Collaborations are nothing new to Paul Smith. In the past decade, brands have been increasingly forming partnerships with likeminded companies, but Paul Smith has been doing it from the start. He opened his first store in Nottingham in 1970, and even then, he sold his own designs alongside other brands’ creations, as well as artworks and ceramics. It was the template for what was to follow and now, 54 years later, Paul Smith has overseen some of the most significant brand collaborations of the past half-century.

They are some of the most varied, too. Paul Smith has partnered with seemingly every important name in design, across every sector. There was the Mini collaboration of 1998, which saw the classic car overhauled in Paul Smith Blue, with a black leather and citrus green interior, a 9k gold enamelled bonnet badge and a denim jack and tool bag. They are among the rarest and most sought-after Minis on the road today.

In 2009, Paul Smith produced a limited-edition glass bottle for Evian, while a few years later saw special-edition Paul Smith for Leica cameras unveiled. There have also been projects with Anglepoise lamps, Globe-Trotter suitcases, Caran d’Ache pens, Land Rover Defenders, the Porsche 911, Cinelli cycling caps, Sabre cutlery and even Zippo lighters. The latest foray into the furniture design space comes in the form of ‘Artek Reimagined’, in partnership with the iconic Finnish company.

Founded in 1935 by architect husband-and-wife duo Alvar and Aino Aalto, Artek is one of the most renowned names in minimalist Nordic design. In the span of nearly a century, the house has produced a series of instantly recognisable furniture, mostly made from Finnish birch wood. Its most famous design, the Stool 60, was originally penned before the company’s founding, in 1933. With its curved wooden legs and simple, stackable design it looks just as contemporary today as it did then.

It makes sense that this is one of the pieces that forms the Paul Smith collaboration. The British brand has taken this classic piece of furniture and transformed it subtly with its own design touches. The “Signature Stripe” has long been known as a Paul Smith calling card, with its multitude of brightly coloured shades. But ingeniously, the Artek Reimagined partnership takes a quieter approach, referencing the stripe by utilising four varying hues of wood stain for the stool’s seat and each of its three legs.

It works as a nod to the Pop Art colours that have been integral to Paul Smith’s design language, while also acknowledging the muted minimalism of the Finnish design house. Turn the stool upside down though and, in homage to the linings of Paul Smith suits, the bottom is painted a vibrant ultramarine blue, completing his signature twist.

Further accentuating the stripe motif is Screen 100, the second piece in the capsule. A multi-slatted screen, which can be formed in a series of positions and shapes, Screen 100 has been stained in a broadened series of tones. There are two of Artek’s own finishes, as well as three new custom stains made exclusively for Paul Smith. The five shades repeat across the design, highlighting the craftsmanship and attention to detail of Artek’s artisans.

Rounding out the collection is Coat Rack 109, a piece that has been resurrected from Artek’s archives and brought back to life through the Paul Smith lens. It, too, boasts the unique multi-tone staining and, like the rest of the collection, has been handmade in Finland with the same craftsmanship and attention to detail that has, for over half a century, come to define both brands.

Artek Reimagined by Paul Smith is available online and in selected Paul Smith shops; paulsmith.com