The Diary: Inside the Paul Smith 50th Anniversary Dinner

The British designer gathered friends old and new in Paris to celebrate the brand's 50th birthday

British designer Paul Smith got his epnymous brand’s milestone year off to a jubilant start this week. 2020 sees the company mark its 50th anniversary and the celebrations started during Paris Fashion Week with a special AW20 collection riffing on the house’s signature designs.

This was followed by an elegant cocktail reception and dinner held at Le Trianon theatre where guests were treated to a menu devised by Arnold & Henderson. Famous fans of the brand, including long-time friends Sir Ian McKellen and Bill Nighy as well as new converts Jonah Hauer-King and Edward Bleumel, turned out to raise a toast – and dance the night away to a playlist personally curated by Sir Paul himself. Scroll down to see more…