Paul Smith links with Matt Smith for new campaign

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Aug 22, 2023

Paul Smith’s AW23 and SS24 campaigns will be fronted by British actor “and friend of the brand” Matt Smith, wearing classic tailoring and the label’s Signature Stripe.

The company said the former Doctor Who, The Crown and House of Dragon star “was a natural fit for the British brand” with a clue to the fact that he’d star in the campaign coming as he recently joined Smith at his SS24 Paris men’s show as a VIP. 

The AW23 creative has been inspired by “the simplicity of black and white Paul Smith campaigns from the 1990s” and sees the actor wearing pieces such as the brand’s well-known A Suit To Travel In, as well as an archive-inspired suit and outerwear and knitwear from the new collection. Pops of colour can be seen via the Signature Stripe and a blue backdrop. 

Paul Smith himself also puts in an appearance in the campaign in a shot designed to replicate one from the label’s SS94 campaign. 

Referencing heritage campaigns is something of a trend for AW23 and only this week MCM revisited the style of a 1990s campaign featuring its original star, Cindy Crawford.

The Paul Smith campaign also comes with an accompanying film in which Matt Smith “explores the nature of the actor’s profession, nodding to the role of creating a character on screen versus his off-screen persona”.

The complementary womenswear campaign stars Dutch model Kiki Willems and “was inspired by the same source material – with a focus on day-to-night dressing and modern tailoring”.