The Stationers Guild

William Arthur, in partnership with Vera Wang, has just announced the introduction of the new Vera Wang On Weddings collection of personalized wedding stationery. This volume abounds with tactile embellishments, playful proportions, and a palette that is both elegant and unexpected.  Found below are excerpts of the news release.

Inspired by Vera Wang’s bridal and ready-to-wear lines, Vera Wang On Weddings reflects the classic yet modern and sophisticated aesthetic that has made Vera Wang a fashion icon. Vera Wang On Weddings is available at select fine stationers nationwide, and online at www.williamarthur.com.

With over 35 unique wedding stationery trousseau’s, an incredible range of whimsy and elegance is captured on each page including:

• Gold Border:  This spectacular design features a broad band of gold foil on both the card edge and the envelope flap. The type is at once dramatic and delicate. Shown engraved, this chic invitation is sure to captivate.
• Black Paper:  This fall, Vera Wang enraptured the fashion world with her Spring 2012 collection of black bridal gowns. Here, the same drama and romance is reflected on paper. Gorgeously engraved in a proprietary calligraphic font, this invitation marries spirit and sophistication.
• Garden Lace Folder:  This sensational design is inspired by both Vera Wang’s Ready-to-Wear and bridal collections. A whimsical garden of flowers and a mesh of laser-cut lace cut away to reveal a vibrant range of background colors. From Raspberry, Peony and Saffron to Grass, Lapis and Indigo, this innovative and tactile invitation speaks to the refined detailing within Vera Wang’s collections.
• Letterpressed Heart:  Bold and contemporary, the wording for this charming invitation is nestled within the clutches of an over-sized heart. The playful cross-hatching on this design accentuates the tactile nature of letterpress printing, while the peony ink adds an overt femininity.
• Painted Edge:  New to Vera Wang On Weddings, Vera Wang will be offering heavy-weight card stock with custom-painted edges, in dozens of ink colors. A true statement of luxury, this design is engraved in Lapis and Gold. The unique monogrammed wreath gives a nod to tradition, while revealing a whimsical sensibility.

With a broad and versatile range of colors, textures and details to choose from, the new Vera Wang On Weddings collection of invitations and stationery suites perfectly captures the designer’s unique balance of sophistication and charm.

The Vera Wang Folio Collection released last Fall consists of four folios:  Wedding Accents, Invitations, Writing Papers and Design Elements.   Her new Folio Collection is a significant departure from Vera Wang’s On Weddings album that was released at the National Stationery Show in 2009.

Vera’s Folio Collection is the result of an intense collaborative effort between Vera Wang and the designers at William Arthur, where Vera’s creative motifs and eye for fashion are faithfully reproduced on quality paper.   It is obvious that William Arthur and Vera Vang have spared no effort to produce invitations and stationery that capture Vera’s elegant style and passion for expression.  Clearly, Vera Wang and William Arthur have a symbiotic relationship which, in my estimation, define how “branding” should be done in the stationery industry.

The Folio Collection features five new paper colors with offerings from the invitation to wedding reception coasters.  In addition, there is a wider selection of paper sizes and formats, 14 new patterns in a new digital palette and much more design flexibility overall.  A useful new addition was a detachable reply card (perforated) that works well for both weddings and corporate events.

In addition to the innovative use of texture which runs through the suite of Vera’s invitation designs, there is also the inspired use of calligraphy and floral motifs which seems to extend the invitation into space using full-bleed printing.  “These opulent invitations are simply delicious to touch,” commented one very impressed stationer.  We too believe that you will find the papers and design elements of Vera’ new Folio Collection a heady start for creating your own custom wedding invitations.

We strongly recommend that you contact a stationer in your neighborhood to see Vera’s Folio Collection in person.  For helpful hints on selecting your wedding invitation, please download our FREE wedding invitation guide.

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

William Arthur, one of the leading wedding stationery and wedding invitation designers in the United States, has recently announced that for the “first time” they are offering a seasonal promotion on all wedding sales from William Arthur.   Now through November 1st, each purchase of 75 or more personalized pieces of wedding stationery (invitation, response card, informal note, rehearsal dinner invitation, etc.) will receive an additional 25 free (same item and copy).  This offer extends to William Arthur’s wedding album collection and Vera Wang On Weddings and Vera Wang Celebrations.

William Arthur Terracotta Wedding Invitation

William Arthur has signficantly augmented its line and together with their beautiful array of papers, printing options and customization features is a perennial favorite for bridal couples.   If you are seeking a high quality wedding invitation or wedding stationery to celebrate this important event in your life, William Arthur is certainly worth a look. 

Vera Wang On Weddings

Earlier this year, Vera Wang introduced her latest wedding stationery collection called Vera Wang On Weddings.  Featuring spectacular new customization options and incorporating her elegant sense of style, Vera’s new line of wedding invitations has drawn rave reviews from experienced stationers across the United States and abroad.

