Paul Smith launches first drop of 'Made in British Isles' capsule collection

Paul Smith has today unveiled the first drop of its new 'Made in British Isles' capsule collection, which is dedicated to celebrating the specialist makers and manufacturing traditions that have shaped the brand since its inception.

The first drop of the capsule collection brings together outerwear, knitwear, shirting, jersey and socks, made with materials of known provenance and produced in collaboration with specialist manufacturers across the country.

Each piece in the capsule is designed and assembled locally, reflecting the creativity and tradition of British craftsmanship and the people behind it, according to the brand.

In future drops, the brand intends to expand into additional categories, including womenswear.

White Label London, based in Leyton, manufactured the capsule’s outerwear pieces, including the Hooded Jacket and Cotton Mac. Both are crafted from fabrics woven at Baltic Works in Dundee by waxed cotton manufacturer Halley Stevensons. The Hooded Jacket features a dry wax finish, while the Cotton Mac is cut from a substantial 425gsm herringbone cotton. Each piece is lined in deadstock shirting, making each jacket unique while also contributing to the brand’s ongoing circularity efforts.

The collection’s knitwear, produced by Corah Textiles in Nottinghamshire, not far from Paul’s first store, includes a bold merino-striped crew neck, a chunky fisherman’s knit, and a contrast-knit polo. Each piece is made from responsibly sourced wool and cotton, knitted in the UK and finished with the capsule’s signature contrast intarsia branding.

The capsule's socks are produced by Corgi Hosiery, a Royal Warrant holder producing in South Wales since 1892. Founded when Rhys Jones began producing woollen socks for local coal miners, the company remains proudly Welsh and production remains entirely in-house today. Corgi’s team hand-frame and hand-finish every pair of socks using natural yarns, continuing techniques refined over more than a century.

The capsule is accompanied by a campaign that includes an illustrated map highlighting the factories across the British Isles involved in the collection's production.

It has been a busy season for the brand, with the new capsule launching only one month after Paul Smith reunited with Barbour on their second collaboration collection for SS26, with an accompanying campaign that celebrates British seaside culture and traditions.

The brand reported a drop of 7% in its gross profits to £97 million for the year ending 30 June 2025, citing a “challenging environment for the retail sector” and a decline in wholesale demand. Yet it also emphasises that the business “remains positive about future growth” and continues to be optimistic about opportunities in North America.

The past year marked a period of strategic transition and restructuring for Paul Smith, as the business took decisive action to streamline its global wholesale channels while continuing to accelerate growth across retail and e-commerce channels, reduce discounting, improve gross margins, and control overhead costs.