Deva Designs has expanded into greeting cards, launching with three distinct collections.
Well known for its giftwrappings, it was however Deva’s growing success with the Bunnies by the Bay plush and allied products (which Deva has distributed for the last five years) that sparked the idea to publish some co-ordinated greeting cards.
The last time the Chester-based company was involved in the greeting card arena was a decade ago when it distributed the Meri Meri handmade cards.
Andrew Maddocks, md and co-owner of Deva Designs says that the “Eureka moment” which sparked the decision to publish greeting card for the first time came about while it was developing the website which offers a personalised Bunnies by the Bay collection (www.bunnyinabox.co.uk).
“We were initially only thinking of offering them as an add on to the personalised Bunny in a Box, but inspired by the stunning illustrations from Bunnies by the Bay’s vast archive from its publishing programme encouraged by the feedback from our agents and retailers to the idea we put together a range of baby cards for the general retail trade,” explains Andrew about the collection of 12 designs.
The Bunnies by the Bay card range launches at a time when the US brand’s profile is growing in the UK and Ireland.
Selfridges has a Bunnies by the Bay feature area in its London flagship store as part of the FAO Schwarz concession. Meanwhile Arnott’s, the beacon Dublin department store has also recently installed a sizeable Bunnies by the Bay area. Both stores utilise the brand’s attractive fixtures.
FAO Schwarz is backing Bunnies by the Bay globally and has included the products in stores in the States as well as overseas.
“You could say we are very happy bunnies with the way the brand is growing!” quips Andrew.
The other two card collections that have been launched by Deva Designs are Lucky Numbers (milestone age cards which each include an actual lucky sixpence coin) and Kitted Out, which include intricate embroidered decals.
Of the latter range, Andrew said that it is something of “a happy mistake.” He explains the cards were created “to use up some excess embroidered decals we had, but they have gone down rather well so now it looks like we may have to order some more, just for the cards.”
Top: A trio of Deva card designs from the Bunnies by the Bay, Lucky Numbers and Kitted Out collections.
