![British designer Paul Smith poses for a photo at his desk in his office in central London February 17, 2009. As the world falls deeper into a recession, British fashion powerhouse Sir British designer Paul Smith poses for a photo at his desk in his office in central London February 17, 2009. As the world falls deeper into a recession, British fashion powerhouse Sir](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D1F09P/british-designer-paul-smith-poses-for-a-photo-at-his-desk-in-his-office-in-central-london-february-17-2009-as-the-world-falls-deeper-into-a-recession-british-fashion-powerhouse-sir-paul-smith-talked-about-how-he-survived-the-falls-of-previous-economic-cycles-and-the-lessons-he-learned-from-those-times-to-prepare-for-what-lies-ahead-with-a-small-amount-of-savings-smith-opened-his-first-shop-in-nottingham-in-1970-six-years-later-he-showed-his-first-menswear-show-in-paris-under-the-paul-smith-label-smiths-love-of-classic-styles-mixed-with-just-a-hint-of-english-eccentricism-whether-it-b-2D1F09P.jpg)
British designer Paul Smith poses for a photo at his desk in his office in central London February 17, 2009. As the world falls deeper into a recession, British fashion powerhouse Sir
![Design for life: Paul Smith talks classics with a twist, Japanese fans, Britishness - and why he prides himself on still being childlike | The Independent | The Independent Design for life: Paul Smith talks classics with a twist, Japanese fans, Britishness - and why he prides himself on still being childlike | The Independent | The Independent](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2013/11/27/23/5635177.jpg?quality=75&width=982&height=726&auto=webp)
Design for life: Paul Smith talks classics with a twist, Japanese fans, Britishness - and why he prides himself on still being childlike | The Independent | The Independent
![BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Paul Smith; The Counsellor; Johnny Cash, Hello, my name is Paul Smith - Paul Smith in his first shop BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Paul Smith; The Counsellor; Johnny Cash, Hello, my name is Paul Smith - Paul Smith in his first shop](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/320x180_b/p01lhlw2.jpg)
BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Paul Smith; The Counsellor; Johnny Cash, Hello, my name is Paul Smith - Paul Smith in his first shop
![Design for life: Paul Smith talks classics with a twist, Japanese fans, Britishness - and why he prides himself on still being childlike | The Independent | The Independent Design for life: Paul Smith talks classics with a twist, Japanese fans, Britishness - and why he prides himself on still being childlike | The Independent | The Independent](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2013/11/27/23/5635177.jpg?quality=75&height=166&fit=bounds&format=pjpg&crop=16%3A9%2Coffset-y0.5&auto=webp)