Paul Smith links with Rolling Stones for Hackney Diamonds launch

Paul Smith is the latest major fashion name to team up with the Rolling Stones for the Hackney Diamonds album release with an exclusive limited edition vinyl and collectible T-shirts.

This is the band’s first studio album in 18 years and comes with a number of key collabs of which Paul Smith is a logical one. The designer has been a friend of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood for some years.

The Rolling Stones x Paul Smith exclusive vinyl design references the album’s title (a nod to East End slang for broken glass) with a photoprint rendering of smashed glass. The use of the photoprint is key given that Smith pioneered photoprint use in clothing back in the 1980s.

Meanwhile the vinyl sleeve features the Stones’ signature colour — red — and also uses Smith’s distinctive handwriting for the band name and track list. The vinyl features a sticker with a reworking of the band’s tongue logo and the Paul Smith signature stripe.

The 100% organic cotton tees also feature the vinyl print as well as a version with a print of the reinterpreted signature stripe tongue logo front and centre.

Paul Smith said: “As a brand, we’ve always had a close relationship with the music business, and I count The Rolling Stones as one of my all-time musical heroes. As well as being a fan, I’m also lucky enough to be able to call the band friends. It goes without saying that Hackney Diamonds is a phenomenal album, with a fearless spirit. For this launch, I wanted to create something that stayed true to the vision that the band set out – with a few subtle Paul Smith ‘twists’, as we call them.”