Who are we…?

The other day I received a request to be interviewed by Rochelle, an aspiring graphic design student back east. It was a nice surprise to get the request along with the flattery.

…I was very excited to connect with someone from the Design Department at Envelopments as I think that your designs are cutting edge and leading in the industry.  The specific questions that I’d like to ask you are listed below:
How do you stay an expert in the field?  Where do you get your new ideas and creativity from? What is your real inspiration?  Did you receive formal training to do what you are currently doing?  If so, has it proven to be valuable? If not, would you recommend it to an aspiring individual with raw talent? What makes you different from all of the other designers within the Special Events field? How important has developing relationships with other people been to the success of your creative eye?

Wow, lots to respond to! Here goes…

At Envelopments, we try to stay current with trends. We read online blogs, we go to industry tradeshows, we frequent magazine stands, and we shop. But we also like to create our own trends, and that’s where the true fun lies. Though there’s a common love for paper that threads the Design Department together, each designer has a diverse artistic background that we leverage. From creating jewelry to building websites, traveling South East Asia or taking a walk along the beach, we find inspiration everywhere and harness it into innovative custom communiqués. There’s a myriad of companies out there that simply sell their products. What we aim to do at Envelopments is to create a dialogue with the industry, whether it’s with our Dealers/Designers, a corporate account, the bride and groom, or the DIY customer at home. Having our finger on the design pulse of the market not only keeps us relevant, but also steers us on the right path to being fashion-forward.

Education in any field can only help sharpen skills. We’ve got a designer with a degree from a trade school, two other designers graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art…and truth be told, our founder couldn’t read a ruler when she started. With that said, this industry relies more on creativity than it does a piece of paper you get after completing classes. Formal training can help you streamline your design process, make you more efficient, and consequently a bit more marketable on a resume, but in my humble opinion, an ounce of inspiration and creativity triumphs over a pound of schooling any day. I lean more on the day to day on-the-job experiences than I do the school projects I submitted. Real life brides-to-be can definitely be more challenging to please than professors.

When Envelopments was founded 15 years ago, there were no like products. Deborah had a customer with a need for the unusual. Over the years, the niche we created has transformed into a market segment. We’ve systematized our line to provide over 200 colors in a variety of 70 shapes and sizes (with more colors, shapes and sizes coming very soon)!  Envelopments website and Envelopments Design Studio utilized by our Dealers/Designers streamlines the possibilities with refined choices making our vast collection inspiring to work with.

At Envelopments, we’re all about relationships – both personal and professional. The backbone of our industry is about maintaining relationships through paper goods; inviting family and friends to your wedding, announcing the birth of your baby, or a gathering for a fun party. We love meeting people and learning more about their relationships, their moments. With every new person we meet, we’re affected and infected with their lives. A simple conversation can inspire a wedding ensemble. Moreover, chatting with different people in the industry (if you ask the right questions) can help you grow as a designer.

Thanks for asking Rochelle…follow your passion!