Paul Smith Questions Answered

The Black Full Button Polo Shirt is our Paul Smith bestseller; the Dark Navy Zebra Regular Fit Polo is the signature pick. Beyond those two, the range runs from zip-neck and button-through polos in blue and grey to a long-sleeve full-button grey polo for cooler months — all in Paul Smith's modern regular cut.

The zebra logo T-shirt is the one to start with — we stock it in navy, black, grey and white regular fit. If you want more personality, Paul Smith's print tees deliver it: stripe prints in black, navy and off white, plus dice, skull and 'Slides' prints. All are cut regular and wear easily with denim or chinos.

A knitted polo is the smartest Paul Smith piece short of tailoring. We stock knitted polos in dark navy, ivory, blue and a khaki merino wool version — they read dressier than a jersey polo and sit well under a jacket. For shirt-and-trouser days, the white long sleeve tailored fit shirt is the clean choice.

For classic Paul Smith character, go striped — the blue stripe casual fit short sleeve or the white stripe long sleeve. For plainer days, the cobalt blue and off white casual shirts are easy wins, and the white long sleeve tailored fit shirt covers smarter occasions. Paul Smith shirting uses quality poplin and Oxford weaves with careful construction.

The crew neck knit black jumper is the most versatile Paul Smith knit we stock. The off white quarter-zip neck knitted jumper adds texture, and the khaki knitted merino wool polo doubles as smart-casual. Paul Smith merino is typically sourced from mills in Italy's Biella region — fine, soft wool that holds its shape over years of wear.

The navy bomber jacket is the easiest Paul Smith outer layer. The navy coach jacket gives a cleaner, lighter alternative, and the mixed media navy jacket adds texture if you want something less plain. All three sit in Paul Smith's casual outerwear territory — designed with room to layer a knit underneath.

Paul Smith socks are the classic gift — we stock multi-stripe cracker and multicoloured gift box sets. The black credit card holder, zebra logo cap and boxer trunk multipacks all gift well too. The brand's stripe and zebra motifs are instantly recognisable, the quality is real, and Paul Smith is one of our most cross-generational buys — from 18th birthdays to 50ths.

The beach print and cobalt blue riso floral swim shorts are the holiday picks — the floral swim short even pairs with a matching cobalt casual shirt as a set. Add camel or dark navy chino shorts, a short-sleeve stripe shirt and the navy zebra 'Zed' slides and the warm-weather wardrobe is done.

Yes — provided you buy the right pieces. The fabric quality is genuine and verifiable: merino from Italy's Biella region, shirting from quality Italian and British mills, careful construction throughout. Value is strongest in knitwear and shirts, where the fabric difference over high-street alternatives is most obvious. You are paying for material and longevity, not just the stripe.

Yes — knitwear is arguably Paul Smith's strongest value category. The merino typically comes from Biella mills in northern Italy — the same region supplying top luxury houses — with a fine micron count that means real softness and shape retention. A Paul Smith merino piece bought today should look as good in five years with basic care.

Yes — the construction details justify the step up. Paul Smith shirts are made in Portugal with quality poplin and Oxford fabrics, single-needle stitching on side seams, mother-of-pearl or resin buttons that do not crack with washing, and pattern-matched seams on stripes and checks. Details you feel every time you wear one.

Yes — consistently so. The brand uses considered British design with Italian and UK manufacturing on most lines, and natural fibres — cotton, wool, linen, silk — across the bulk of the range. It has kept the same independent ownership since 1970, which keeps quality control consistent across decades rather than chasing seasonal cost-cutting.

Paul Smith for character; BOSS for clean, low-noise versatility. Paul Smith is British eccentricity — multi-stripes, the zebra logo, playful colour worn with a wink. BOSS is German modernism — restrained palette, sharp silhouettes. Both are top-tier designer houses at similar quality; the choice is wardrobe mood, not quality. Most of our regulars own both. → Read the full BOSS vs Paul Smith guide

The zebra polo for recognisable Paul Smith character; the Black Full Button Polo for versatility. The Dark Navy Zebra Regular Fit Polo carries the brand's playful motif on the chest, while the black full-button polo — our bestseller — is the plainer, dressier option that works with anything. Same regular fit on both.

