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Trends Spotlight
Sweet
South Maybe it all started with the popularity of the super-food quinoa, heightened by the Rio Olympics in 2016? It could be the sense of ancient communities and historic craftsmanship - the ying to the yang of our busy, tech lives - or simply a colourful backlash to the grey calm of Hygge. There are a number of possibilities, but there’s no denying, the South American influences this year are ‘Amazonian’ in stature. As we bash at the piñata of this continent’s culture for cuisine and design in 2017, the sweet treats pour out, especially on cards, in the shape of cacti, colourful pompoms and especially alpacas and avocados, which are also perfect for some hilarious puns.
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lpaca my bags’ or ‘You’re Allama-ingly good looking’, how about, ‘He may be small and green but he does avocado’? These are just a tiny taster of the witticisms that are making us smile and groan simultaneously - on cards featuring the healthy but humble avocado and the adorable alpaca and its wilder cousin the llama. And they’re part of a wider Latin American flavour that’s samba-ing on the dancefloor of current illustration and design. Traditional South American craftsmanship and patterns have been a huge influence on design this summer - in homewares (such as colourful weaved baskets, tassels and terracotta pots), rhythmic geometric patterns and saturated sizzling hues on textiles, gifts and stationery - sharing a glimpse of the history and culture behind the highlyskilled hands that made the original crafts, and reminding ourselves of community and an earthy authenticity in a tumultuous world. ‘
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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
“I think it’s the vibrancy and diversity in the South American trend that has made it so popular. But also a sense of escapism from our busy, ‘always-on’ lives. Bringing another part of the world to you, whether through colour, design, objects, or all three, helps us feel more connected and a part of something. It makes us belong”, says Adam Watts, owner publisher Duke & Rabbit. Owning South American inspired objects creates a feeling of connection to those who value their roots, believes Laura Frame, director for Alicorn Cards: “The trend
Inset: Paper Salad giftwrap from Glick. Above: A motoring avocado on a card from publishing punster, Jelly Armchair. Below: Cherry Orchard’s new Aloha! children’s range of 32 age designs covers boys’ and girls’ birthdays from ages 1 to 16. Below left: A prickly character from Paper Plane. Bottom: Bluebell 33’s Avocado range is full of sweet avocado characters.
seems to be particularly popular with young people looking for something at once homely and fun; making a space warm, relaxed and welcoming by embracing the South American culture. The way the trend is being used is unapologetically celebratory and fun so it translates very well to greeting card design.” Riding on the tasty wave of fashionable fare from Peru and Mexico, super-food, the avocado, a fruit originating from South Central America, is not only ‘ripe’ for the health trend but design-wise has also ‘pitted’ itself as part of the Pantone Colour for 2017 – ‘Greenery’. “We just love avocados at Bluebell 33… and knew that there was a whole card range waiting to be designed using them. Not only are they such an amazing superfood, it's the sweet round iconic shape people love too. This meant making our Avocado card range have little personalities incredibly easy!