The Stationers Guild

Rita Renning is always a popular choice for elegant wedding invitations for bridal couples on a strict budget.  Now through August 31st,  save 20% on Rita Renning wedding invitations ordered from the Rita Renning wedding album carried at many Guild member stores.

Rita Renning Wedding Invitation

Rita Renning wedding invitations are designed and printed by William Arthur, one of the leading fine stationers in the United States.  Sheila May, the owner of Therese Saint Clair, says that “Rita is a popular choice for budget-conscious brides.   With Rita you get a quality custom wedding invitations without breaking the bank.  This is one of the first albums I bring out when asked for a great invitation at an affordable price.  Furthermore, you are getting William Arthur’s outstanding service capability.”

If you are looking for an attractively-priced custom wedding invitation alternative, Rita Renning should certainly be on your radar scope.

A recent Blog article called my attention to some advice given by Talley Sue Hohlfeld, Etiquette Expert for Martha Stewart, on whether bridal couples should send E-Vites for a Wedding.   Ms. Hohlfeld, blindly jumping on the “save-a-tree” bandwagon, acknowledged that she was “firmly against using e-mail for something as momentous as a wedding invitation.”  Nevertheless, she added that “putting a website URL on the lower left corner of your invitation would . . . save paper on your end.”  As an etiquette adviser to Martha Stewart, Ms. Hohlfeld should know that putting a website URL on an invitation is not only improper etiquette but is also quite TACKY.

Look, I have no issue with people sending out email invitations to save money.  Nevertheless, to justify sending an e-Vite on ecological grounds is either stupid, deceptive or simply dishonest.   First and foremost, many quality wedding invitations are printed on paper made from cotton and not wood fiber.    In fact, Crane & Co. has been printing paper from cotton (a renewable crop) and cotton rag from textile mills (recycled cotton) for over 200 years.  Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why Ms. Stewart decided to partner with Crane & Co. to launch her new line of Martha Stewart wedding invitations.  Perhaps, Ms. Hohlfeld should consult Ms. Stewart and ask her whether she would like to see a URL at the bottom of her invitation.

Secondly, the “save-the-tree” war cry of environmental righteousness is simply a banal sound-bite probably concocted by online email advocates like AOL and eVite to justify their services as “green.”  I think we all know the expression that if you repeat the same sales pitch or lie and nobody questions it, overtime people will believe it to be true.  Wake up wantabe environmentalists, it’s a hoax!  Most serious paper companies like William Arthur and many others source and produce papers made from wood fibers using the highest “green” standards.  In fact, harvesting wood may be beneficial rather than detrimental to the environment, according to  David Foster director of the Harvard Forest Project.

Martha Stewart Weddings

Thirdly, if Ms. Hohlfeld honesty believed what she was saying, she would most certainly recommend to Ms. Stewart that she immediately cease the publication of Martha Stewart Weddings in the interests of saving a forest, not simply a tree.  Or how about the fact that the average PC user consumes 28 pieces of paper a day.  Should we simply abolish PCs to save a tree?   Ms. Hohlfeld and others who promote themselves as experts should take the time to seriously research issues before simply repeating self-serving slogans that have little basis in fact.  Civility and good taste would be far better served by “Etiquette Editors” who understood the difference between etiquette and a sales pitch.

 With the lavish introduction of the new Vera Wang On Weddings at the 2009 National Stationery Show, I was curious to learn how Vera’s inspired fabric creations were so faithfully recreated on paper. I was fortunate to have an extended discussion with talented designer Meghan Carey, Lead Vera Wang Designer for William Arthur, and Lisa Blinn, William Arthur’s Vice President of Design. The fruits of that enlightening discussion are summarized below.

Meghan Carey with Vera Wang Necklace

I think it is fair to say that Vera’s new wedding invitation designs have matured since they were first introduced at the 2005 National Stationery Show. The original designs were unmistakably Vera’s: the stylish oyster-colored paper, the geometric rigor applied to paper sizes and envelopes and Vera’s ever-present wedding motifs that permeated the invitation and envelope lining samples. The new designs reflect an unwavering confidence in translating Vera’s inspirational patterns to paper. As Lisa remarks, “we understand Vera’s aesthetic and tactile sensibility.”

It is hard to believe that the new wedding invitations album went from design to approval by Vera in just over 3 months. Most paper designers take between 12 to 18 months to produce a new line. Meghan and Lisa immersed themselves in Vera’s world by attending Runway Shows and design and fabric conferences to distill the elements that make Vera’s designs so unmistakably Vera. The secret was to translate these tactile designs to paper using the cutting-edge printing capabilities of William Arthur.

