Over the last week, I have spent many a late night playing with AI image generation on Midjourney with what can only be described as frenzied compulsion. Since my friend Winston showed me that you can set up an account on Discord, join a chatroom called Newbies, and type the phrase /imagine…to have a machine spit out a visual of whatever you imagine in less than a minute…I’ve been amazed, amused, addicted, impressed, and inspired beyond all measure.
Incidentally, the last time I remember feeling this way was exactly a decade ago, when I was sitting in the incredible bookstore Arcana in Los Angeles…and beginning to vaguely form in my mind what is today known as The Letterist. The wave of ideas and possibilities and imaginations of everything I could and would create was intoxicating. I’ve longed for that feeling ever since, and I never imagined something called Artificial Intelligence would turn out to be what did it for me.
Things I coveted at Maison&Objet 2024
The last time you heard from me about Maison&Objet, I was in the back of a cab on my way to the middle-of-nowhere outside Paris where the world famous design fair is held. I posted a quick selfie, thinking that this was only the first of many photos and videos I’d share in my Instagram stories throughout the rest of the day. I thought I was being quite the martyr in fact, braving the cold wind and slippery slushy streets just to vicariously take all of you to the fair. I never willingly leave home before 9am. And it’s not like I have any real reason to attend a trade fair. I was doing all this, for you.
But the first thing I saw when I walked in and had my ticket scanned was a sign saying that photography was forbidden. I was tempted to steal a few sneaky ones anyway…but then I noticed that individual exhibitors also often had signs prohibiting photography, so I decided not to risk it. The whole show was also insanely huge and overwhelming, so I decided it was perhaps a blessing to put the camera away and just try take in as much as I could with my eyes.
I decided to just take out a pen and paper and write down the names of brands that caught my eye.
Here are just a few of them for you.
I have NOT been able to stop thinking about this yellow saucepan.
Ax
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L'amour, champagne, et disco forever after; Rat & Boa Founder Stephanie Bennett's Wedding Featured in VOGUE France
in Weddings
We had just launched The Hedonist collection when I first heard from Stephanie and Tom, and within minutes of our first call…I knew I had just met two veritable hedonists who would allow me to truly bring this new collection to life. It was obvious right away, this was going to be a party with no end time. They had chosen Le Grand Banc for their wedding venue - an exclusive private hamlet in the Luberon which has long been a stomping ground for artists and royalty alike. Hello Princess Margo, and hello real Warhols on the wall.
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From Birthday Girl, to Bride, to Wife, all in one night at the Ritz.
in Weddings
When Rachel reached out to me in January to design an invitation for Dan's and her joint 40th & 50th birthdays, she wanted something special that would inspire people to travel to New York from all over the world to celebrate this occasion with them, turning "The Decades Party" they had thrown for their 30th & 40th years earlier into something of a tradition.
They had booked the new rooftop restaurant Nubeluz by José Andrés at The Ritz Carlton NoMad in New York City, and were planning sunset cocktails, stylish passed nibbles, and dancing the night away in some serious platform heels. I immediately envisioned blocks of ritzy and stylized typography reminiscent of the inimitable New York City skyline...and we played around with several versions of the wording that would allow us to highlight the letters LET'S PARTY, sparsely scattered around the page in gold foil.
She didn't want white paper - "I don't want it to look like a wedding invite!" I remember her insisting...so we chose a light warm grey and created a dramatic folded piece that would unfold and introduce both scale and surprise.
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Turn Panic into Magic; Amsterdam in 27 Photos
in Travel, Art and Design
When I was going through immigration at Schipol airport, the young woman leafing through my passport looked up at me and asked, what are you in Amsterdam for? My first thought was, isn’t everyone here…to get a little high? Do a little dance…make a little love…you know, get down tonight? I then thought to try and give her the short version of the truth - which is that I live in Belgrade and my future husband lives in Paris and we occasionally like to spend a weekend somewhere where neither one of us has to do the dishes. We’re not married yet, but I’m fairly certain I’ve already figured out that one of the great secrets to a happy marriage is a third person who does the housekeeping.
But what’s the short version? By this point I’m overcome with panic. I’m one of those people who is inclined to believe they’re guilty of something whenever approached by someone in uniform. Quick! Say something, say anything. (Except for tourism. You are actually a tourist, but everyone hates tourists, and you need to be liked by everyone everywhere so you cannot admit to being a tourist.) And so I blurted out the noblest, most concise, and most above-board response I could think of. One word, three letters, I didn’t even bother putting it into a sentence. ART.
A Breath of French Air; The 2023 Letterist Gift Guide
Dear Santa,
My darling husband-to-be,
Sweet friends and followers of The Letterist,
It has just dawned on me that all those days I left my desk to wander and window shop through the endlessly delightful streets of Paris, I was not being naughty, but actually engaging in the very industrious and noble act of unconsciously putting together the gift guide of the century. Now, unlike the Gwyneths and Athena Calderones of this world, I don’t get any gifts or commissions from the brands I’ve rather painstakingly taken the time to curate here, so this is a pure and unadulterated list of things you should get me I love.
