Paul Smith

Paul Smith opened his first shop in 1970, a room twelve feet square on Byard Lane in Nottingham, and showed his first menswear collection in Paris six years later. His 'classic with a twist' formula, sharp British tailoring undercut by bright linings, loud prints and the multicoloured Signature Stripe, grew into a business spanning menswear, womenswear, shoes and accessories, with Japan among its biggest markets. Knighted in 2000, Smith still leads the company, in which Itochu has held a 40 per cent stake since 2006.