2009: Sir Paul Smith

The 2009 London Design Medal went to Sir Paul Smith, not only one of the UK's greatest fashion designers, but also a visionary businessman. He was knighted in 2000 after almost three decades as a menswear icon.

Smith's designs are often inspired by classic British cuts, combining them in an unsual manner or using striking colors to make them stand out. In 1995, the London-based Design Museum opened a restrospective of Smith's 25 years of work in the fashion business called True Brit, marking the first time this renowned museum devoted an entire exhibition to a single fashion designer. 

As Sir John Sorrell commented at the 2009 Medal ceremony, "I think this man is an absolute design hero."