Bicycle, signed Paul Smith
An inveterate cyclist, the English artist Paul Smith turned to fashion design after a bike accident when he was 17, which put an end to his cycling career as pro. With Mercian Cycles, an English company, he has now created some bicycle models which will be sold in his clothing shops from early November, each costing around 4,000 euros.
Paul Smith
Paul, at that time, was neither interested in studies nor in fashion. He dreamed of becoming a professional cyclist, like Tom Simpson or Louison Bobet. At 15 he left school. He was sure he would be the king of 'la petite reine'! But at 17, a very serious bicycle accident put paid to his ambitions. Would he have become a great champion? Today it is difficult to imagine this gentleman, a mix of Mick Jagger and Jacques Tati, climbing the Ventoux mountains with shaved calves and the yellow PTT jersey on his back. After a six month spell in hospital, Paul trailed around in the pubs of Nottingham, until in one of them, the Ring Bell, he met Pauline, a student in fabrics.
For Paul, it was a lightening bolt, so much so that at 21 years old he married Pauline. In the dowry: two children, two dogs and two cats. "I rented a family", he jokes today. With the new Mrs Smith, the young man decided to open a shop in Nottingham, for a few hours per week. The place was tiny, but one could find prestigious brands and a few of Paul's own creations.
Paul, at that time, was neither interested in studies nor in fashion. He dreamed of becoming a professional cyclist, like Tom Simpson or Louison Bobet. At 15 he left school. He was sure he would be the king of 'la petite reine'! But at 17, a very serious bicycle accident put paid to his ambitions. Would he have become a great champion? Today it is difficult to imagine this gentleman, a mix of Mick Jagger and Jacques Tati, climbing the Ventoux mountains with shaved calves and the yellow PTT jersey on his back. After a six month spell in hospital, Paul trailed around in the pubs of Nottingham, until in one of them, the Ring Bell, he met Pauline, a student in fabrics.
For Paul, it was a lightening bolt, so much so that at 21 years old he married Pauline. In the dowry: two children, two dogs and two cats. "I rented a family", he jokes today. With the new Mrs Smith, the young man decided to open a shop in Nottingham, for a few hours per week. The place was tiny, but one could find prestigious brands and a few of Paul's own creations.
Août 2007
