Frank Smythson Limited, commonly known as Smythson (), is a British manufacturer and retailer of luxury

stationery Stationery refers to writing materials, including cut paper, envelopes, continuous form paper, and other office supplies. Stationery usually specifies materials to be written on by hand (e.g., letter paper) or by equipment such as computer p ...

leather goods Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hogs, ...

, diaries, and fashion products based in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England. The company's founder, Frank John Smythson, was born in 1847 at

Holborn Holborn ( or ), an area in central London, covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part (St Andrew Holborn (parish), St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Wards of the City of London, Ward of Farringdon Without i ...

and was a son of Marcus Alfred Smythson, a professor of music. He opened his first store on 29 September 1887 at 133 New Bond Street in London. Smythson's

flagship store A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

is located nearby at 131-132 New Bond Street. Smythson's clients have included the current

British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

, many UK politicians and prime ministers, Sir Edmund Hillary,

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

and Grace Kelly. In 1908, the company created the first 'Featherweight' diary, enabling diaries to be carried about. Most of the company's leather goods are now made in Italy.

Locations

In the United Kingdom, Smythson has London boutiques on Sloane Street, as well as concessions in

Harrods Harrods is a Listed building, Grade II listed luxury department store on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It was designed by C. W. Stephens for Charles Digby Harrod, and opened in 1905; it replaced the first store on the ground ...

, Selfridges and

Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport , also colloquially known as London Heathrow Airport and named ''London Airport'' until 1966, is the primary and largest international airport serving London, the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdo ...

Terminals 4 and 5. Smythson's other international location is at Le Bon Marché in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. The Flagship Store in New Bond Street hosted a small archive collection dedicated to notable users of Smythson products throughout the brand's history. However, the store closed its doors in April 2024, three months after it closed its boutique in Westbourne Grove.

History

In the 1950s, the John Menzies Group acquired Smythson, which was also operating under the name 'Pendragon' at the time. In 1998, Smythson's then managing director Sarah Elton led a management buyout backed by a private investor. Since then, the business has grown and the company is now operating outlets in the UK, US and France, as well as online through their website. In 2004, Smythson recorded £12 million in sales revenues. In early 2005, Smythson shareholders appointed Cavendish Corporate Finance Limited to advise on the disposal of their stake in the business. Besides maximising value for themselves, the shareholders wanted to find a buyer who would protect the heritage of the brand and offer the management team the opportunity to continue to grow. Kelso Place Asset Management and King Street Partners, backed by a consortium of high-net-worth individuals, were identified as the preferred bidders. Sarah Elton commented that she was satisfied with the deal. In mid-December 2009, the company was sold for £18 million to Greenwill SA. Jacques Bahbout became Chairman of Smythson. In 2021, Stefano Giacomelli was appointed Deputy Chairman. Smythson has collaborated with artists and designers such as Holly Fulton (2010), Jonathan Saunders (2011) and Quentin Jones (2014).

References

External links

Official website
{{British Royal Warrant holders British brands High fashion brands Leather manufacturers