Sir Paul Smith shines at ‘by R’ show in Tokyo

After 14 years, Sir Paul Smith has returned to the Tokyo Fashion Show – this time in collaboration with Rakuten’s ‘by R’ project. During Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO in March 2025, the veteran British designer teamed up with Rakuten Fashion to put on a show with a personal touch.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to showcase the collection here in Tokyo, as you know, I have a lot of respect for the city and its people,” said Sir Paul after the show. “It was a special show in many ways… I got to show both Men’s and Women’s collections together, which is not something we do very often, so I was very excited to share that.”

The Paul Smith Autumn/Winter 2025 show was planned and executed together with the ‘by R’ team – a project committed to empowering the Japanese fashion scene by placing the spotlight on select, unique brands. Along with a full livestream, limited-edition products were made available for purchase exclusively through Rakuten Fashion.

“We simply couldn’t have done this without Rakuten’s support,” said Sir Paul. “The team have been supportive in every step of the way and helped us navigate this Tokyo show. I always say that each country, each city has its own way of working and we want to respect that.”

Personal inspirations and Japanese influence

“The collection was inspired by my later father’s photography, and we found beautiful ways to turn his photographs into prints which became the starting point for this AW25 collection,” Sir Paul explained. “My father was an amateur photographer and introduced me to photography when I was a child. He taught me so much about seeing the world from different perspectives and photography is a constant inspirational source to most of my collections.”

“You need to keep moving in this very fast-paced industry because fashion is always about today and tomorrow, never about yesterday.”

Sir Paul Smith

One commemorative piece from the show featured Sir Paul’s own photography, an image of an orchid, symbolizing the designer’s deep appreciation for Japanese aesthetics. “The orchid is very delicate and minimal, I think it perfectly illustrates Japan and all the wonderful memories from my past visits.”

Sir Paul has visited Tokyo more than 100 times. Alongside a deep appreciation for Japan and its culture, he highlights Tokyo’s energy and attention to craftsmanship as key sources of inspiration.

“Tokyo Fashion Week always has a great energy,” he said. “From when I first showed to now, it has given a global platform for local homegrown creatives to showcase their collections and it is wonderful to see their respect to craft and tradition.”

Creating a long-lasting impact

Founded in 1970, Paul Smith began as a 3×3-meter shop in Nottingham, England. Today, the brand has grown to enjoy a global presence with some 130 stores in over 60 countries – and a particularly strong following in Japan.

As the brand enters its 55th year, Sir Paul outlined his philosophy for staying creative over the long term.

“You must be able to reinvent yourself – always remain open to new ideas, materials, technologies etc. You need to keep moving in this very fast-paced industry because fashion is always about today and tomorrow, never about yesterday. I have never wanted to be number one, but to be constant and in my opinion, longevity is underrated in this industry.”

For those encountering the Paul Smith brand for the first time, Sir Paul offered a simple pitch:

“I have to say ‘Classic with a Twist’ – the phrase might be overused but it certainly captures the spirit of Paul Smith,” he said. “To me, it is important that everything we make is wearable, practical and has really great quality. And then, I like to add something unexpected. It might be my British quirk or wit, but I do think that people enjoy these little surprises in their everyday wardrobe.”

Empowering fashion creatives in Japan

In late 2024, Paul Smith launched a store on Rakuten Fashion, connecting the brand with an even broader audience in Japan. Sir Paul sees shared values in the partnership surrounding creativity, accessibility, and nurturing the next generation of talent.

“Rakuten Fashion have committed to nurturing young creatives as well as their mission to make Tokyo a global fashion destination,” he said. “So, for Paul Smith to be a part of this narrative is truly wonderful and I am thrilled that this is the start of a long-lasting partnership.”

Rakuten launched the ‘by R’ project in 2019 to support designers by giving them a stage in Tokyo, both strengthening the local fashion scene and promoting cultural exchange. For younger creatives building their voice in today’s fast-moving industry, Sir Paul stressed the importance of authenticity.

“It is wonderful to see homegrown talent being celebrated in Tokyo and in many ways, it is important to stay true to your roots,” he said. “I think a lot of my success came from the ‘Britishness’ of Paul Smith and it is great to see how warmly we were welcomed across the globe. I do think it is equally important to respect the nuances in markets and cultures but finding a balance to stay true to your roots is key, as well as having a clear point of view.”

After a successful collaboration and valuable cultural exchange, the ‘by R’ team is more motivated than ever to continue its mission: empowering the Japanese fashion scene by placing the spotlight on select, unique brands loved by a broad range of fans both in Japan and globally.