DEAR DIARY: Leathersmith of London, which started in 1839 as a bookbinder and now offers stationery, accessories and a selection of men’s clothing, has opened its first stand-alone store at Princes Arcade in London St. James’s.
It opened this week on the site of the former Prestat chocolate shop, and has been conceived as a “contemporary British home,” with interiors done in the brand’s signature navy blue and sunflower yellow.
It stocks leather-bound diaries and notebooks in an array of colors and offers a bespoke stationery service allowing customers to select leathers, paper, formats, ribbons and personalized details. The brand’s new collection of 925 sterling silver writing instruments, made in England and bearing the Birmingham hallmark, is also featured.
On the clothing and accessories front, there are leather bags and briefcases, hand-embroidered cashmere scarves and stoles, knitwear, shirts, tailored and casual outerwear handmade in England and leather and suede sneakers.
“Leathersmith has been part of British life for more than 180 years, and opening our first store in London is an important moment for us,” said Simon Burstein, who bought Leathersmith and its bindery shortly after his family sold Browns to Farfetch in 2015.
In 2023, Burstein also bought the place where Leathersmith’s books are made, Charfleet Book Bindery on Canvey Island in Essex, where the River Thames empties into the North Sea. He spent 2 million pounds refurbishing the vast space, and today it makes Bibles as well as notebooks and diaries for brands including Liberty and Fortnum & Mason.
Burstein, who also owns The Place fashion stores in London and Paris, has said his dream is to turn Leathersmith into an accessible luxury brand. He has begun showing at Pitti Uomo, and the new London shop opening is the next step toward that ambition.