ESCOBEDO WEARS SINGLE-
BREASTED JACKET, £850;
TROUSERS, £450; SHIRT, £285;
BROGUES, £330, ALL BY
PAUL SMITH TUXEDO. IN THE
BACKGROUND ARE THE BREEZE
WALLS – EACH A LATTICE
OF CEMENT ROOF TILES – OF
HER SERPENTINE PAVILIONFRIDA ESCOBEDO
‘Paul’s designs have a great balance between
being classic and having unexpected details’
architect to model his new tuxedo designs for
our shoot at Escobedo’s Serpentine Pavilion
in London’s Kensington Gardens.
Living in ‘trousers and jeans’, the architect
relished the opportunity to dress up without
actually having to use a dress, she says, adding
that Smith’s work has always been on her
radar. ‘I’ve liked Paul’s collections for quite
a while, especially the accessories and shoes –
they seem to always have a great balance
between being classic and having unexpected
details, like a black pair of Oxfords with a
bright orange-red sole, or the amazing wallets
with bright stripes or cheeky graphics on
the inside,’ says Escobedo.
Smith irst spotted Escobedo’s work
when she was selected for the 2018 Serpentine
Gallery commission. Her approach instantly
resonated with him. ‘I especially liked
the way she played with light and shadows,
which is something I’ve always been a big
fan of in my own designs and also my ownphotography,’ he says. ‘It’s a great privilege
to see her wearing my clothes, particularly
the tuxedo collection.’
The collection, inspired by Smith’s
wife Pauline, consists of almost 20 pieces,
including black-and-ivory tuxedo sets,
various shirt and coat designs, a dress,
brogues and a bag. It is all ‘very architectural’,
explains the designer. While often, tuxedo-
inspired pieces for women will be more
elaborate or embellished, he says, this take
is all about simple lines that unite tailoring
and architecture, built around the weight
of the fabric and its drape.
For Escobedo, it strikes the perfect
balance between soft and structured, male
and female. ‘I tend to wear masculine-inspired
pieces,’ she says, ‘and the construction
of the tuxedo collection for women feels so
sexy, easy and elegant at the same time.’ ∂
Paul Smith Tuxedo will be available from
26 November, paulsmith.com; fridaescobedo.net Hair: Takuya Uchiyama using Bumble and Bumble. Make-up: Verity Cumming using Make Up For Ever116 ∑
Fashion
A representative of Mexico’s dynamic
contemporary architecture scene,
Frida Escobedo set up her practice in
Mexico City in 2006 and has been going
from strength to strength ever since.CASA NEGRA, 2004
Standing on four columns, this live/
work space in the outskirts of Mexico
City was Escobedo’s first ground-up,
new-build project (designed with her
then-partner Alejandro Alarcón).
HOTEL BOCA CHICA, 2010
The renovation of a 1950s hotel in
Acapulco, Hotel Boca Chica (W*137)
offered the opportunity for Escobedo
to experiment with interventions
to an existing structure.
LA TALLERA, 2012
This high-profile project, which
comprises a museum, atelier and
artist’s residence, placed Escobedo
firmly on the global architecture map.
CIVIC STAGE, 2013
Stage design for Lisbon’s 2013
Architecture Triennale marked her
first European project.
AESOP INSTALLATION, 2014
An installation at a pop-up Aesop
store in New York, featuring shifting
layers of sand, was the first of many
retail designs by Escobedo for the
Australian beauty brand.
SERPENTINE PAVILION, 2018
With her time-and-space-inspired
design, Escobedo joined a prestigious
list of architects to have completed
the annual London commission.CURRENT PROJECTS, 2018
Due to be completed before the end of
the year are: a hotel in Puebla for Grupo
Habita; a housing project and a private
residence in Mexico City; an Aesop store
in New York’s Park Slope; and a house
for the Re_construir México initiative.