Turning Japanese

Japan has long revered British tailoring, with legions of businessmen snapping up the quality, craftsmanship and quirky eccentricity that we bring to suits.

As well as Japan's reverence for Savile Row's air of distinction, Paul Smith is a superstar designer there, and he's shown a reciprocal passion for the place. He returns this enthusiastic patronage by taking back visual souvenirs to feed into his distinctive designs.

There is one shop in particular Smith has frequently popped in to on his visits, called Boukia. Containing wall-to-wall thrift and kitsch, it is the owner's bad taste which Smith adores and he loves to combine these print and design ideas with his exquisitely designed suits. Smith thereby incorporates the playfulness and energy of Japan in to his style of tailoring.