I have taken the liberty of loosely categorizing them to help you find the perfect gift for each one of my personalities everyone in your life. You’ll note that there are many things you think I have too many of and I think one can never have too many of vessels, candles, accessories and tchotchkes to beautify the kitchen, home, face and body, and not forgetting that we now share a home and kitchen and bathroom I’d also urge that you consider any or all of these as gifts for yourself.
Happy browsing and shopping, wrapping and gifting, giving and living…in beautiful, thoughtful, and inimitable Parisian style.
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The Letterist 2024 Letterpress Desk Calendar
Thrilled to share the latest edition of our beloved letterpress desk calendar is now available in the online shop. Page per month, blind embossed months in a downright sexy typeface, and two letterpress ink runs for the days, months and inspirational quotes. Resting on a custom made acrylic holder in dark grey, and packaged in a sleek bubble mailer. In 2024 we will celebrate ten years of Love on Paper and in honor of the anniversary, this edition is truly our most special one yet.
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The Letterist featured in VOGUE Australia
in Weddings
Thrilled to share these images of Holly&Shaun’s 50s-style Chateau wedding recently featured in VOGUE Australia. Holly opted for our sophisticated and minimal collection, The Editor in an understated monochrome palette of ivory, black, warm grey and vellum. The square ceremony invitation was letterpress printed with the large text subtly blind debossed, and finer details in charcoal grey letterpress on 710gsm Pur Coton Absinthe. The details were digitally printed on translucent vellum, and the RSVP was foil stamped in gold on warm grey. Their return address was also foil stamped in gold on our signature heavyweight ribbed-texture envelopes. Save the Dates, also from The Editor collection, were printed in charcoal grey letterpress on warm grey and paired with an ivory envelope. All vendor credits listed at the end of the article.
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Project X for Design and Paper's 10th Anniversary
Last year, we were honored to be commissioned by Europapier to create a work in celebration of the 10th anniversary of their online magazine and inspiration resource, Design&Paper. Having worked with the Europapier Design Papers catalogues for half a decade, and found in them so much inspiration for countless projects and color palettes, I was immediately tempted to reimagine their catalogue, curate our very own famously “colorless” Letterist edit of tones and textures, and gift it back to them in a bound and framed block. As Dieter Rams wrote, “Having small touches of colour makes it more colourful than having the whole thing in colour.” We then laser cut an X (Roman Numeral 10) onto the front…which wonderfully added one more sepia nuance to the mix. A big thank you to the team at Europapier for inviting us to participate, and to the many hands, printers, bookbinders, and framers that made it happen. Read more about the process and this project in the the full article on Design&Paper here.
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Image by Molly and Co.
Lavender Lovin' - Utah Wedding Inspiration
in Weddings
Pleased to share the results of this beautiful creative collaboration at last year’s Hybrid Collective event in Park City, Utah. A big thank you to one of my favorite planners - Emmily Jones of Gatherist Co, for inviting us to join the impressive team, and everyone who was a part of making this magic so lovingly happen. See the full list of credits at the end of the post.
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Casual Chiaroscuro - With Love from Italy
in Weddings
Chiaroscuro, minimal styling, and every shade of stone…pleased to share this beautiful recent collaboration in the inimitable Italian countryside, with the talented Frances Wynne of Allegory Events and photographer Jessica Withey. Model - Lisa May Jolley.
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Sacred Modern - An Intimate Reception in a 17th Century Chapel
in Weddings
Embossed sans-serifs, a scrunchie, a black t-shirt, a silk wrap dress, sunglasses, modern statement rings, wistful country florals, and a vintage Citroen all converged in a 17th century former chapel to give new meaning to the Old English wedding rhyme “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”
Shot on 35mm and medium format by Taylor & Porter. Dress by Kamperett via Bridal Boutique The Fall Bride. Florals by Ecru Floral. Jewelry by Completed Works. Venue and Catering by restaurant and retreat At the Chapel. Sunglasses by Bird via Truce. Paper Goods by The Letterist.
Bruton, Somerset - September 2021.
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Introducing the LTRST 2022 Calendar
The 2022 LTRST Calendar is here…and for the first time available in (our two favorite) two colors - black and white, beautifully printed on luxurious 350gsm cotton paper and resting on a custom made acrylic stand. Months are blind debossed, dates screen-printed, and quotes foil stamped in gold. This year’s words come from some of the greatest female artists, writers, and thinkers of our time, including Emily Dickinson, Coco Chanel, Edith Wharton, Susan Sontag, Gertrude Stein, Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, Adrienne Rich, Simone Weil, George Eliot, Anaïs Nin, and Zadie Smith.
