I’ve gone to a lot of trade shows over the years, but the National Stationery Show (NSS) is my favorite. What makes this show special are the stationery artists themselves. It is a kick to experience their creativity, and as a group, stationery folk are the nicest people you will ever meet. And… you can’t beat the location in NYC! Great food, Central Park, and half-price Broadway shows like American Idiot and In the Heights. Ah, that’s the way to travel.
What were the Show Highlights for me this year?
First, the mood at the show was noticeably more upbeat. Although the show floor seems smaller than in years past, it held strong at 900 exhibitors and 11,000 attendees. Most artists said sales to retailers were going very well.
Second, letterpress artists continue to impress with their compelling alternatives to mass-market greeting cards. There are 100s of amazing artists, with my favorite new greeting card lines coming from Hammerpress, Hello!Lucky, and Delphine Press, (check out the blog reviews and photos of these new lines at PoppyTalk and Oh So Beautiful Paper)
Third, it is refreshing to see modern humor cards that are witty yet not mean-spirited. Every year it seems more “shock-value” cards hit the market, nevertheless, it is awesome to see design and sweet humor still expertly played. My favorite in this genre is Old Tom Foolery, and their new Headlines Collection of newspaper-style greeting cards
Old Tom Foolery - Winner of Stationery "Trendies" and Louie Awards
There are many comprehensive blog reviews of the Stationery Show, complete with stunning pictures. Check them out!
Design*Sponge
Oh So Beautiful Paper
Papercrave
Poppytalk
simple+pretty
A Baby’s Eye View of the Stationery Show by Albertine Press – cutest show recap ever!
Old Tom Foolery image courtesy of the artist and Stationery Trends Magazine annual awards, The Trendys.
