When did you decide to create paper+cup?
When I just couldn’t take my day job anymore! I was in editorial design and always found myself making things on the side. It was back in 2003.
{click image to enlarge}What was your initial vision?
Tru and I loved anything to do with paper and we love a great cup of coffee. So hence the name, paper+cup. Our vision didn’t start off by wanting to create a stationery company. We just wanted to make things we like and stationery seemed the most tangible medium at the time. There weren’t that many stationery companies around either and letterpress was something very new. I remember Snow & Graham and Eggpress were the first ones in the market. We noticed that there was a void in some fresh modern stationery. We fell in love with letterpress and wanted to marry a little vintage + modern together.
I love being able to set my own hours – although I work much more now. I don’t think my brain ever checks out- it’s non-stop work. Truman used to get so mad when I slept with my blackberry right next to me. I literally looked at it right before I went to bed and the first thing I did when I woke up. It was getting pretty bad. Now what I love most is that I get to stay home with our newborn.
{click image to enlarge}What do you love about working with brides?
I love hearing about their stories on how they met and about their vision for their big day. It’s such an intimate experience in a way to be part of something so special.
One of my favorite design projects was a newspaper themed invite suite . The save the date had a personal ad torn out that described the couples along with a letter announcing their engagement. We made a mini newspaper for the invite, printed it on actual newsprint paper. The invite suite was then placed inside a mini file folder which then got mailed in a printed manila envelope.
{click image to enlarge}I have boxes full of things I’ve saved over the years, when I need some inspiration I usually browser through them. On the weekends we like to visit the flea markets and just roam around the city. We like to walk slow and just talk and think out loud. It’s one of our best brainstorming sessions. One of our favorite thing to do is to sit outside of Balthazar bakery with some madelines and donuts and people watch. It has nothing to do with design but in the midst of just relaxing, we often get lots of things going.
{click image to enlarge}Why will brides love you?
We love what we do and we love to collaborate with our clients. When we get to work on projects, we want to bring out the client’s style and story but of course sprinkle it with a touch of p+c.
Where did your company begin? Where are products sold?
We started in 2003, in our apartments. I lived in Chinatown and Tru in the Lower East Side. We are now located in Manhattan on 31st and Lexington. Our wholesale fulfillment is done in California. Our products can be found throughout the US and in some UK stores like paperchase.
Want more paper + cup? Minhee will be showcasing her work at the upcoming Urban Wed event March 23-24. Visit our events section for more details.
Photos courtesy paper + cup .
