Walpole: You have now been CEO of Smythson for just over two years. What has been your proudest achievement at the brand in that time?
Joining Smythson in 2023 was a unique opportunity to lead the brand into a new chapter following the challenges of COVID-19. It allowed me to both appreciate the strengths of this beloved British heritage brand and identify ways to reinforce its foundations while exploring opportunities for growth. The recent acquisition by Oakley Capital and our integration into Iconic BrandCo (Oakley’s group of luxury heritage brands) signifies a landmark moment in Smythson’s 138-year history. This new era presents exciting opportunities to accelerate growth and expand the brand’s presence, with early stages already coming into fruition, such as the opening of our concession in Liberty in August.
Smythson was founded in 1887. What are the key qualities that have ensured the brand’s longevity – and how are you honouring these in the present day?
Exceptional craftsmanship and timeless innovation are at the heart of everything we do at Smythson, forming a defining part of our brand DNA since 1887. Central to our operations are our dedicated production sites in Hertfordshire and Wiltshire, where our skilled craftspeople produce our signature notebooks, diaries, and stationery. Each piece is handcrafted using time-honoured techniques that have been passed down through generations. Smythson is also extremely proud to be one of only seven companies worldwide to hold both available royal warrants.
What is your vision for the brand – and what are your measures of success?
International growth is a key focus for us as a brand, with specific focus on the US, Japanese, and European markets. Japan has been a standout market in 2025, with the successful openings of our Ginza Six and Isetan locations earlier this year. Both pop-up and permanent retail opportunities are planned for later this year and into 2026. Building on the success of our Le Bon Marché concession in France, we’re also excited to launch a men’s pop-up at Galeries Lafayette this autumn. Looking ahead to 2026, the US will be a keen focus, with plans to open a flagship store in New York. This will not only support our current, loyal US customer base, but also introduce Smythson to a new international audience.
What has been a challenge you have had to overcome at Smythson – and how did you do it?
One of the toughest challenges I’ve faced at Smythson was the closure of our Bond Street store in 2024. Although the decision was beyond our control, it was particularly difficult given that New Bond Street had been Smythson’s home since 1887. Despite this, we’ve been heartened to see many of our loyal Bond Street customers continue to shop with us at our Sloane Street and Selfridges locations, with both sites experiencing an uptick in both footfall and sales.
What do you think makes a great British luxury brand circa now?
From both our local and international customer base, we understand that British craftsmanship is an enduring symbol of British luxury. As this is such an integral part of our brand DNA, we are exploring different ways to showcase our British craftsmanship to both new and existing customers. One way we are doing this is by rolling out more behind-the-scenes content across our social channels.
What’s something that luxury customers are increasingly demanding from your brand?
Personalisation continues to be very popular with our customers, with over 40% of all online orders featuring personalisation. In-store, our customers especially appreciate being able to have their items personalised on the same day and enjoy watching the skilled artisans gold-stamp their pieces in person. We consistently see spikes in personalisation requests around key gifting moments throughout the year, with Christmas being a particularly busy time for our gold stampers.
What’s the next big trend in luxury retail (and how are you embracing it)?
In an increasingly digital world, we continue to see customers embracing the analogue world of writing. With the growing popularity of mindful journaling and trends such as junk journaling, we see new demographics discovering and enjoying our diaries and notebooks.
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