Pop, Boom, Bang, Hooray - We’re Turning Ten!

It's been ten years since I launched our first collection for Lagom from my small apartment in Paris. Over the past decade, we've worked hard to build and maintain the business, and Lagom has grown slowly and organically, insisting on excellence in design and materials from the very start. From our offices in Hove, East Sussex, we are now an international business supplying over 32 countries worldwide.

People say that I am too humble, but my philosophy is that nobody achieves anything worth having on their own. Over the last ten years, I have had the good fortune to work with some of the most talented artists and designers, as well as loyal suppliers, distributors, and manufacturers, to create high-quality cards and gifts that have helped establish Lagom as a well-liked and trusted brand. Thank you for all your help, I couldn't have done it without you.

The start of something incredible

The story of Lagom began in a bijou, a Parisian apartment in the 16th arrondissement close to the River Seine. The name Lagom was inspired by the Swedish philosophy of living in balance, of things being 'just right'. It is perfectly fitting, therefore, that Swedish artist Hanna Werning created our first-ever collection. Ten years on, Hanna is still producing stunning designs and has been joined by a further 44 artists, designers, and makers. All of our artists are special to us and bring something unique to Lagom, helping our brand continue to inspire, delight, and please our customers worldwide.

We are well known for our design-based cards, but words have been important to us from the very beginning. I loved the idea of a card range where the focus was on a simple word or phrase set against a plain coloured background.

Back then, I didn’t think anyone would buy a card with just a word in the middle of it, but now they will, because it goes right to the heart of the emotional connection cards can make. Making this connection has been a core value of our business, whether through patterns, illustrations, or words.

You give every cloud a silver lining

Not long after Lagom was created, the economy experienced a devastating crash. It was a worrying time for business, but Lagom not only survived, but we continued to flourish. I noticed a real shift in mindset during this period. There has been a shift in people's emotions and attitudes since 2008, and I was reminded of the importance of relationships, which greeting cards help to reinforce. Taking the time to choose a card, writing a loving sentiment inside and sealing it in an envelope creates an experience that cannot be replicated online. The tactile nature of opening an envelope and reading a message written in a loved one's hand is a sharing of sentiment that has been a part of us for generations. In times of crisis and uncertainty, this becomes a comforting and uplifting act.

Taking care in the things we do

At Lagom, we have been embracing the online world since the very beginning, and we take great care to ensure that the quality of our content matches the excellence of our products. We collaborate with exceptional stylists and photographers from Copenhagen and London to create tableaus that authentically evoke the spirit and philosophy of Lagom. It's essential to us that our website not only provides a pleasing visual experience but also offers an easy-to-navigate interface, enabling you to enjoy our products fully. With the use of good design, we strive to maintain a consistent art style, ensuring that our brand identity remains strong and allowing visitors to experience a calm and seamless online experience.

At Lagom, we take great pride in taking time to do things with care, things that are not always financially motivated but that demonstrate our integrity and commitment to keeping the spirit of print alive.

Our Lagom Journal is a celebration of artists, designers, and craftspeople, as well as the history of print as both an art form and a means of heartfelt emotional communication. We are genuinely passionate about these topics, and a few years ago, we hired a writer to research and write in-depth articles on subjects that are close to our hearts. In a world of instant communication, clickbait and superficiality, we wanted to give our customers something to savour.

It was also around this time that people began questioning throw-away consumerism and started to have more respect for things made with love and craftsmanship. There was a genuine shift towards creating things that would last, which resonated deeply with Lagom's drive for excellence in everything we do. From the quality and feel of the paper to the standard of printing, the perfect finish can only be achieved by people who take care and have worked hard to perfect their craft. From the paper made by Munken Mill on the banks of the River Orekil in Sweden, the craftspeople who flock and foil our cards to our paper merchants, G.F. Smith, we'd like to extend a big thank you to everyone who helps us create cards and wraps infused with quality and care.

Thank you for showing us off

But it's not just online that consumers can enjoy our love of print and design. Over the years, we have collaborated with numerous independent stores, museums, department stores, and high-quality chains. Thank you for your support and for giving a home to our very special gift wrap and cards.