Stationery Currents
Adapting to shifting tastes and customs, stationery rides the waves of change.
By Caroline Kennedy -- Gifts and Dec, 5/1/2009 12:00:00 AM
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Alix Accordion File organizes papers and files in 16 pockets. Can be used as a portable briefcase. $25. Anna Griffin. (404) 817-8170. www.annagriffin.com |
Stationery is not stationary; it does not stand still. Like a species that must adapt to changing environmental conditions to survive, the social papers industry is constantly adjusting to new lifestyle and technology shifts to remain relevant and survive.
First, it was the advent of the telephone that changed the way that we communicate over distance. Yet letter-writing and sending greeting cards and invitations survived. And the stationery industry embraced the change and gave rise to telephone message pads, phone books and other related items.
More recently it has been the rise of computers and other electronic communication technology that is challenging the stationery industry. In the 1980s, there was the growth of the the personal computer. Rather than ringing the death knell for the custom invitation business, it created an entirely new category of social papers — the imprintable. The imprintable gave stationers and their customers an affordable option for personalized invitations to make any occasion more special.
The 1990s saw the resurgence of letterpress printing, born partially out of a backlash to the more mass-produced, printed cards and notes. Consumers responded to the tactile, handmade quality of the printing and fresh design approach of this artist-driven trend. The papers were embraced as a chic extension of personal style that made writing notes a fashion statement.
Now it is email, text-messaging and social media that seem to be throwing down the gauntlet; and some pundits have predicted that the hand-written note is an endangered species. A viral email circulating around the Internet, headlined "24 Things About to Become Extinct in America," lists the hand-written letter at number nine, even ahead of the VCR and the milkman. After presenting some pretty impressive figures to support its case, the message poses the question, "So where amongst this gorge of gabble is there room for the elegant, polite hand-written letter?"
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Lilly Pulitzer’s Taboo tableware includes napkins, plates, tumblers, towels, place cards and drink umbrellas. Lifeguard Press. (800) 992-3006. www.lifeguardpress.com |
Therein lies the key to its flawed argument — it is a "gorge of gabble." These messages, although not without purpose, can be equated more to fleeting noise rather than treasured sentiments, leaving plenty of room for the hand-written letter or note to deliver a meaningful personal message. Megan Kunitz, brand director of Crane & Co., believes that all of this networking and communicating electronically — the gorge of gabble —has actually strengthened a trend for embracing communication on paper.
"For those who regularly communicate on paper, they understand the wonderful emotional connection that is created between sender and receiver," says Kunitz. "Moments can't be saved in an email or on a Blackberry, but can be forever preserved on paper." In today's time-pressed lives, knowing that someone has taken the time to actually put pen to paper makes the communiqué special; it establishes a very personal connection between writer and recipient.
And just as the computer created a new category in stationery, today's social media had its own stationery impact; it has revived the use of calling cards. These relics of late 19th and early 20th century polite society are increasingly being used by the under-40 crowd for the exchange of personal information such as mobile numbers, email addresses, Facebook and Twitter accounts and blogs.
Elements of Stationery Style
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Pouch is perfect for cosmetics, keys, pencils, etc. Made of 20-percent recycled material. 8”x5”. $7. Anne Taintor. (888) 491-6467. www.annetaintor.com |
Tapping into current trends may be easier this year since the major elements of style are more evolutionary rather than of-the-moment faddish sensations. They have the comfort of the familiar, yet are still fresh and interesting:
Letterpress — This movement originating with hands-on boutique printers is now in the mainstream with many of the larger stationery companies offering letterpress lines, and smaller design firms pushing the envelope of creativity.
Designer Invitations — Bridal papers take center stage with such bridal notables as Martha Stewart and Mindy Weiss bringing their cachet and vision to new stationery collections. Martha Stewart's personalized wedding invitation suites for Crane & Co. are elegantly classic with contemporary appeal. Mindy Weiss takes a more casual approach to her line for Inviting Company.
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Nature’s Own Ribbon is biodegradable cellulose. Charles Clay. (203) 662-0125 www.englishribbonsbows.com |
Eco-friendly — Being green is not a passing fad. The stationery industry has embraced the green concept whole-heartedly and is taking earth-consciousness to the next level beyond recycled. Many put other eco-friendly practices into play, using alternative fuel sources to power manufacturing, converting waste to other usable materials, reducing and tracking their carbon footprint, finding more sustainable resources, etc. But more important ... their "green-ness" is secondary to their stylish appeal.
Personal Papers — Notecards, thank yous and correspondence cards take the spotlight when it comes to writing papers. They allow the time-pressed just enough room to convey an intimate message and make a personal connection to the recipient. Papers with names or monograms add a touch of status. Thank you notes are trending up as businesses encourage professionals to write notes on personal paper rather than on corporate stationery.
Calling Cards — Calling cards are enjoying a revival, especially among the 25–45-year-olds, according to Crane's Megan Kunitz, for networking and the exchange of personal information. In some areas, even the pre-school set is adopting their use to arrange playdates.
Palm Beach or Tropical — This design influence is trending across all categories from stationery to home. It blends bright tropical colors, especially lime green and pink, tropical motifs such as flamingos and palm trees with touches of upscale preppy style and coastal motifs. Lilly Pulitzer, the doyenne of Palm Beach style, brings her designs to stationery and paper partyware with Lifeguard Press.
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Imprintable Wiggler is 6”x9” $21/10. Paper So Pretty. (866) 996-9060. www.papersopretty.com. |
Birthday — Rather than being taken for granted, there is a greater focus on birthdays as an occasion to be marked by celebration. Retailers can capitalize on the fact that everyday is somebody's birthday and there is plenty of product to highlight the event and make it fun.
Lifestyle Accessories — Changing lifestyles influence product design and no where is this more evident than in kitchen and office organization. With workers moving out of the cubicle and into the home, accessorizing the home office takes on greater style importance, resulting in file folders, binders and other accessories that combine function with fashion.
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Letterpress invitation is new design in custom album. Call for prices. Copper Willow Paper Studio. (310) 237-5809. www.copperwillow.com |
Retro — In uncertain times, retro imagery, often paired with tongue-in-cheek humor, gives us "warm and fuzzy" comfort without much nostalgia.
Key Colors — Black and white continues to be stylish and often combined with a pop of another color. The comfort combination of blue and white is trending up once again, as noted at the style-setting Paris shows this winter. Pink presents its own rosy outlook in addition to being a key color in the Palm Beach trend.
Regardless of how our lifestyles and technology change, stationery will continue to be relevant as the products are adapted to our changing needs. The one thing that remains constant is that it is all about personal expression, social interaction and marking those special occasions in people's lives.
We would love your feedback!
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