SURREAL REMEMBRANCE

Paul Smith’s AW22 campaign draws inspiration from the surrealist cinema of days gone by

Paul Smith, Britain’s leading independent design company, reveals its AW22 campaign designed to recall surrealist film techniques and the work of the world’s greatest directors as well as showcase a return to dressing up again.

A mood of upbeat nostalgia permeates the campaign. Drawing on Paul Smith advertisements from the 1990s and early 2000s, which celebrated the joy of dressing up. It aims to capture the glamour, opulence and playfulness of “old Hollywood.”

Shot at a weathered country house staged to recall a movie set, the campaign features two distinct narratives: one of actors on set and the other of the antics they get up to when off set, away from the cameras.

Recalling avant-garde director’s techniques and myriad cinematic styles, including surrealism, as well as Paul Smith’s signature use of colour, the campaign showcases a highly saturated palette, inspired by the RGB colour model and the mechanics of cinematography.

Shot by photographer Johnny Dufort, the images make use of blur, flashes and glares to emphasise the richness of the colour palette while visible shadows of lighting equipment and rigging are intentionally kept in to emphasise the artifice and as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the construction of the image. A trompe-l’œil effect, seen in the AW22 collection, is also present in certain shots to create a dreamlike feel.

The styling – by Julian Ganio for men – is monochromatic to match backdrops and highlights key Paul Smith pillars for the season: coloured tailoring, dynamic prints, statement knitwear and checks.

Key pieces featured for men include a series of bold coloured suits in red, green and blue, the placement Stem Floral printed shirt, the Starlet print camp-collar shirt, Signature Striped mock neck sweater, checked outerwear, Solar Floral printed corduroy trousers, a shearling parka and the showstopping Zig Zag print mohair sweater.

‘Eagle Eyed Stranger’ by Ojar perfumes explores the mystical allure of Frankincense. This oriental woody fragrance greets you with the essence of summer, and is emboldened with white amber.

Ojar was founded by Sheikha Hind Bahwan of Oman, who conceived the brand’s collection of fragrances, as well as its design and visual campaign. Elaborating on her passion for perfumes, she says: “I see perfume as a lifestyle; it is a signature that you bring wherever you go.”

Sheikha Hind’s Ojar presents fragrances that blend influences from the East and the West, while paying tribute to the art and rituals of Middle Eastern perfume making. She chose the name Ojar for her brand because it derives from the word Hojari, widely regarded as the finest quality of frankincense resin in the world. Frankincense happens to be