Gift Focus - Sep/Oct 2018 (Issue 109)

Why did you decide to start up Type and Story? I decided to start up Type and Story purely as a passion project while on maternity leave. I couldn’t do my pre-baby activities like yoga or running because my husband worked late and I needed to be in. I turned to design and began creating something completely free from the constraints of budgets and clients – the dream was totally my own. Can you explain a bit more about your product offering? My offering consists of paper goods with purpose and intent, with cards (monogram and occasion), wall prints, notecards and notebooks. My most popular pieces are my notebooks, as I believe they are real giftable treats. I offer a range of monogram pocket notes, which I sell in sets of three. The beauty of these is that they are personalised, so you can get something quite specific for a friend or relative who is getting married or moving house, for example. The Balance Collection of notebooks has also been hugely popular, with the gold foil finish being appealing and giftable when sold as a set of two. The wall prints have proved a real hit with new baby gifts or engagement gifts for couples who love seeing their initials together. Can you tell us more about the ‘Stories’ that you release twice a year? To me, the world is made up of narratives, stories, fantasies and myths, and we all coincide somewhere in-between. My first collection, Sign-Painting, was all about honouring this period in art by developing the style but using it digitally and commercially, showing people that you can renew old treasures to bring new meaning. The latest collection, Balance, explores this idea – balance! Are we being balanced human beings? Are we balancing our hopes and dreams with our realities? What’s the actual balance between our work life and play? I want these stories to not only be visually appealing for those wanting to buy a notebook or card, but also for the designs to engage in a story that explores change. What’s your favourite product from your most recent collections? I am so proud of the Mantra notebooks because they act as a daily reminder to slow down, reassess and be mindful, and they are so simple in design. I almost didn’t release them because of this simplicity, but I am so happy that I did. How do you market your business? Do you attend any trade shows? I typically market Type and Story through social media and free pop-up spaces. Trade shows are a pricey business, so unfortunately I’m not in a position to do this, although I would love to. I do, however, go to all of the shows to talk to my friends who are exhibiting and to gauge the market. I am trying to be creative in other ways to get buyers’ attention. You were one of the Launchpad winners from the London Stationery Show – how was that? I had a taste of trade show life early this year at the Stationery Show, where I was one of 12 Launchpad winners that celebrated contribution towards the stationery industry. I loved every second of meeting people, especially other designers. I managed to get a few great leads and am now happily stocked at Somerset House, so it was entirely worth it. I loved the setup, talking to buyers and trade show life. If it weren’t so expensive, I would do them all! What other highlights have there been since launching your business? Getting my two first UK retailers – Somerset House and Anthropologie – which are two brands close to my heart because of their ethoi and brand messages. What are your hopes for the future? My hopes for the next five years are to grow within the UK and Europe. I hope to gain more stockists and larger unit orders to make it feasible for me to still trade! Niccy Iseman, founder of Type and Story, has turned her passion into a fully fledged business taking note Type and Story hellotypeandstory@gmail.com typeandstory.com Image by: Marie Me 154 giftfocus