The Moleskine brand was started as a homage to the French notebooks used by artists Van Gogh and Picasso and writers Ernest Hemingway and Bruce Chatwin. From the now classic pocket notebook, the range has expanded to take in travel journals, address books and collaborative designs, as well as a range of sketchbooks and artists’ pads, all made to the same high standards of design and function.
THE LEGENDARY NOTEBOOK
The Moleskine notebook is the heir and successor to the legendary notebook used by artists and thinkers over the past two centuries: among them Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Bruce Chatwin.
Today, it is celebrated in pop culture as a contemporary icon, an inviting blank space where your own words and sketches join you to an ever evolving relay of creativity.
Moleskine have always believed in the timeless power of handwriting as an essential expression of human civilisation, a powerful act to unleash human genius and foster the development and sharing of literacy and knowledge.
In his book The Songlines, Bruce Chatwin tells the story of the little black notebook: in 1986, the manufacturer, a small family-owned company in the French city of Tours, went out of business. “Le vrai moleskine n’est plus” are the lapidary words he puts into the mouth of the owner of the stationery shop in Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie where he usually purchased his notebooks. Chatwin set about buying up all the notebooks that he could find before his departure for Australia, but they were still not enough.
In 1997, the company known today as Moleskine brought the legendary notebook back to life.
In a fast-paced technological era, they proudly celebrate the artistry of the human touch; the enduring pleasure of putting pen to paper to unleash your unique voice.
"Every Moleskine notebook is a book yet to be written and a story waiting to be told." - Maria Sebregondi, Moleskine co-founder and president of Moleskine Foundation
"PUT PEN TO PAPER AND UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY"
HOW MOLESKINE BECAME THE 'GO TO' NOTEBOOK
The very first batch of Moleskine notebooks were sold, not in a stationer’s or art store, as you might expect, but from a bookshop, in the company’s home city of Milan. It was a bold move – connecting the Moleskine brand to a lifestyle with knowledge, culture and travel at its heart.
Their notebooks are stylised to follow the aesthetics of a 'traditional' black notebook with rounded corners and ivory-coloured paper. They are bound in cardboard with a sewn spine that allows the notebook to lie flat. An elastic band is used to seal, and a ribbon bookmark is included along with an expandable pocket inside the rear cover, which is packed in a paper banderole.
Everything Moleskine produce is compliant with California Proposition 65, one of the most stringent regulations in the world regarding the safety and environmental impact of materials.
We are all creative beings; with a book, a poem, or a drawing in us. And a Moleskine notebook is the perfect place to confide our thoughts, ideas and sketches – a book only waiting for us to complete its pages
Once the Moleskine brand was established, the company began to link up with other legendary names, combining to maximise their appeal for the consumer. Limited editions have celebrated Lego, Star Wars, Harry Potter, the Marvel franchise and many more.
Moleskine’s attraction for creatives and notebook fans was undeniable, and a crucial part of its success, but it wasn’t content to be just another niche brand, susceptible to changing tastes and fashions. The company needed a stronger, wider customer base, and that meant introducing its products to people who didn’t know them.
Their reputation and unique position in the creative sector makes personalised Moleskine notebooks the ideal way for businesses to show how much they value their clients and team. It says to those people that they’re smart and interesting, and their thoughts and ideas are worth capturing in a special and unique way.
OUR GUIDE TO BULLET JOURNALING WITH MOLESKINE
Now you know the creative history of Moleskine, In the spirit of fresh starts and new life we’re sharing our top five bullet journaling design ideas to spark your creativity as we creep ever closer to those winter months
SO WHAT IS A BULLET JOURNAL?
a Bullet Journal is a handy way of journaling and note-taking that uses bullet points as the core structure. The main idea behind the Bullet Journal is to save you time by jotting down quick notes instead of writing long sentences.
Use your Tombow Dual brush pens to create a bold weekly planner, the clearer your design the easier it will be to see your week ahead. We have gone for a simple geometric design with floral accents
TO DO LIST
And finally, speaking of lists - we're finishing on the all important to-do list. Using Sakura Gelly pens you can easily visualise your priorities, just make sure you use strong contrasting colours so that you can easily glance at what you need to do next!
SAVINGS TRACKER
Saving doesn't have to be dull! Use the Faber-Castell pencils to bring some colour to your tracker, we've also drawn a savings jar to bring some life to the page
GRATITUDE LIST
Life can be hectic and sometimes it can be hard to stop yourself getting bogged down by the little things, a gratitude list can be a simple and positive way to start your week, from small things like appreciating a beautiful sunset to creating art or simply enjoying a treat - whatever you're grateful for get it on the page!
WHY NOT KICKSTART YOUR CREATIVITY WITH YOUR OWN MOLESKINE NOTEBOOK
