Founded and first store opening
1887
New Bond Street
Royal warrants
2
to His Majesty The King and Her Majesty the Queen
Revenue
57%
generated from digital channels
Founded in London in 1887, Smythson specialises in high-quality leather goods and stationery with a rich heritage that includes producing stationery for Winston Churchill and members of the British Royal family.
Today, Smythson is one of only seven brands worldwide to hold two royal warrants. The company sells its products through seven stores and concessions across the UK, France and Japan, and globally via ecommerce channels.
Smythson forms a part of Oakley’s Iconic BrandCo platform, which currently comprises heritage brands Alessi, a high-end Italian design business focused on homeware products, Globe-Trotter, a premium, British luggage maker, Connolly, a luxury British brand known for its high-end leather goods and apparel and Fornasetti, an iconic luxury design atelier renowned for handcrafted home décor items and Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano, a family-owned, luxury Italian luggage maker.
Oakley aims to significantly grow the sales and value of Smythson by accelerating international expansion, digitising operations, and enhancing the company's brand positioning and digital marketing - strategies it is already successfully applying to Globe-Trotter, Alessi and Connolly.
The global luxury leather goods market continues to be supported by demand for timeless, high-quality accessories, with small leather goods and gifting representing structurally attractive, high-frequency entry categories. Consumers are increasingly drawn to brands with authentic heritage and craftsmanship, particularly in understated luxury. Alongside this, the ongoing shift towards digital and omnichannel purchasing creates opportunities to deepen direct customer relationships and enhance personalised gifting propositions. As a historic British luxury brand holding two Royal Warrants, Smythson is uniquely positioned to leverage its heritage, invest behind product and brand storytelling, and selectively scale its international presence as the luxury market consolidates.