Vera Wang Wedding Invitation

Both William Arthur and Vera Wang have much to offer. Visit a qualified stationery store in your neighborhood for more details on this “first time” wedding stationery promotion from William Arthur. You will be glad you did.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

This year at the National Stationery Show (“NSS”) I had a sneak preview of the new Vera Wang Folio Collection that will be released this Fall (sometime in October is the planned release date).  While many of the final sample invitations and stationery are still in the production phase, the Vera Wang Folio Collection will consist of four folios:  Wedding Accents, Invitations, Writing Papers and Design Elements.  From what I saw, we are all in for a big treat with this vibrant and feature-rich collection that captures Vera’s distinctive style.

Meghan Carey and Vera Wang Gown

Meghan Carey, the enthusiastic “Lead Designer for Vera Wang Fine Papers” walked me through the new Vera Wang Folio Collection.  As you may recall, I had a lengthy conversation with Meghan and Lisa Blinn of William Arthur regarding Vera’s Wang’s On Weddings that was released at the 2009 National Stationery Show.  It is clear that William Arthur and Vera Vang have spared no effort to produce invitations and stationery that capture Vera’s elegant style and passion for expression.  This is a welcome relief for many of us in the  industry who often see “brand names” attached to generic papers and formula designs with little thought of creating something distinctive and beautiful.  Clearly, Vera Wang and William Arthur have a symbiotic relationship which, in my estimation, define how “branding” should be done in the stationery industry.

Without going into too many details – which I plan to cover when the Folio Collection is released –  Vera’s new collection will introduce five new paper colors with offerings from the invitation to wedding reception coasters.  In addition, there will be a wider selection of paper sizes and formats, 14 new patterns in a new digital palette and much more design flexibility overall.  One of the features I felt was most clever was a detachable reply card (perforated) that works well for corporate events.

Vera Wang and William Arthur seems to be a marriage made in heaven.  Vera’s bold and contemporary fabric designs have been faithfully reproduced on paper by William Arthur’s talented designers.  We are very much looking forward to the release of Vera’s Folio collection later this fall.

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

 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.

Sarah Schwartz, the talented editor of Stationery Trends magazine, gave two standing-room only presentations at the National Stationery Show last week.  The topic was Stationery Trends for 2009.  There was so much useful and practical information crammed into Sarah’s colorful presentation that it was sometimes difficult to keep pace with her rapid-fire overview of 2009 stationery trends.  With apologies to Sarah for missing something significant, I would like to comment briefly on the six key themes highlighted in her presentation.  I am doing so without graphics since I don’t want to overload the server.

Trend 1 - The Value Proposition:  Clearly, the economic recession has had a marked impact on consumer purchasing decisions.  There were numerous examples of companies offering different printing alternatives (flat-printing or lithography vs. letterpress) to provide more affordable options for the consumer.  Along that same line, several companies were offering less expensive substitutes.  For instance, Demby and Solomon have an attractive line of return address stickers rather than the generally more expensive printed envelope.

Trend 2 – Colors to Covet:  Purple is emerging as a “hot” new color.  Orange and yellow have been around for several years and both remain popular choices for today’s young consumer.  Gray features in many upscale designs.

Trend 3 – New vs. Old Patterns:  Several companies have created a modern twist on old patterns.  For instance, Elum Designs has created some truly contemporary stationery letterpress designs using old patterns.  Lucky Onion is another company that comes to mind that is producing some “hip” invitations using traditional designs.

Trend 4 – The Perfect Green Storm:  Many companies are offering Eco-friendly stationery or invitation papers.  Playing the “green” card has become quite fashionable.  I did give the papers made from elephant dung a pass, but Night Owl Paper Goods has some attractive greeting cards and invitations made from wood.

Trend 5 – Designer Cachet:  A number of fashion trend-setters have added their name to stationery and invitation lines.  Vera Wang branches into new territory with the debut of Wedding Invitations II in June.  This follows Vera’s very successful Wedding Invitations I with William Arthur in 2005.  Martha Stewart has partnered with Crane & Co. to produced a line of 24 wedding invitation styles.  Lilly Pulitzer, MOMA and several others are adding their own distinctive touch to new stationery and invitation lines.

Trend 6 – Design Trends:  Sarah cited so many design trends that I will only highlight a few.  Animal prints (particularly wild animals), birds and butterflies are popular across many invitation lines.  Cityscape patterns found in Lallie and Faux Designs are also proving to be quite popular.  For me, the most distinctive trend was the introduction of texture into the design process.  Lattice, lace, damask and toile were evident across may lines and in some cases, like the new Vera Wang wedding invitation line, were the most riveting feature of the stationery ensemble.   Personalization, through monograms or names, continues to a growing trend in stationery.

Sarah seminar is clearly a must-see for those who are looking for something new and distinctive.  While the National Stationery Show was somewhat smaller this year, I did manage to discover 10 new companies that were not on my initial target list.  Thanks Sarah for a great introduction to this year’s National Stationery Show.

“You never have a second chance to make a first impression.”  I can’t remember who had this sage but practical piece of advice, but nothing could be more true in today’s electronic workplace.  With website page views clocking in at 1.8 seconds and a “twit” on Twitter limited to 140 characters, you’ve got to make a strong positive impression from the get-go.

