I was privileged enough to recently attend a brief introduction to Paul Smiths forthcoming attractions hosted by one of his Australian representatives. The whole experience was naturally inspirational, and encouraging in so much as his favourite phrase “inspiration can come from anywhere” had been incorporated in my own collective of philosophical rimes for many years. This was gratifying for me and I felt immediately in tune with his design ideals. Listening to the talk was easy because I understood fashion as a culmination of past, present and future.
At the end of this informative talk we were kindly offered a collection of trinkets, including a disposable camera in classic multi coloured striped box, a photograph of Sir Paul rollicking, and trying to strangle members of the Manchester United Football team, and a note pad titled “Paul Smith Space”. On the cover was a space age photo of a telescope in a slightly abstract observatory, which reminded me a little of a scene in the dark “1984” film.
I accepted the tokens with great delight and upon returning home I set the objects above my kitchen work bench in full view from the lounge and dining area, this serves as a constant reminder of the philosophy of “Inspiration can come from anywhere.
I opened up the Paul Smith Space Book and wrote this heading “My Ideas in Paul Smiths Space” followed by my ideas, which had been rolling around in my mind for yonks risking forgetfulness, and, scattered on pieces of paper all over the place like a dog’s dinner.
Designing for me does not start with any kind of commercialism in mind, it’s driven by an almost dogmatic sense of creative energy that with out a release I’m sure could cause an explosion. Once an idea begins to develop I must see it through at all odds, it is not energy zapping, or mundane in anyway, conversely it seems to produce boundless energy that drives me onward from dawn till dark, and, it is only at the end of the day that I consciously decide enough is enough and lay down to sleep.
After many years hard slog, my ideas are coming to fruition in colourful
silk ties and ornately
made cufflinks, depicting favoured architectural styles and paying tribute to innovators like Jean Patou the creator of the very first designer tie way back in 1920. This is where the past, present and future meet briefly at the point of design conceptualization.
And as for creativity; I was fortunate enough to suffer with chronic dyslexia through out school and thereafter, even more fortunately I never saw this condition as a weakness, because I recognised my own strengths and stayed focused on them. So if you suffer with dyslexia, don’t let anyone convince you that it is a disability or weakness otherwise you’ll spend the rest of your life trying to overcome dyslexia and neglect your own strengths.
As Albert Einstein famously quoted “Knowledge is limiting, imagination encompasses the universe”
I take a leaf out of the books of Mr. Einstein and Sir Paul Smith as my main inspirers, along with Richard Branson, Jean Patou, Frank Lloyd Wright, Isambard Brunell and the natural ever changing environment.
The Paul Smith Space book is filling with ideas and each one will come to fruition, this is my goal.
A closing tribute to the Father of modern architecture.
In Falling water, which was built as a weekend retreat for Edgar J. Kaufmann, we see Wright's greatest expression of "organic architecture" --the union of the structure and the land upon which it is built. Falling water is considered Wright's masterwork.
