Issue Date: December 26, 2004

Letters

The write stuff

Bold, quirky stationery is inviting a new generation to practice its penmanship.

By Judy Mandell

In: Handwritten notes. Out: e-mail. The cool efficiency of an electronic message can't compare to the warmth of a personal note, according to a recent survey, which found that 86% of adults had received handwritten correspondence within the past year. And today's stationery has shaken its formal appearance for bolder colors, new shapes and quirkier details.

"There is no soul in e-mail," says Jan-Patrick Schmitz, president and CEO of pen maker Montblanc North America. "A handwritten note carries so much weight. When someone takes the time from a hectic schedule to say, 'I care enough about you; these are my thoughts that I want to share,' it brings communication to a whole new level."

Unlike easy-to-delete e-mail, pen and paper offer a sense of permanence, says Jennifer Roberts, owner of Composition, a design store in Denver. "It delights me to think that some of the stationery purchased at my store will be rediscovered years from now, as someone sifts through their shoebox of saved letters," she says. "E-mail isn't designed to be cherished."

Among the latest trends
Monograms with a twist. What's more personal than a notecard with your name or monogram printed on it?

The modern take: Notecards are no longer just for squares. They come in a variety of shapes, with all kinds of edges -- round, scalloped, even "pinking-sheered" or zigzagged.

Color. "Right now, bright, bold colors in clothing are mimicked in stationery," says Jennifer Reed, of Chelsea Notes stationery in New York. Adds Anita Brady, vice president and general manager of social stationery at venerable Crane & Co.: "Stationery has become much more design-driven -- color, pattern, textures, fonts and innovative designs." It's also popular to mix and match colors and styles. "People want stationery that reflects their personal style and says something about them as well as the recipient," Brady says. Spokeswoman

Lena Michaud of discount chain Target points to whimsical, brightly colored Hot Hues notes, stickies and thank-you cards as strong sellers: "People want to receive something more personal."

Calling cards. No, not for phone calls, but for when who you are matters more than what you do. Unlike standard business cards, calling cards are handed out in social situations; users can add sentiments -- by hand, of course.

Animal prints. As in home design and fashion, animal prints are au courant in stationery. But reserve the tiger prints for the private writing arena. You wouldn't want the boss to think you're dangerous.

Fountain pens. Disposable fountain pens? Yep. Sales of Pilot's Varsity disposable have tripled in the last year. The retro-looking pens (about $2) are fun to write with and available in a slew of colors. Pilot also sells a limited-edition (only 80 exist) "Shark" pen for $10,000. At Montblanc, the Boheme Royal ($150,000) has 1,430 brilliant-cut diamonds.