Local Hero: Menswear Stalwart Paul Mullen Brings Own-label Paradaiza to Edinburgh's Stockbridge
After 30 years of selling big menswear brands, Paul Mullen is now creating and selling his own, Paradaiza
“When you have Italian visitors to Edinburgh telling you they like your clothes, you know you are doing something right.”
As well as impressing style-savvy tourists, Paul Mullen has built a growing following among discerning locals since opening his Stockbridge shop in summer 2023. Paradaiza may be a young brand, but it already feels confident in its lane.
Built around a compact range of versatile, easy-to-wear garments, Paradaiza is contemporary menswear combining good fabrics and good workmanship at sensible prices. This is no-fuss dressing with wide appeal, designed to be worn, lived in and returned to again and again.
Edinburgh born and bred, Paul spent 30 years working at Xile, one of Scotland’s most respected multi-brand menswear retailers, rising from Saturday part-timer to joint managing director. In spring 2023 he was made redundant and, approaching his 50th birthday, decided it was time to go it alone, bringing to life ideas he had been quietly developing for several years.
Paradaiza opened in August 2023, just a few months later.
“I was always a product person,” he explains. “With Paradaiza, I’ve created garments by taking ideas from things I’ve liked in my own wardrobe, maybe a pocket detail from one jacket and a lapel idea from another. I’m trying to do as much as I can made in Scotland or made in the UK, or by using good British fabrics.”
Paradaiza, the name is derived from a Persian word meaning a walled garden or sanctuary, is built around hero garments, deceptively simple pieces that work together or stand confidently on their own. Here, Paul picks out five highlights for the current spring summer season.
The Atelier Work Jacket
The Atelier Collection introduces limited-edition pieces that lean into craftsmanship and individuality. The Atelier Worker Jacket is made in India using organic cotton twill, then hand finished in Edinburgh with vintage fabric panels and sashiko, Japanese-style repair stitching used decoratively. £225.
The Oversized Tee
Printed T-shirts were an early cornerstone of the brand. Paul works exclusively with local artists and the designs change regularly. The Fall Before The Rise is by Edinburgh-based artist Luke Milne. £60.
The Pinch Trousers
Another early Paradaiza piece, this relaxed but refined trouser references a 1990s Edinburgh habit of narrowing hems with a stitched “pinch” at the ankle. Made in Scotland using fabric from British supplier Brisbane Moss, comprising 98% cotton and 2% elastane for stretch. £125.
The Rail Worker Jacket
An updated workwear style combining details from a Lee 101 vintage jacket with a Stone Island-inspired collar. Produced in small batches in Scotland using 100% cotton indigo herringbone denim from Turkish mill Orta. £250.
The Atelier Bomber Jacket
A reworking of the classic Harrington, this bomber is made in India using premium merino wool herringbone from Leeds-based mill Abraham Moon. Like all Atelier pieces, it is produced in limited numbers. £425.
You’ll find Paul in the shop most days. If Stockbridge isn’t on your route, the website is always open.
Paradaiza
1 Glanville Place
Stockbridge
Edinburgh EH3 6SZ