1. Dries Van Noten: The Artful Intellectual
If Paul Smith’s playfulness comes from a distinctly British eccentricity, Dries Van Noten’s comes from a deep and scholarly love of art, history, and global culture. A member of the legendary 'Antwerp Six,' Van Noten is a master of textiles, print, and color.
Where Smith might hide a vibrant floral print on a cuff lining, Van Noten will craft an entire jacquard bomber jacket from it, blending disparate cultural references into something entirely new and breathtakingly beautiful. He famously avoids advertising, letting the clothes speak for themselves—and they speak volumes. For the Paul Smith fan who appreciates the brand’s connection to the art world, Dries Van Noten is the next logical step, offering a more romantic and opulent take on intellectual, wearable clothing.
2. Officine Générale: The Understated Parisian
At first glance, Officine Générale might seem more restrained than Paul Smith, but the shared DNA is an unwavering commitment to quality and real-world wearability. Founder Pierre Mahéo’s mission is to create clothing with a sense of “beautiful normality.” These are impeccably made wardrobe essentials—the perfect fitting trousers, the relaxed jacket, the luxurious knit—that draw on premium fabrics from Italy, Britain, and Japan. Like Smith's tailoring, Mahéo’s pieces are imbued with an effortless, nonchalant elegance. The 'twist' here is more subtle; it's in the precise cut of a collar, the perfect drape of a fabric, or the way a workwear-inspired piece is rendered in an unexpectedly refined material. This is for the person who loves the quality of their Paul Smith suit but seeks that same integrity in their everyday staples.
3. Bode: The American Storyteller
For those drawn to the individuality and character of Paul Smith's world, Bode offers a completely different, yet spiritually aligned, vision. Founded by Emily Adams Bode Aujla, the brand creates modern workwear silhouettes from antique and historical textiles. Each piece, whether a one-of-a-kind jacket made from a 1940s quilt or trousers cut from vintage grain sacks, tells a story. This is the “classic with a twist” ethos taken to its most sentimental and narrative conclusion. Bode shares Smith’s appreciation for the idiosyncratic and the handmade, but channels it through a lens of American history and craft. Owning a piece from Bode is like owning a piece of wearable art with a past life—a notion any fan of Smith’s eclectic and personality-driven designs can surely get behind.
4. Margaret Howell: The Purist of British Modernism
If Paul Smith is the charming, colorful ambassador of British design, Margaret Howell is its quiet, confident soul. For over five decades, Howell has championed a philosophy of timeless, functional, and understated clothing. Her focus is on the longevity and authenticity of the garment, prioritizing the feel and quality of the materials above all else. You won’t find loud patterns here. Instead, the beauty is in the quiet perfection of a crisp cotton shirt, the rugged-yet-soft texture of a lambswool sweater, or the perfect cut of a pair of trousers. Howell represents the 'classic' part of Smith's equation, distilled to its purest form. For the dresser who values the British manufacturing heritage and enduring quality in their Paul Smith pieces, Margaret Howell offers a masterclass in restrained, lifelong style.
