See this: Hello My Name Is Paul Smith (AKA In Praise Of Clutter)

January is turning out to be culture month for me, as I catch up on all the exhibitions I missed in the madness of Christmas. I would urge everybody with any interest in design or fashion to nip along to the Hello My Name Is Paul Smith exhibition at the Design Museum. I went last week as a guest of the lovely Proportion London team, who organised a curator’s tour so we got to listen close-up to how senior curator Donna Loveday worked with Paul to pull the massively extensive world of Paul Smith, designer, together.

Now, all those moaning minnies who sniffed at  how much STUFF Jane had on last week’s gorgeous Apartment Therapy post, can you just take a look at how cluttered Mr Smith’s office is, here below? That would be Sir Paul Smith too, super successful designer and a collector of clutter. Doesn’t seem to have done him any harm. Clutter, people can be a GOOD THING.

Paul Smith’s office, recreated for the Design Museum, image Dezeen

The exhibition has replicated both Paul’s office and his design studio in full, as Donna said on her first visit to see him she was struck by how fantastic it was, so full of inspiration and seemingly essential to how he works. I found it fascinating to see Paul’s working environment up close and there are many video interviews of him explaining how he works too, which were equally absorbing. The Day In The Life Of A Catwalk Show video, towards the end of the show, was insightful for Mr Smith’s sheer enthusiasm for what he does, even after all this time. He’s a pin up boy for finding a job you really love.

The clothes looked fantastic on, ahem, such lovely mannequins! (supplied by Proportion London) Also, I have the dress featured below right, bought in slimmer times (mine is in silk velvet without the sequins) and now in my ‘Never Throw Away’ box in the garage…perhaps I should sell it on eBay?

Everyone in our group of visual merchandisers loved the floor to ceiling art walls, a fabulous curation of an eclectic mix of art, posters, clothes, photos and things Paul had picked up and framed. It looked both beautiful and inspiring pulled together in this orderly manner and I am going to have a go at this at home. I like the way everything is in a simple black frame…

The exhibition is on until March 9th at The Design Museum, more details here. Proportions also took us for a lovely lunch at the close by Blue Print Cafe, which has stunning views of Tower Bridge and The Thames and has delicious food, should you be wanting to make a day of it.

While we’re talking Design Museum, I was explaining to Donna about our blog and she told us to watch out for an exhibition coming later in the year, ‘Women, Fashion and Power’ which will look at how powerful women use their clothes….sounds right up our street.