Every day since 2005, Paul Smith’s landmark shop on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, which is famous for its vibrant pink exterior, has attracted hordes of photographers and Instagrammers, taking pictures and queueing around the block.
On Thursday, April 28, a new mural has been installed. Although not revolutionary, it’s a change to the store’s longstanding design. Following the success of the label’s AW21 campaign, which saw the signature stripe take to the skies, wrapping a huge hot air balloon in the brand’s iconic motif, this year’s campaign sees the Paul Smith store in the city ‘unwrapped’ to reveal its inner signature stripe.
Conceived by the Paul Smith team and painted by a group of local experts, Overall Murals, the new temporary mural stands as a tribute to the heritage, craft and innovation of the signature stripe, the brand said.
The photorealistic mural is designed to achieve a clever trompe-l’œil effect, which makes it appear as if the pink outer layer of the shop is being peeled away to uncover the stripe within.
The mural is part of a series of events and activations Paul Smith will be hosting to celebrate the signature stripe for the SS22 season, and is planned as a temporary installation.