With your social and business network persona on display 24/7, one might ask if the business card is still relevant?  Thank you, it is!  In fact, we are seeing a resurgence in consumer demand for tastefully designed calling cards and business cards.   Despite the down economy, customers at Therese Saint Clair are trading in their fast-print cards for more distinctive business cards.  Business professionals recognize that their non-descript business cards just may not make it to their recipient’s Rolodex.  Maybe it makes sense to invest in a little image-building.  One way of doing so is to have an elegant business card printed on fine paper stock.

While Crane & Co. has long been the company of choice for fine business stationery, many other companies are now introducing their own distinct lines of business stationery.  William Arthur has a good selection of business cards printed on 96# paper stock to go along with a growing selection of fine stationery.  Smock Paper has a stylish but somewhat pricey line of letterpress business cards printed on bamboo paper.  Lallie and Encore have some great designs for truly distinctive business cards.

If you feel your stationery is not making that right “first impression” then perhaps a visit to a Stationers Guild member store is in order.  There you can work with experienced stationers to custom design a business card of your choice.

As stationers, we are often asked what type of stationery is appropriate for college students and graduating seniors.  In an era of online applications, networked college communities and the largely “in-your-face” but impersonal world of social networks,  stationery may seem to be a relic of times past.  I am pleased to report that the handwritten note is back in fashion and, according to some college recruiters, often a deciding factor in selecting among college applicants.

The handwritten note is a sign of civility, good etiquette and maturity that often distinguishes one talented graduate from another.  In selecting one’s stationery, one must consider the type of stationery to be used in each situation.  For instance, the fold-over note or correspondence card are often used for less formal occasions.  Specifically, a fold-over note might be used say “thank you” to a fellow student, college counselor or the parents of friends who have bestowed a favor.   A half-sheet or monarch sheet might be used in more formal situations such as job interviews or a follow-up letter after meeting a college admissions counselor.  While these forms of correspondence are often  inter-changeable, I have always preferred using  correspondence sheets for more formal situations.  Nevertheless, any form of handwritten note is preferable to none or the insipid email.

When selecting your stationery, there are many cost-saving options available.  While engraved stationery or letterpress stationery is certainly beautiful, it is often beyond the budget of most students.  Guild stationery stores generally carry several lines of boxed stationery from Crane, William Arthur, Vera Wang and other fine paper companies.  Personalizing this boxed stationery with your name or monogram can generally be done within 48 hours.  Avoid pre-printed thank you notes, since they are so impersonal and appear to be ”last minute”  or commercial.   Personlalized stationery can be used in many situations and remains a relevant if not vital form of communication in today’s society.

There is a huge difference between designing a custom wedding invitation with an experienced stationer and populating a website template supplied by an Internet dealer.  While you may have some initial ideas in terms of colors, time of the season or, perhaps, you have seen a sample invitation in a bridal magazine, most young couples will use a search engine.

“Custom wedding invitations” must be a very popular search term as evidenced by the fact that there were more than 2 million pages listed on Google when I entered that phrase into the search bar today.  While there are many websites competing for your eyes, the question is whether they are useful.  I guess it depends on what you are searching for and whether you wish to play a meaningful role in designing your wedding invitation.

Based on the sheer number of websites that appear in the top listings for organic search (not paid), it appears as if the vast majority of these websites represent online printers or online resellers.  Customization to an online printer or reseller means selecting from a number of sample images on their website and then filling-in an online template for the wording, font style, inks colors and quite possibly the printing process.  While some of these websites are very sophisticated, the process is similar to painting by the numbers.  I have written previously about the pitfalls of selecting wedding invitations online, but this approach may work for some people.

For those seeking a truly “custom” wedding invitation, I strongly recommend that you consult an experienced stationer in your neighborhood.  You may find one of these stationers by entering your zip code or city and state in the search bar on the StationersGuild website.  These stationers carry a number of samples provided by leading designers and fine paper companies in the industry.  Many of these companies such as Arabella, Smock, Page, Mr. Boddington, Oblation, Lallie, Prentiss Douthit, Encore and Julie Holcomb do not sell online and instead rely on their authorized dealers to act as an interface between the client and the printing company.  Seeing invitation samples from a variety of designers and paper companies is essential to help refine your customization options.  While at first it may seem a bit overwhelming, when your work with a leading stationer you will be able to narrow down your options and discuss ways to add your own customization ideas to create a truly personalized invitation.

While leading companies such as Crane & Co. and William Arthur have a large network of qualified dealers, they also allow you to create your wedding invitation online.  While some people may find this more convenient, all of their online customization options and many more can be obtained by working with one of their qualified dealers.  As Sheila May of Therese Saint Clair points out, “99% of my wedding invitations contain one or more customization features that are simply not available in the samples provided by my fine paper companies or online.  Most brides want to stamp their personality on the event with something meaningful or of special significance to the bridal couple and their families.”