THE ART OF TRAVEL WITH LUCY MAHON
Marking our arrival at Heathrow T5 with five hand-drawn destinations.
Our arrival at Heathrow Terminal 5 marks an exciting new chapter, bringing the Smythson experience right into the departure lounge. To mark the occasion, we partnered with London-based artist and friend of the brand, Lucy Mahon, to create a series of original illustrations reflecting our shared affinity for travel, and the journeys that inspire us.
“The beautiful layers of Tokyo, its fun lampposts, ornate greenery, tiled buildings, and overhead wires. The old theatres of Los Angeles, lights flickering on against the gradient dusk skies. A Central Park scene, where I love to read the heartfelt and human messages on the park benches. The beguiling Parisian architecture with its elegant chimneys, roofs, and balconies. And lastly, a view over my home city (and favourite place in the world), London, on one of the first warm and optimistic days of summer.”
Drawing from Lucy’s own travels and the icons of our exclusive T5 personalisation stamps, the resulting collection of five postcards is a creative celebration of a life well travelled. The illustrations capture the spirit of five global destinations: London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo. To bring them to life, Lucy dipped into her personal archives. “I’ve been revisiting the stacks of travel drawings, sketchbooks, and notes documenting them from over the years.”
Mahon’s signature, evocative style captures the distinct character of each city, focusing on the small details and local charm that define them. “Each postcard illustration is hand-drawn, loose, and relaxed,” Lucy explains, “focusing on bringing to life a feeling and memory of the cities.” Printed with these vibrant illustrations, they’re designed to be kept as a memento of your journey, or perhaps used to scribble a quick, thoughtful note to a loved one just before you board your flight.
