Back in the days before the rise in social media and smart phones, advertisers used to target their twenty something audience with postcards placed in winebars and restaurants. They were witty, well designed and brightly coloured. And most had a plain back so you could use them to send to your friends. I collected quite a few of these, well a boxful, which I still have and dip into occasionally when I want to drop one in for the neighbours to let them know when we are away. They are a real reminder of what was popular then and I love them.
Sadly, these days it is quicker to send an email but nice to receive a card in the post. One of my friends still sends postcards from her travels and it is a lovely surprise when they drop through the letterbox and really nice to display them on the shelf.
I found this beautiful box of cards on Amazon by Finnish design group Marimekko. It is an absolute joy, 100 fabulous cards showing their textiles and designs over the years. Perfect for those belated thank you notes and nice for a quick birthday greeting. Or even just to keep and look at.
Marimekko is a Finnish textiles and fashion house based in Helsinki and founded in the 1950s. You may recall from an earlier blog post, I featured a book on Scandinavian Design, the cover of which is a Marimekko print.
The 1960s saw the companies rise in popularity when it is said that Jacqueline Kennedy bought several Marimekko dresses and wore them throughout the presidential campaign. More recently Carrie Bradshaw in the TV series Sex and the City wore a Marimekko bikini.
The postcards are a brilliant journey through the companies design portfolio and contributors. You can buy your own set from Amazon HERE