Sir Paul Smith was born in Nottingham, England, on 5 July 1946. An avid cyclist until he was seventeen, when a road accident put paid to his competitive ambitions, Paul found himself amongst a new world of creatively minded young people and from there embarked on a life-long journey of discovery and exploration in design, music and fashion.

From its origins in one small shop in Nottingham, Paul Smith has grown into a global business, selling to five continents, over sixty countries and 3,000 shops. Paul was knighted for services to fashion in the 2000 Birthday Honours, followed in 2020 by his appointment as one of 65 members of the Order of the Companions of Honour. Threads is his deeply personal memoir of his life and career.