Designer dresses down corporate ethos

Smith: Creativity is being stifled

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Leading British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith has raised concerns about the lack of individuality in the British fashion industry.

As London Fashion Week began on Sunday, Smith said the domination of large companies could affect the future of fashion.

"What is worrying me is the interesting observation about … our fashion industry, (and) many other industries, is the eating up of so many companies by single big companies," Smith told Richard Quest of CNN's Business International.

"It is making several companies very powerful, but also -- in my opinion -- could be eventually quite limiting because they are all going down the formulaic route of idea-concept-rollout-organisation.

"It could be seen as being a problem because there's no character and individuality left in the company," he added.

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Smith is one of more than 670 designers showing their collections in London.

He said he could not see a solution for Britain's fashion industry which is dominated by high street chain stores.

"That could mean that individuality and small runs of production don't suit this country.

"The other thing could be that the captains of industry, the people who run the businesses, aren't there to understand design.

"I don't know if we'll ever get it right."

ELLE
Feb. 10, 1999

Paul Smith
London Fashion Week

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