GUFRAM PRESENTS THE SUNRISE CACTUS® IN COLLABORATION WITH PAUL SMITH

2 November 2023 – This Fall British fashion designer Paul Smith and Italian radical design brand Gufram renewed their collaboration to present the SUNRISE CACTUS®, a bold new interpretation of the iconic piece originally designed by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello in 1972. 

In 2016, the mutual appreciation between the two brands led to their first collaboration, the PSYCHEDELIC CACTUS®, which marked a true revolution for Gufram. The PSYCHEDELIC CACTUS® was the first one of this kind. For the very first time the CACTUS® was painted by someone else, someone from the fashion world. From this moment on, various personalities from the most different creative fields have reinterpreted the CACTUS®, making it an icon of contemporary design.

The new SUNRISE CACTUS® is inspired by the dawning of a new day and Paul Smith’s saying “every day is a new beginning”, which is also inscribed on the Cactus’ base. Sunrises are an important symbol of renewal in nature, representing hope and transformation. The Gufram x Paul Smith SUNRISE CACTUS® – which celebrates the reopening of the newly renovated iconic Paul Smith on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles – stands as a symbol of resilience, thriving in harsh conditions and representing a willingness to grow and evolve. It represents a metaphorical new sunrise for Paul Smith in Los Angeles, a new beginning for the brand, and a renovated presence of Gufram in the United States. 

“It’s always such a pleasure to work with a team as creative and passionate as the one at Gufram. The Cactus is obviously an icon of 1970s design – from the same decade that I started my own business – and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to put my own spin on it once again.” – Paul Smith

The new SUNRISE CACTUS® features an energetic and optimistic colour palette, typical of daybreak. As the sun rises at the horizon, inspiring a sense of joy and energy, the powerful hues of the SUNRISE CACTUS® gradually change from the soft yellow shade at its base reaching into the blue tone of a summer’s sky at the top, blending through light tones of orange and pink. 

“Because of its geographical position, the buildings’ reflections, and the weather, Los Angeles has a particular light – this is something that always struck me. The colours, which completely represent the distinctive style of Paul Smith, perfectly reflects the city’s nuances and its unique lifestyle. Indeed, Los Angeles has a freedom that no other city in the world has.” – Charley Vezza, CEO of Gufram

Just like the previous Cactus, the SUNRISE CACTUS®, is made from the original mould, sculpted and hand finished by specialised artisans in Gufram’s Italian headquarter, making each piece unique. The 2,165 polyurethane bosses (give or take a few) that characterise the surface are then painted with Guflac®, Gufram’s patented paint that allows it to remain flexible and soft, seven different nuanced colours are then applied and blurred on the surface to achieve the effect designed by Paul Smith. 

Gufram’s Cactus is an Italian iconic piece that has revolutionised interior design. It appears as an ironic totem, and embodies the grit, the imagination, and the humour of 1970s design. Paul Smith, meanwhile, is known for his eclectic, colourful clothes that embody his ‘classic with a twist’ design philosophy – a motto he has championed for over 50 years. 

Like the PSYCHEDELIC CACTUS®, the SUNRISE CACTUS® is available in a limited run of just 169 pieces.

ABOUT PAUL SMITH

Paul Smith is Britain’s leading independent design company. Paul Smith champions positivity, curiosity and creativity. These qualities underpin every Paul Smith design, whether it's a shirt, a shop or a special collaboration. Paul Smith is a British company with a global outlook.

What began in a small, 3 x 3 meter shop in Nottingham, England in 1970 has grown to 130 shops and counting around the world, with locations in over 60 countries. https://www.paulsmith.com/