New Vera Wang Wedding Invitation

One new design element that features prominently in this new album is the kalogram: a term that refers to a monogram using a person’s full name. Note: This is a great word for Scrabble enthusiasts when you have an “a” rather than an “i”.  Their beauty is unmistakable and adds a level of sophistication not often encountered in fine invitations. New type styles and exaggerated motifs add a level of stylish playfulness that was not generally available in Vera’s initial wedding album.

Grosgrain is a textured pattern ribbon often found in Vera’s clothing designs. This grosgrain pattern is faithfully reproduced on the invitation sample above through engraving. I actually had to run my finger across the ridges of the engraved design to convince myself it wasn’t ribbon. There are many more surprises as you leaf through Vera’s new album, but I encourage you to visit a Guild Member store in your neighborhood that carries Vera to “touch” these great designs for yourself.

I could go on and describe how the ruched tulle or damask patterns in Vera’s ready-to-wear line have been incorporated into these new invitations, but it is best to see her new album in person. While William Arthur will sell Vera’s invitations online, there is no substitute for visiting an experienced stationer who can assist you with customization options that are not easily available online. Contact a Guild Member store in your neighborhood to see the new Vera Wang On Weddings invitation album.

As Sheila and I walked the nearly deserted aisles of the 2009 National Stationery Show on closing day (May 20), we reflected on the significant changes that have swept over our industry during the last 7 years.  While overall traffic was clearly down, there was still plenty of good vibes, great design artistry and paper craftsmanship and, most importantly, shared chuckles with our fellow stationers, sales reps and the many fine paper companies whose lines we are privileged to represent. 

Emi Havas of Paperfolio in Summit, NJ suggested that the hardened stationery warriors were there to show solidarity with each other.   We certainly agree with Emi that there was a spirit of fierce determination among fellow stationers.   Nevertheless, the difficult economic situation, changing consumer behavior patterns and the overriding influence of the internet clearly threaten the industry as we know it.    We certainly don’t have all the answers, but established storefront stationers will soon be forced to make some critical business decisions. 

First and foremost, stationers must decide whether they wish to continue to represent “premium” lines that market aggressively through alternative distribution channels:  a corporate e-commerce website, home dealers, chain stores, non-stationery businesses, charitable and religious organizations.  Clearly, it is asking too much of indendent dealers to invest their time and money to represent lines that are mass-merchandized through alternative distribution channels.  This is not a business model that is sustainable over time and will inevitably cause experienced dealers to close or hibernate as home dealers.  

Just today, the parents we helped to select a birth announcement informed us that they had decided to purchase the identical invitation online.   Unfortunately, this trend is increasing as consumers are aware that a “validating touch” is clearly more important than a low-resolution internet image.  This is a “free” service that disgruntles most stationers and one which independent dealers can’t continue to perform if we expect to stay in business.   In effect, by freely giving our experience to merchandise for a third-party we are simply contributing to our demise.

Secondly, fine paper companies must clearly articulate a business strategy that makes sense to management and the distribution channels that carry their products.   The myth that the market is segmented into “internet buyers” and ”store consumers” is simply an urban legend.  Paper companies who promote this silly justification are simply deceiving themselves and expose themselves to the ridicule of their dealers.  If fine paper companies who sell online want to retain their dealers, they must make it financially advantageous for them to do so.  They can do so by providing their dealers a better margin, extended terms or totally unique products which are not sold on the internet.   It’s not reasonable to expect dealers to satisfy boxed product quotas when online buyers can simply buy personalized stationery and custom invitations online at the same price or even less as they can from cash-strained dealers.   While fine paper companies will do what they think makes sense to meet their financial objectives, the implications of these decisions are far-reaching and probably intractable.  Economics 101 suggests that a massive supply of undifferentiated products (i.e. 72 pixel images) will overtime result in lower prices.  In other words, only low cost producers can expect to survive.  If you want to mass-merchandize a premium brand, prepare your shareholders for lower and, most probably, unacceptable margins. 

