Global stationery brand, Paperblanks has teamed with New York Botanical Gardens on a new collaboration inspired by NYBG’s botanical art, rare book collection and cultural heritage.
The first collection – entitled Golden Fritillaria – marks the beginning of an ongoing creative partnership celebrating the beauty and stories found the natural world.
Brokered by NYBG’s European licensing agent, Metrostar, the partnership is a natural fit for Paperblanks, which has collections rooted in the celebration of art, history and storytelling.
Golden Fritillaria draws inspiration from an 1827 French botanical book, Choix des plus belles fleurs (Selection of the Most Beautiful Flowers), featuring watercolour plates by renowned botanical illustrator, Pierre-Joseph Redouté.
At the heart of the design is the elegant Fritillaria imperialis, or Crown Imperial, complemented by exotic butterflies and a delicate sketch of a historic glass conservatory.
The conservatory imagery adds a layer of New York history to the design, drawing on the legacy of Lord & Burnham, American’s premier glasshouse company, which has work including the iconic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden.
“What captivated us about this design is the artistic harmony between the lavish Crown Imperial flowers, the exotic butterflies and the delicate sketch of the glass palace conservatory that still stands as part of the NYBG today,” commented Adina Costiuc, art director at Paperblanks. “It’s a small piece of New York history brought to life with artistry and visual charm. We loved enhancing the flowers and butterflies with special effects to make them as mesmerising as possible, creating a refreshing, airy feeling that comes through each time you look at the design.”
Christa Boeke, vp retail and brand licensing at the New York Botanical Garden, continued: “Paperblanks has a beautiful way of turning art and cultural history into objects people use, carry and return to every day. We’re thrilled to partner on a collection that brings the Garden’s botanical beauty to the page, creating pieces that feel both deeply personal and richly connected too NYBG’s mission.”
Claire Potter, founder of Metrostar, added: “One of the wonderful attributes of the NYBG brand is the depth of its incredible rare book collection. With Golden Fritillaria, the Paperblanks team have truly embraced its potential. It has been exciting to see this collection develop from mood board to finished product using not only botanical images but textual and architectural elements to create a truly unique and beautiful collection.”
Future collections from Paperblanks will explore more of the Garden’s botanical art, history and heritage.
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