Paul Smith's Cycling Scrapbook

Book excerpt: A visual celebration of cycling presented through the passions and personal memorabilia of beloved menswear fashion designer Paul Smith Were it not for a serious crash in his teens, fashion designer Paul Smith might have become known as a successful racing cyclist. His cycling career cut short, and after a six-month spell in the hospital, he opened a small boutique in England in 1970. Today, Paul Smith is one of the UK’s most successful exports, with over 350 shops worldwide. It was only relatively recently, however, that Smith publicly returned to the world of cycling. This lively scrapbook illustrates Smith’s favorite people, races, and places in the cycling world through the images and ephemera that inspired him. From his collection of cycling jerseys and his extensive library of cycling publications and brochures of the 1950s and 1960s to the inspiration he has found in his cycling heroes (Coppi, Anquetil, Bartali) and his collaborations with bike-makers (Mercian and Pinarello) and race organizers, this is a personal and highly visual journey that connects Smith’s love of cycling with his love of design. Paul Smith’s Cycling Scrapbook is a winning combination of design and the world’s most increasingly popular pastime, sure to thrill cycling fans and fashion enthusiasts everywhere.