Paul Smith opens shop in South Africa

Quirky British sensibility has arrived with the opening of Paul Smith in Johannesburg¹s leafy Parkhurst suburb and Cape Town¹s swish Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

Head-honchos from the media and marketing industries attended the swish store openings in late November last year. With the aid of food extraordinaire Vicky Crease and French bubbly Taittinger, guests swooned the night away in Johannesburg while those attending Cape Town's launch ended the evening off at newly-opened Neighbourhood Lounge in Long Street.

Guests included CNN's Robyn Curnow and Kim Norgaard, Marianne Fassler, Vuyo Jack, Nina Morris, Dion Chang, Gwen Gill, Elle Decor's Karen Roos, Conde Nast's Liz Morris, Kate Wilson from Marie Claire, Jason Brown and Neil Doveton from Best Life, Adam Levin, architect Sarah Calburn and GQ's Rob Cilliers.

Emulating an appreciation for the finer things in life mixed with weathered and worn, both shops house current European ranges with lighter collections from the 40¹s inspired Autumn/ Winter 2007 range and heavier collections from the David Hockney-inspired Spring/ Summer 2008 range.

"As opposed to bi-annual season-swopping periods with retail in South Africa, we have ensured a multi-seasonal range with collections from current and forthcoming European ranges," says Anthony Keyworth, licensee for Paul Smith in South Africa.

Following the launch of their consumer PR division - Sentient Communications were tasked with producing the launches respectively.