Photography by John Lee.
In the age of Tweets and IM, sending a handwritten note—via snail mail no less—seems archaic. But everything sisters Eunice and Sabrina Moyle create at their letterpress stationery shop, Hello!Lucky, is based on deliberate and painstakingly precise actions that take time.
“I was so sick of making things that disappear in a month,” says Eunice, who was a website designer before starting the company with a vintage hand-crank press in her garage in 2003. “People appreciate tangible, handmade items. They may not be sending mail as frequently, but when they do, they want it to be special.” Though the construction is traditional, Hello!Lucky designs are just the opposite, incorporating oversized, vintage-inspired illustrations, lots of color and cheeky copy.
Last January they began offering digital printing on letterpress paper. “It’s faster and more affordable but still carries similar qualities of letterpress,” says Sabrina, who wrote the business plan for Hello!Lucky after graduating from Stanford School of Business. At the request of friends and fans they just added custom holiday cards to their lineup, and birth announcements are coming soon.
Last year Eunice and Sabrina co-authored Handmade Hellos (Chronicle), a DIY guide to greeting cards, and they’re currently spending nights and weekends fabricating projects for their next book on DIY wedding design, due out next fall. “The company grew organically out of a real love for what we are doing,” Sabrina says. “Our view is you really have to seize opportunities and be true to who you are.”
Stylist: Rachel Lena Esterline. Styling assistance: Sonie Hack. Makeup: Nikki Devin for Artist Untied. On Sabrina: Betsey Johnson chiffon dress, Marc Jacobs suede peep-toe shoe, Model’s own. On Eunice: Vintage lace dress, Steve Madden metallic flats, model’s own.
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