Otter House and PG Live exhibitor collaborate on exclusive card collection
Otter House has signed up indie publisher Two For Joy Illustration in a licensing deal for a capsule collection of greeting cards.
Based on Two For Joy’s Bookish range, where founder Louise Richardson has been inspired by classic book covers, the deal has been brokered through art licensing and design company The London Studio.
“It’s been a great year for my little studio in Suffolk,” Louise – who is exhibiting at PG Live next week on stand 727 – said. “First an award nomination and now an exclusive collection of cards with one of the UK’s best-known names in greeting cards, gifts and stationery!
The digital illustrator, who took part in the GCA Dragons Speed Dating event earlier in the year and has been posting on social media about what she’d learned from the retail dragons over current popular card sizes, is known for her playful illustrations paired with hand-drawn typography and already has over 200 card designs.
Her Merry & Bright DIY Crafty Advent Calendar won in the Festive & Occasions category at the 2022 Gift Of The Year awards, and this year her Bookish range – which has inspired the Otter House collection – was shortlisted in the same awards in the Cards, Wrap & Stationery category.
Otter House art director Andrea Swingler said: “The Bookish Collection is as delightful as the classic book covers that inspire it and a wonderful addition to our diverse and popular card ranges. We are delighted to be working with Two For Joy Illustration on what I am sure will be a popular and successful collection.”
Since being set up in 1991 buying and selling greeting cards, Otter House has moved into calendars and gift products while working in partnership with many UK visual artists and designers. Business has grown through a number of card company acquisitions and mergers and a move into licensed branded gift and stationery collections, and it has a successful charity fulfilment and mail order division.
And The London Studio founder and director Soula Zavacopoulos added: “Louise’s distinctive and playful style was very appealing to the London Studio, which loves to support great ideas and innovative design. Her Bookish Collection is both stylish and original – perfect for Otter House.”