And finally, we must all start doing a better job reacting to the false marketing claims, insipid sales arguments and, most importantly, the ludicrous marketing representations of online marketing companies, wedding portals, paid Tweeters and other BlackHat SEO strategies that will eventually bring the industry to its knees.  Make no mistake, these online companies are built on generating advertising revenue and commissions for promoting products that they don’t even manufacture.  They could care less about the industry we represent or the craftsmanship that goes into making fine paper.   While I have no problem with someone making a buck off someone else’s labor, these self-appointed online ”experts” are driving consumer behavior in ways that will eventually destroy the industry by turning fine paper into recycled waste paper.  As industry leaders, we have a responsibility to demonstrate to the public that the craftsmanship that goes into making fine paper, civility and proper etiquette still matters. 

For those who managed to sit through this “heavy” diatribe,  Sheila has asked me to give you some links to several of our favorite restaurants in NYC.  With the exception of Porchetta and Momofuku, all of these restaurants require reservations.  Nevertheless, the Mario Batali restaurants seem to like old people and we generally get seated within an hour without the mandatory reservation. 

Momofuku Ssam Bar:  Inspired food creations from David Chang
The Spotted Pig in the West Village
Porchetta:  The best porchetta that we have eaten outside of Italy (Umbria style)
Babbo:  Mario Batali’s flagship.  Always good and packed.
Lupa:  Another Batali restaurant.  Very good.
Esca:  Another Batali.  Our daughter’s favorite fish restaurant (Italian style)
Balthazar:  A favorite for breakfast or brunch.

Sheila and Rick May
Therese Saint Clair

At the National Stationery Show this May, I had the opportunity to meet the talented President and Creative Director of Arabella Papers, Sugandha Rosenhaft.  At an off site meeting to introduce Arabella’s new Bar Mitzvah album (the subject of an upcoming news Blog), I was pleased to see two elaborately decorated tables incorporating Arabella’s impeccable taste in menu cards, place cards, seating cards and table cards.

Arabella Papers Table Cards, Menu Cards

While many bridal couples focus on save-the-date invitations and their wedding invitation, there are many other “paper” moments at the rehearsal dinner to tie in color themes and/or reinforce design motifs that characterize the occasion.   The Stationers Guild website refers bridal couples to the “paper trail” and “timeline” to help organize your event.

If color, design and stunning presentation is your cup of tea, Arabella Papers using their innovative bellpress printing technique might be the right choice for you.

I was fascinated to read the Cecilia McGee’s article in the June 10, 2009 Styles section of the New York Times entitled “Your Invitation is not in the mail.”    The article describes how a young brother and sister have launched a new website called Paperless Post which allows a buyer to design and send a custom email invitation.  The Hirschfeld’s have allegedly received $1 million in funding to launch their new website and several distinguished politicians and celebrities seem to be overwhelmed by the simulated beauty of their emailed invitations.

While some of the innovative graphics may seem to be revolutionary to their clients, it is unlikely to create much buzz within the internet community.  In fact, as web design graphics evolves it continues to be imitated, absorbed and quickly displaced by new technologies.  In fact, success on the internet is based on search engine optimization (SEO) rather than innovative design.  More importantly, simulated invitations on the internet are missing two important elements:  paper and printing.

Artists and craftspeople in the industry are simply being displaced by graphics designers using Photoshop.  Whether this is useful or beneficial to society over the long-run remains to be seen, but I suspect that Paperless Post will not emerge as the Rembrandt of custom online invitations.   The  internet and inexpensive graphic design programs place sophisticated design capabilities in the hands of most everybody.  Unfortunately, since most everyone can do it inexpensively, it creates an environment of only transitory value.  If everyone could design a Mona Lisa or the Nightwatchman, these works of art would have little perceived value to society.

The online invitation business is rapidly approaching economic irrelevancy from a design perspective.  Efficiency and cost drive the online business – not beauty!  If you are interested in an invitation rather than an email, paper is the only real alternative.  When the distribution channel become more important than the product itself, the craftsmanship and civility of fine paper will gradually be lost to society.  In the New York Times article Pamela Fiori, the editor in chief of Town & Country, is quoted as saying “In a world increasingly uncivilized,” she said, “it’s important that we have some ties to tradition. And I honestly think that what we’re losing with e-mail are our memories.”  Ms. Fiori’s comment reminds me of a memorable scene in Blade Runner.

In Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, replicant hunter Deckard (Harrison Ford) callously tells Rachael (Sean Young) that her memories have been implanted and that she is simply a robot.  Rachael, desperately clinging to a “family” photograph as proof that she is human, breaks into tears and flees Deckard’s apartment.  The scene was provocative on two levels:  first, it was the first time I had seen a robot cry and, secondly, a simple family photograph seemed to be a more relevant factor in Rachael’s belief in her humanity than all of her systematic programming.

