Paul Smith

Paul Smith in brief

• Rank: #77 of 100 in UK's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026; #4 of 5 in Luxury & Fashion.
• WCRC Power Score: 63.08 out of 100.
• Founded: 1970, by Paul Smith.
• Owner: Paul Smith Group Holdings Limited, Nottingham, England.
• Leadership: Sir Paul Smith, Founder, Chairman and Designer.
• Latest revenue: £181m revenue (FY2025, year to Jun 2025, -8.0%), group revenue of Paul Smith Group Holdings, as per company filings.

What makes Paul Smith powerful

Paul Smith is one of the few British fashion houses still led by its founder. Sir Paul Smith's blend of classic tailoring and playful colour, captured in the signature multi-stripe, has made the brand recognisable from Tokyo to Paris. Its shops, often in converted buildings with eclectic interiors, feel personal rather than corporate.

The brand's power lies in that authenticity and in its international reach. Japan has long been one of its strongest markets, and online revenue rose 14% in 2024/25 even as total sales fell. Independence lets Paul Smith pursue design-led collaborations and keep a distinct voice in a market dominated by luxury conglomerates. For many shoppers, it remains the go-to brand for a well-cut suit with a sense of humour.

Paul Smith opened his first shop in Nottingham in 1970.

Why Paul Smith ranks #77

Paul Smith ranks 77th with a WCRC Power Score of 63.08, just behind Fever-Tree and ahead of SSE. Trust (66) is its strongest pillar, reflecting a founder-led brand with a loyal following, with positioning (64) and product (64) close behind. Sustainability and governance (60) and digital and financial strength (56) are its weakest pillars, the latter reflecting falling sales and a widening loss, and hold it back.

The Achilles' heel

Paul Smith's turnover fell 8% to £181.2 million in the year to June 2025, and its pre-tax loss widened to £16.7 million as wholesale sales dropped 16% faster than costs could be cut. It is restructuring its wholesale channels. Succession is a long-term question for a brand so tied to its founder, who turned 80 in 2026.

The 2026 story

Paul Smith's accounts for the year to 30 June 2025, reported in March 2026, showed turnover down 8% to £181.2 million and a pre-tax loss of £16.7 million, up from £5.4 million, as wholesale revenue fell 16% and the US was hit by delayed shipments. Retail sales fell 3% to £102.6 million, though online revenue rose 14%. The company described the year as one of strategic transition and said trading was bouncing back in the current year.

Pillar profile

Provisional desk scores out of 100, for the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit to validate.

Versus its nearest rivals

Questions people ask

Also featured in

• Most powerful Luxury & Fashion brands
• Most powerful brands in England

Key facts

Sources

• Annual report and published financial results of Paul Smith Group Holdings Limited
• Company website, official announcements and press releases
• Published interviews and statements by the leadership
• WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer sentiment, ratings and reviews, search demand, media and social data