Paul Smith Rings In 25 Years in NYC With Patti Smith, Grace Coddington + Apples Galore

 Twenty-five years ago, British designer Sir Paul Smith opened his first American shop on 5th avenue in New York. Last night some groovy British ex-pats and some of fashion's finest came together in that very location to celebrate the man and his formal wear, which has a decidedly English twist. While a London-style cab was parked outside, guests including Grace Coddington, Linda Fargo, and Joey Arias danced to beats provided by guest DJ Siobhan Fahey, of Bananarama and Shakespears Sister. To celebrate the quarter century mark, the brand has introduced a line of apple-themed products, like classic Paul Smith totes printed with bright green granny-smiths (see images below). We caught up with Sir Paul and chatted about how a man can dress up but still have some fun:

Is there a difference between the way men dress in America and the UK?

When I first came 25 years ago, not just in America but especially in America, there was quite a way of conservative dressing. Men were nervous about color. Now it's more relaxed. I think the Brits are not too dissimilar to the way Americans dress. The Italians are a bit braver with color. The Japanese are just braver with fashion generally.

Is there a certain type of guy you design for?

I'm not sure because, hopefully, I have quite a broad appeal these days. But initially, when I first started, there were definitely a lot of music industry people, young architects and graphic designers [wearing my designs]. Generally speaking, they're creative guys.

Is there anything you'd like to change about the way men dress?

I would l like to advise the average man to just think about his lifestyle, think
about his body, think about his age and try and dress appropriately based off of that.