Paul Smith Jackets

PS by Paul Smith is the mainline diffusion range from the British designer Sir Paul Smith. It retains the same irreverent aesthetic as the main Paul Smith collection — signature stripe details, zebra logo patches and bold graphic prints — at a more accessible price point. The range covers everyday essentials including T-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, knitwear and accessories.

Paul Smith is most closely associated with mixing British tailoring traditions with unexpected details: bold stripe linings, playful graphic prints and the now-iconic multicolour stripe motif. Founded in Nottingham in 1970, the brand became one of the few truly global British menswear names, known equally for its suits and its characterful casual pieces. The zebra logo is one of the most recognisable symbols in contemporary British fashion.

PS Paul Smith offers several fits across the range. T-shirts and casual shirts are typically labelled Casual Fit, which runs slightly relaxed through the chest and shoulders. Polo shirts are offered in Regular Fit, which sits true to size with a straight hem. Tailored pieces such as overshirts and chinos use a Tapered Fit for a cleaner silhouette. If you are between sizes, Paul Smith recommends sizing up.

PS by Paul Smith sits alongside — not below — the Paul Smith mainline. Both lines are designed in-house under Sir Paul Smith's creative direction and share the brand's core aesthetic. The PS range focuses on casual and smart-casual separates, while the mainline leans more heavily into tailoring and formal pieces. Quality, craftsmanship and design attention are consistent across both.

The PS Paul Smith clothing range is built primarily on high-quality cotton, ranging from organic cotton piqué on polo shirts to cotton-linen blends on overshirts and shirts. Sweatshirts use cotton-blend fleece, while knitwear introduces merino wool and cotton-blend jacquard constructions. The brand avoids synthetic blends on its premium pieces, keeping the focus on natural fibres that wear well and age gracefully.

The current PS Paul Smith jacket range covers three distinct styles. The Navy Coach Full Zip Jacket is a structured, clean-line casual outer layer priced at £250. The Casual Fit Ecru Chore Jacket takes its proportions from classic workwear — longer body, chest pocket, relaxed fit — at £200. The Zip Front Sweat Jacket sits between outerwear and knitwear territory, offering a lightweight layer at £156 on sale from £195. All three are built in cotton or cotton-blend fabrics suitable for three-season wear.

The chore jacket is a workwear-derived silhouette — originally worn by French and American manual workers in the early twentieth century — characterised by a longer body, a straight cut, a chest patch pocket and a simple button front. PS Paul Smith's Casual Fit Ecru Chore Jacket retains those proportions while lifting the execution into designer territory through fabric quality and cut precision. It works best worn open over a T-shirt, polo or half-zip sweatshirt, functioning as a casual alternative to a blazer in smart-casual settings.

The Navy Coach Full Zip Jacket is cut in a Regular Fit with a clean shoulder line and a straight body that sits at the hip. It is designed to layer comfortably over a T-shirt, sweatshirt or lightweight knitwear without adding significant bulk. The full zip opening means it can be worn open as a layering piece or closed as a standalone outer layer in mild weather. True to standard UK sizing throughout — no need to size up for layering purposes.

All three jackets in the current range are best suited to spring, summer and autumn rather than winter. The cotton and cotton-blend constructions provide comfort and breathability in mild to cool temperatures but are not insulated for sustained cold weather use. The Zip Front Sweat Jacket is the most transitional — it works from early spring through to late autumn depending on what is layered underneath. For winter wear, Paul Smith's heavier knitwear or a dedicated outerwear piece would be more appropriate.

PS by Paul Smith is primarily a separates-focused line, with its depth concentrated in polo shirts, T-shirts and sweatshirts where the brand's graphic signatures translate most directly onto the garment. Jackets in the PS range are treated as considered additions rather than a full category in their own right — each style is chosen to fill a specific gap in the casual wardrobe rather than to compete across the full outerwear market. The Paul Smith mainline carries a broader jacket and tailoring offer for those looking for greater outerwear depth.

Cotton chore and coach jackets can typically be machine washed at 30°C on a gentle programme. Turn the jacket inside out before washing and fasten all buttons or zip closures to prevent snagging. Reshape while damp and hang to dry on a broad hanger to maintain the shoulder structure — avoid drying flat, which can cause the collar to lose its shape. A cool iron on the reverse of the fabric will remove any creasing without risking surface damage.