Smythson
Frank Smythson Ltd., more simply known as Smythson /smaɪθsən/, of Bond Street is a British manufacturer of luxury stationery, leather goods, diaries, and fashion products based in London, England. The company's founder, Frank Smythson, opened his first store on 29 September 1887 at 133, New Bond Street, London. The current flagship store is located nearby at 131-132 New Bond Street, London. Clients have included the current Royal Family, Queen Victoria, many UK Politicians and Prime Ministers, Sir Edmund Hillary, Madonna, and Grace Kelly.
 | |
| Industry | Luxury goods |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1887 |
| Founder | Frank Smythson |
| Headquarters | New Bond Street, London, United Kingdom |
Area served | Global |
Key people | Jacques Bahbout (Chairman)[1] Stefano Giacomelli (Deputy Chairman) Luc Goidadin (Creative Director) |
| Products | Leather goods and personal stationery |
| Website | Smythson.com |
In 1908, the company created the first 'Featherweight' diary,[2] enabling diaries to be carried about.[3]
In the United States, Smythson has stores located on Madison Avenue and in Westfield World Trade Center. Their products are also available at Saks Fifth Avenue.
In the United Kingdom, in addition to the New Bond Street flagship, Smythson also has boutiques on Sloane Street, Westbourne Grove and in Royal Exchange, alongside concessions in Harrods, Selfridges and Heathrow Terminals 2 and 5, and a store at the Bicester Village outlet mall near Oxford. Their other international location is in Le Bon Marché in Paris.
The New Bond Street store hosts a small archive collection dedicated to notable users of Smythson products throughout the brand's history.
Most of the company's leather goods are now made in Italy.[4]
History
In the 1950s, the John Menzies Group acquired Smythson, which was at the time also operating under the name "Pendragon". 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 and online through their website. In 2004, Smythson recorded £12m 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 label was sold for £18 million to Greenwill SA.[5] Jacques Bahbout became Chairman of Smythson.
In 2021, Stefano Giacomelli was appointed Deputy Chairman.
In recent years, Smythson has done a number of collaborations with a range of artists and designers such as Holly Fulton in 2010,[6] Jonathan Saunders in 2011,[7] Quentin Jones in 2014 and Coco Capitán in 2020.[8]
References
- Jones, Nina (29 January 2014). "New Role for Jacques Bahbout at Smythson". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
- http://www.smythson.com/corporate-diaries
- p.181 Moss, Victoria The Archivists In Style October 2012
- Choudhry, Talib (13 April 2017). "House of card: Smythson unveils a new exhibition to mark 130 years of elegant accessories". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- Jack, Ian (27 March 2010). "An unauthorised history of Smythson's". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- Alexander, Ella (14 July 2010). "Fulton for Smythson". Vogue. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
- Bergin, Olivia. "Jonathan Saunders for Smythson". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- Ryder, Bethan. "British artist Quentin Jones designs for Smythson". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
.svg.png.webp)
