Paul Smith through the eyes of Rottingdean Bazaar
Photography by Hill & Aubrey, styling by Rottingdean Bazaar
Dinosaurs, a Paul Smith-branded toilet seat, and 12 people named Paul or Paula Smith all feature inside the limited edition book.
What do Rottingdean Bazaar and Paul Smith have in common? Well, the former enjoy Zumba classes and car boot sales, while the latter is a world-renowned, MBE-appointed designer. But aside from this, both have an undeniably British sense of humour – dry, witty and irreverent. So when Paul Smith enlisted the help of non-brand brand Rottingdean Bazaar, the outcome was bound to be unconventional. Throw in some dinosaurs, kids dressed as adult caricatures and a Paul Smith-branded toilet seat and you’ve got Paul Smith by Rottingdean Bazaar, the book born through this unlikely collaboration.
While it was Ben Reardon, the editor of the book, who brought the collaboration “together like a blind date”, it was Rottingdean Bazaar’s witty and irreverent take on a classic brand that brought the book to life – cut to the chapter that features 12 people named Paul or Paula Smith (including a taxi driver, “strongman”, virtual reality developer and a swim instructor) all wearing Paul Smith. Also included in the book is a 20-page still-life and poetry story, as well as a charming story featuring students of the Nottingham Television Workshop drama school costumed in Paul Smith SS19 (Nottingham being the birthplace of the designer).
Original and exciting, the book is typically ‘Rottingdean Bazaar’ while the dry sense of humour of Paul Smith is present throughout. Rottingdean Bazaar give us the run down on the dinosaurs they’re into, where they go to let their hair down, and their all time favourite Pauls.
Photography by Lucy Alex Mac, styling by Rottingdean Bazaar
How did you approach the concept?
Diagonally.
What’s the best bit of the book?
All the people in it.
How important is it that you make people laugh?
*tumbleweed*
Dinosaurs… which is your favourite type?
The boney kind.
Who are your top five Pauls?
Paul Rudd, Paul Daniels, Paula Abdul, Pauline Collins, Paul the bakery.
Photography by Annie Collinge, props and styling by Rottingdean Bazaar
Where did you find your Paul and Paula Smiths?
Facebook.
Tell as an unknown fact about a Paul or a Paula…
Paul Smith the street artist has had a Christmas tree up in his living room permanently for the past 15 years.
Where would you ask taxi driver Paul to take you?
Homesense.
What are the pillars of Rottingdean Bazaar?
The pillars have crumbled.
Where do you go when you’re burning the candle at both ends?
Legends Bar and Hotel, Brighton.
If you could sum up the book using two words, what would they be?
Handbag-sized.
Paul Smith by Rottingdean Bazaar has a limited release of 500 and will be available at Dover Street Market London, the Paul Smith website and selected Paul Smith shops, priced at a generous £9.99
