seventies, and Fair Isle knits that felt timeless rather than nostalgic. Even the most classic pieces, like navy suits and leather coats, carried a looseness that spoke of ease and experience.

There was nothing forced or showy about this collection, only confidence. Smith’s ability to find poetry in the familiar, to make something as simple as a Henley or an overcoat feel desirable again, is what keeps him relevant in a world obsessed with newness. It was a reminder that longevity in fashion is not about reinvention but about curiosity — and perhaps the wisdom to know when to let younger eyes take the lead.