About the Author

Harold Smith (1903-1998) was a credit-draper in Nottingham, England, and a co-founder of the Beeston Camera Club. In 1997 he was awarded the Olympus Prize for amateur photography. Paul Smith (b. 1948) is the most successful fashion designer in British history. Still independently owned, Paul Smith's clothing label has an annual turnover of more than 250 million pounds, with 14 shops in the UK and more than 240 shops in Japan. In 1991 he was awarded the British Designer for Industry Award. In 1994 he was awarded a C.B.E. for services to fashion design; he was knighted in 2000. Smith was the subject of the exhibition 'True Brit' at the Design Museum, London, subsequently shown at the Fashion Museum and the Mitsukoshi Museum of Art in Japan. Paul Smith is also a fully-paid-up member of the Dennis the Menace club and knows the secret handshake off by heart.

Reviews

"'Paul has a great eye for finding amusing, or beautiful things in unexpected places... He loves to share what he finds. It'as what makes him not Just a great designer but unfallingly good company.' - Deyan Sudjic 'Paul Smith demonstrates that humble everyday objects can often provide clues for potent visual ideas.' - Jim Davies, In True Brit 'My father, Harold Smith, by profession a credit draper in Nottingham, was a passionate photographer and a co-founder of the Beeston Camera Club. When he wasn't supplying clothes and household goods direct to people's homes, he thought about composition, not only taking photographs but also developing and printing all his own work in his home-made attic darkroom. In contrast, my snaps with an instant camera are about observation, humour and the 'caught moment' - Paul Smith, 2000"