Knitted for smart occasions; jersey for everyday wear. Paul Smith's knitted polos — dark navy, ivory, blue and khaki merino — have a dressier texture that sits well under a jacket. The jersey polos, zebra included, are the easier daily wear and handle washing with less thought. Knitted versions have very little stretch, so size up if between sizes.

No — Paul Smith is known for consistent, accurate sizing. Unlike some designer brands that run small or large, if you measure a 40" chest you will typically fit a size 50 jacket without sizing up or down. The thing that catches UK shoppers out is not the fit but the system: Paul Smith uses European sizing, roughly ten numbers higher than UK chest sizes.

Yes in the chest — but slightly shorter in the body than many buyers expect. Paul Smith cotton tees and long sleeves run true to UK size for chest width. Taller shoppers around 6'1" and over may find M and L a little short, so size up if you prefer untucked length.

Regular fit polos run true to UK size, in line with the cotton jersey tops. The knitted polos follow knitwear logic instead: fine-gauge knits run closest to true size but have very little stretch, so go up a size if you are between. Hoodies and sweatshirts are cut deliberately relaxed — do not size down expecting a slim fit, as the sleeves will run short.

Measure your chest, collar and natural waist, then convert to European sizing. Jackets run roughly ten numbers above UK chest size (UK 40" = EU 50). Shirts use collar size in centimetres — an M is a 39-40cm collar fitting a 38-40" chest. Trousers are sized by true natural waist, measured at belly-button level, not your jean size. If in doubt, call us on 01744 730985 for a live measurement check.

The multicoloured stripe is Paul Smith's visual signature — woven, printed and embroidered across the range since the 1970s. It draws on Victorian deckchair fabric and 1960s London counterculture, appearing subtly on garment interiors and boldly on socks and accessories. It is not a logo so much as the brand's design philosophy compressed into a stripe.

The zebra is Paul Smith's playful animal motif — the most-bought line we stock. It appears as an embroidered chest logo on regular fit tees in navy, black, grey and white, on the zebra polo shirts, and even on the zebra logo cap and navy 'Zed' slides. It gives you recognisable Paul Smith character without a loud all-over print.

Premium natural fibres from respected Italian and British mills. Knitwear uses merino typically sourced from the Biella region of northern Italy; shirting is high-count Italian and British cotton in the 100-140s range; casualwear often adds 2-3% elastane for comfort without changing the look. The brand is also moving toward organic and recycled cotton and traceable wool across collections.

Turn them inside-out before washing to protect printed and embroidered details. Never iron directly over the zebra or stripe prints — iron from the reverse side — and avoid harsh detergents that fade the colours. On stretch cotton pieces, skip fabric softener entirely: it coats the elastane fibres and permanently reduces the stretch.

Button all closures before washing and iron while slightly damp. Paul Smith's high-count cotton shirting responds best to medium heat, pressing the collar from the points inward and never over collar stays. Separate whites from colours for the first three to five washes to prevent dye transfer, and your shirts will keep their crispness for years.

Paul Smith sits in the premium-designer tier — above mid-market, below ultra-luxury houses. Garments are made to considered British construction standards with extensive Italian and UK manufacturing, and the brand operates as an independent, privately owned house rather than part of a conglomerate. Think accessible luxury: real mill-grade fabrics and design pedigree, without ultra-luxury pricing.

Mainline Paul Smith is the premium line; PS by Paul Smith is the contemporary diffusion line. Mainline focuses on sophisticated tailoring and premium casualwear, while PS takes a more contemporary, casual direction. Sizing can vary slightly between the two collections, so check the specific garment measurements — or ask us, as our team handles both fits daily.

Paul Smith is British and still independently owned by its founder, Sir Paul Smith. The brand started in a 3x3 metre shop in Nottingham in 1970 and now operates 130+ stores across 60+ countries — yet unlike houses absorbed by the luxury conglomerates, it has kept majority founder ownership for over five decades. That independence keeps every collection creatively coherent.