I’ll leave you with one - “Time exists in order that everything doesn’t happen all at once…and space exists so that it doesn’t all happen to you.” - Susan Sontag
Visit our online shop to order yours today, they sell out fast.
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Finding Comfort in Nature - Styled Shoot, London 2020
in Weddings
Having followed and greatly admired the work of Anne Ladegast-Chiu of Hilde Stories for years, I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to collaborate with her on this styled shoot in London last December. What made this even more meaningful, is that it came on the heels of a long and unsettling year of wedding cancellations and postponements that had left us all somewhat weary and creatively unfulfilled.
We may not be able to celebrate at the moment, but what this project showed me, and I hope shows you, is that we can still come together in some small way…to pretend, dream, imagine, and hope. I am forever grateful to everyone on this team…for enabling me to close the unforgettable twenty-twenty on this golden and rather mythical note. A full list of credits is included below. A special thanks to Anne for her inimitable vision, and to Emilie for capturing it all. Love is always, in the air.
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The Letterist Featured in The Lane
in Weddings
For years I’ve told clients and friends searching for wedding inspiration…look to Australia! That’s where its at. While the US wedding industry is by far the largest and most pervasive, their well-oiled consumer media machine tends to draw out a line of neatly defined seasonal trends and then vendors color safely and convincingly within them.
Australia, on the other hand, either because it is smaller or further away, gets away with pushing those boundaries and consistently setting new, striking, and unexpected trends.
I can almost assume that when an interesting dress, seating chart, or cigar bar set-up catches my eye and stands out of my overly full wedding Instagram feed…8 times out of 10, its from Australia. (And at least half of those times, its in The LANE).
Which is why I am THRILLED to announce that The Letterist is now featured in Melbourne-based The LANE - by far the most unique and aesthetically-driven online wedding magazine and curated vendor directory there is. See the post and some wedding stationery advice here.
A Modern Cocktail Reception, Featured in PNW Weddings
in Weddings
Deep teals, wistful florals, classic cocktails, and delicious nibbles in a striking and intimate setting…what more do you need? Featured in this month’s Pacific Northwest Weddings issue, this gorgeous editorial is bound to leave you inspired, hungry and thirsty.
Credits: Art Direction Sarah Williams | Editor Tracy Howard Garton | Photography Katie Newburn | Set Styling Kayla Hoppins | Florals Kailla Platt | Location Dame Restaurant | Stationery Design The Letterist
Vienna Art Book Fair #1
in Travel, Art and Design
A postcard on the table at the entrance to the Vienna Art Book Fair #1 reads “It’s an artists’ book if an artist made it or if an artist says it is.” As good a definition as any really, telling you everything and nothing at all…ironically mocking this infamously hard to define art form.
To me, artist books are single-handedly the best and most underrated source of inspiration for any form of print media design. Through their highly intentional and sophisticated approach to (and seamless marriage of) concept, paper, print, finishing, typography and design, they challenge and push the boundaries (envelope!?) of everything you had ever imagined was possible.
I’ve always felt that your creation isn’t worthwhile if your printer doesn’t look at your idea initially and say, “this is impossible.” And basically, an artist book fair is a room full of people who share that view. These are precisely the artists, designers, thinkers, writers, printers, and publishers who take what’s seemingly impossible and say, cool, let’s try it.
Think complex folds that tell a story, strategically placed holes playing hide and seek, layers upon layers that lure you in…the words “art” or “design” don’t even seem appropriate, some pieces are purely architectural. And I’m not even getting into the content. Whether its poetic, abstract, personal, political or comical…its always clear that a lot of thinking went into the process.
Needless to say, when I discovered that my dear friend and exceptional book artist Ximena Perez Grobet was exhibiting at the first ever Vienna Art Book Fair (in one of my favourite cities!)…it only took me a matter of minutes to book my flight. Below are some of photos I took…they’re hardly representative as I was clearly busy and overwhelmed enough taking it all in without the lens…but I do genuinely hope they’ll inspire you to look up the next artist book fair near you, and I without reservations, not only recommend, but urge you, to go.
The Letterist Featured in Design and Paper
Four shades of cotton paper, letterpress printing, hand-painted acrylic strokes, a handwritten monogram on a vellum band…this modern, minimal, and oh-so-special wedding invitation suite is all about the details, and was recently featured on Design&Paper - a blog showcasing unique and remarkable work in print design. Read the full article here…see them in the making here, or click on read more below to see the full image gallery.
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The Letterist Featured in The Knot
in Weddings
Four runs of letterpress in CMYK, exotic florals, and that stunning Alexander McQueen dress! Definitely the wildest and most colorful wedding in Letterist history, held last fall at the North Carolina Museum of Art, and deservedly featured in The Knot.
Click here to flick through the print magazine, and see more photos below. Eternally grateful to Caitlin & JT for truly entrusting me with creative liberty, and for the many cocktails we shared together as we worked on these. All event photos by Anagram Photo.
