What new products are you bringing to New York?
We are debuting a sample studio sample book that design studios can purchase to use as a tool to work with clients in designing custom invitations and projects. It contains samples of each of the bulk papers…color and size so it’s a perfect inspirational and practical sales tool. We also show some printed samples we created to help get the ink flowing on the drawing board.


Tell us how you came up with your new collection. What inspired the new collection?
I’ve always been inspired by botanical and Audubon prints. Our new collection (which we premiered at NSS) is our first Holiday card line. The designs are inspired by botanical prints and they are juxtaposed on ornate backgrounds that are multi-layered patterns. It’s a great contrast and my fave is the peacock design.

What are you most looking forward to at the event?
Seeing clients and getting a pulse on the market. I also own a stationery shop so I am really excited to be able to spend a few days as a buyer. The last few shows I’ve been exhibiting so my buying hours were more limited. Can’t wait to pound the pavement!



What do you predict will be big for the holidays this year? (i.e. a great gift idea or two...)
Smaller items that are thoughtful and creative. Handmade gifts will really come to the forefront and I think that personalized items will also do well; personalized stationery, initial notes and the like.

Any tips for first time NYC visitors?
The subway is THE fastest way around town. Contrary to what you may have been told- it’s pretty safe and gets you from Point A to Point B – fast and cheap!

What new products are you bringing to New York?
Smock is excited to be offering two new gift wrap designs, exclusive to Monday Morning Mimosas buyers until December 2009. All of our gift wraps are double-sided and printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper and have coordinating gift tags letterpress printed on our bamboo paper and paired with patterned envelopes converted from our gift wraps. We'll also have our original 14 gift wrap designs, which includes the 9 new designs recently unveiled at the 2009 National Stationery Show.

What are you most looking forward to at the event?
Meeting new friends in our industry is always incredibly exciting. I can't wait to catch up with old friends, share Smock with new friends and spend a bit of time in the city. Even though it's really only a few hours away from our studio in Syracuse, New York can feel like a world away at times. For me, it's really all about being surrounded by people who are passionate about the same things we are here at Smock - I can't wait!

Tell us how you came up with your new collection/what inspired the new collection?
Our entire Smock collection is designed by our creative director, Amy Graham Stigler. Amy is truly inspirational, pulling her design ideas from life as a mother of three great kids and her background in art history. She has an incredible eye for detail and a love for architecture and nature that heavily influences the Smock line. We love seeing the new things she dreams up!

What do you predict will be big for the holidays this year? (i.e. a great gift idea or two...)
I love the idea of a really simple, inexpensive gift wrapped beautifully in great gift wrap and paired with a really thoughtful card - the best are the kind that come with a heartfelt handwritten note inside. Maybe a great book for a book lover with gift wrap in colors that make you think of them. In these questionable economic times, I think keeping it simple and taking care with the small thoughtful details will become de rigeur for the holidays.

What's your favorite thing to do while you're in New York?
I love grabbing a coffee and wandering through Central Park and I'm obsessed with the architecture. I could spend days just walking around, staring at the buildings that line the streets of New York. It's always fun to see a show and a fabulous dinner paired with good wine is a must.

Any tips for first time NYC visitors?
Ask locals for recommendations on where to eat. They'll know of places the tourist books don't mention and they might even be able to suggest a specific meal or a restaurant that has great specials mid-week. The last time I was in New York, my fellow Smock companions and I took the dinner suggestion of a friend and it was, hands down, the best meal I had in months.

We caught up with russell + hazel founder Chris Plantan to see what she's planning for Monday Morning Mimosas.

What new products are you bringing to New York?

Chris: I am so excited to introduce our new leather accessories. It is a product category that I have wanted to enter into for so long.
These pieces are a natural extension for us and will translate nicely to our new tote collection for 2010.

What are you most looking forward to at the event? As always, re-connecting with friends. That’s what I love about our industry--the friendships that are developed over time.

Tell us how you came up with your new collection. What inspired it?

Chris: I am always intrigued with the social issues and how that is reflected in fashion, again the intersection of reality and fantasy. Always fun. We draw our color inspiration from these two fronts and incorporate them into our collection of products.

What do you predict will be big for the holidays this year?

Chris: Small luxuries are always best...those things that are still within reach but may not be on the “needs’ list.

What's your favorite thing to do while you're in New York?

Chris: Window shopping and eating!

Any tips for first time NYC visitor?

Chris: No. I would be a terrible travel writer or visitor guide!

Delphine, co-founder of Monday Morning Mimosas, is thrilled to again co-host this super fun event. We caught up with designer Erika Firm for a preview of what Delphine has planned for the party.

MMM: What's the scoop? What are you bringing to New York?

Erika: We have lots of goodies in store, including some limited edition cards that aren't part of our regular line, some limited edition and one-of-a-kind letterpress prints and some adorable new paper weights.

MMM: What are you most looking forward to at the event?

Erika: I'm most looking forward to seeing my friends in the Big Apple. I love catching up with our buyers and other vendors, who through the years have become treasured friends. Gift shows feel like summer camp to me. I'm also looking forward to seeing what some of the other vendors have that's new. I think I'm going to do a bit of early Christmas shopping myself!

MMM: Tell us about your new collections.

Erika: At NSS we debuted our Illumitated Initials, Baby Animals and Flora collections. I'm happy to say that we've already had reorders of everything! The initials sets are great gifts... so good that I've been told to stop dipping into inventory. The guys at the warehouse are starting to get annoyed because I'm screwing up their count!

MMM: What's your favorite thing to do while you're in New York?

Erika: I love visiting the international magazine store, which is right across the street from Bryant Park. My husband knows to go to the bar in the park for a few drinks rather than trying to wait in the store for me. I can spend hours in there! I also love visiting MoMA and going back to the Whitney Museum has been on my to-do list for 2 years now. I think this might be the trip! Oh, and I also love to eat NYC pizza.

MMM: Any tips for first time NYC visitors?

Erika: When you ask for a "regular coffee" at the deli they will put cream in it and ask how much sugar. If you want black coffee you have to ask for it specifically. Just a warning. Also, when the taxi driver says that their credit card machine is broken they are lying.

MMM: Tips for visitors to the party?

Erika: Bring lots of business cards because you'll probably make lots of new friends. Plan to spend at least an hour, so you have plenty of time to chat with everyone. And don't worry about getting to the Javits ... you can share a cab with a new friend.

"Sweet Giraffe" letterpress note card from delphine's new Baby Animals collection.

"Flora" letterpress note card from Delphine's new Flora Collection.

The "E" letterpress card from Delphine's new Illuminated Initials collection.