In summary, if simulated email images masquerading as invitations is your cup of tea then by all means imbibe.  If texture, relevancy, tradition and tangible works of art continue to entrall you then don’t settle for pixalated pop art.

Last Christmas one of my daughters gave me Mark Bittman’s book, Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating.  Clearly more concerned about my growing waistline than my malnourished intellect, my daughter’s inspired gift got me to thinking about calories and food production from an entirely different perspective:  the environment.  In Mr. Bittman’s eye-opening introduction he asserts that, according to the United Nations Food and Agricultual Organization (FAO), “global livestock production is responsible for one-fifth of all greenhouse gases – more than transportation.”

Mark Bittman, the noted food critic for the New York Times, and straight-man to hilarious chef Mario Batali in Spain… On The Road Again, makes an utterly convincing case for reducing our meat consumption and  ”save ourselves and our planet (and some money) by doing so.”  While I have not yet swapped cow for tofu, my daughters will be delighted that I have decided to moderate my diet and eat more responsibly.  In addition to practical reasons for modifying our eating habits, Food Matters has 75 great recipes to help facilitate that change.

You may be asking, what does stationery have to do with global livestock production?   A cynical answer might be that if everyone were to skip the double cheeseburger and instead send out a hand-written note the world be a better place.  Surely, a nice piece of social correspondence doesn’t  use  any more paper than the wrapping paper and bag that accompanies your 700 calorie burger.

While it is fashionable to be “green” I am always a bit skeptical of “green” claims when it comes to paper.   Scot Case of TerraChoice discusses the seven sins of greenwash which are routinely violated in most ”green” stationery promotions.   I am not sure if these questionable claims are deliberate, but stretching the truth seems to be a common and growing trend within the stationery industry.  It is indeed unfortunate as there are so many passionate and talented designers and craftspeople like Julie Holcomb, Oblation Papers and Elum Designs where “green” is a way of life rather than misleading promotional hype.

Mr. Bittman’s book on eating habits and global livestock production brings home a sad truth:  We seem to spend far too much time focusing micro-issues while  the “big green picture” gradually slips out of control.  Certainly, global livestock production and packaging, which represents more than 40% of all paper production, are far more serious environmental concerns than the simple yet elegant act of sending a personal note.

With some of the most talented designers in the country, Louella Press has been breath of fresh air in the stationery industry.   Using the ancient and noble printing process of engraving,  Louella Press creates luscious engraved invitations for weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs and milestone events.  Words are not enough to describe their stunning custom invitation designs which are rich color, texture and boldly printed using engraving.

Engraved Invitation by Louella Press

Now through June 30, the folks at Louella Press are offering to engrave the outer envelopes free of charge with one ink color (or, get 2-color envelopes for the 1-color price).  This is an exceptional offer for those looking for an engraved custom invitation, but trying to keep the budget in line.  Schedule an appointment with a Guild member store in your neighborhood who carries Louella Press to take advantage of this great promotion.

Louella Press Custom Invitation

Important events should be celebrated in style.  Doing so with a custom invitation from Louella Press could be the start of something big.

I recently received an email from trendy stationery designer Boatman Geller indicating that they were now a proud supporter of the nationwide 3/50 Project.   The Stationers Guild was one of the early supporters of Cinda Baxter’s 3/50 Project and, as Guild members, we are very much encouraged that leading stationery companies are now getting behind this important initiative.

As readers of this Blog may recall, the objective of the 3/50 project is to save “the brick & mortars our nation is built on” by encouraging residents to support local businesses.  Spending patterns suggest that roughly two-thirds of the money spent at local stores remains in the community. The benefits to the community through taxes and employment of online sales are virtually negligible.   With small business employment continuing to plummet, town and community infrastructures across the United States will be radically changed.  The 3/50 project is simply a call-to-arms to help protect local businesses and the fabric of our communities.

Boatman Geller will be sending a printable manufacturer’s coupon that can be redeemed at any retail store that carries Boatman Geller’s Personalized Collections.  This is very encouraging news and will hopefully be emulated by other fine stationery companies to protect their bricks and mortar dealer network.

Nevertheless, a far more positive step would be sell Boatman Geller’s personalized collections exclusively through retail stores.  My own opinion is that “fine” stationery sold through internet distribution channels will eventually  become little more than “paper” to consumers that are deprived of the tactile and visual experience of selecting their stationery in person.  Perhaps, Boat Geller might want to reconsider whether the “value” or “uniqueness” of their brand is really enhanced by selling through 24 online resellers.