Sydney-based stationery brand Amelia Lane Paper is making waves both in Australia and abroad, after receiving two GALA nominations and making an extremely successful debut at London trade fair Top Drawer.
Amelia Lane Paper began as a wedding stationery brand in 2011, while founder Chanel White was living in London. After growing the business and winning a 2013 Wedding Industry Award, White moved back to Sydney and launched her wholesale stationery range of cards, notepads and art prints at the August Reed Gift Fair in 2014.
Following a positive reaction from retailers throughout Australia White set out to expand the business by exhibiting overseas. “Top Drawer is the premium gift and homewares trade show in the UK and I think a vital show to exhibit at if you’re serious about expanding your export market,” she explains.
“The show is curated and quite competitive to get accepted into so the standard of exhibitors is high. It felt a little bit like diving in the deep end but I was always determined to build a European stockist list as the market is so much larger there. Fortunately, I was blow away by the response Amelia Lane Paper received, with orders coming in from across the UK and Europe.”
Although she doesn’t have a background in design—having worked on newspapers and as a terrorism analyst for the United Nations—White says she has always had a passion for art and knew she would eventually work in a creative industry.
White’s inspiration for Amelia Lane Paper comes from many areas, including the Australian lifestyle. “I am hugely inspired by colour, the beach, travel, interior design, cityscapes and natural patterns. Stationery is very influenced by home and fashion trends as well, although I generally try to stick to colours, illustrations and wording that feel natural to me.
“There is also no denying my brand is distinctly Australian with tropical, colourful and beach themes throughout, and this has been influenced by returning home to Sydney after living abroad for so long, and an appreciation of how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful country.”
As a relatively new brand, White was thrilled when Amelia Lane Paper was recognised as a finalist in the 2015 GALA Christmas and stationery categories. “It was a huge surprise after launching my wholesale stationery range only six months prior. It was really lovely to receive that sort of recognition from the industry and humbling to be considered among such good company as the other finalists.”
Amelia Lane Paper is exhibiting at Life Instyle Sydney this February.
