If
you haven't already heard, there's a cool little stationery scene
coming
out of Chicago right now. (We've paid particular notice since we're also
from there.) One of our favorite companies, Jack
and Lulu, has gotten quite
a bit of attention for their sweet and clever line of wraps, notecards
and
novelties. We were thrilled to sit down with Julie and Tom Murphy over
the
holidays of 2002 to learn more about their company.
We LOVE your delightful wraps! What
inspired you to produce them?
Anytime we would give someone a gift, we would find ourselves spending
more time on the outside of the package than what was inside. Wrapping
stuff is kind of an obsession for us so it just made sense that we create
our own.
How did Jack and Lulu begin? What’s
the origin of the name?
When we first met, we used to always write letters and send drawings to
each other. One of the things Tom made was a little book about a boy named
Jack who was falling in love with a girl named Lulu. It was clearly us
in disguise! So when we decided to start our own business, we thought we
should continue the story.
We imagine Jack and Lulu as
characters in an old film, maybe a musical. What are some of your
favorite movies?
Harold and Maude, Amélie, The Red Balloon, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate
Factory and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Do you play any instruments?
Tom plays the guitar. The only instrument I've ever played is the recorder
in
4th grade music class, although I must admit I've been eyeing the tambourine
in the FF Holiday Catalog.
Who are some of your design
idols?
Tibor and Maira Kalman, Paul Rand, and whoever designed the Krispy Kreme
Doughnuts logo.
What are some of your fave bands?
The Go-Betweens, The Kinks, Francoise Hardy, Badly Drawn Boy. And
Fred Flare, bien sûr!
What are some of your favorite
things to do during the Holidays?
Put up our silver tree. Make our dog wear jingle bells. Gripe about the
cold
(we live in Chicago).
How did you two meet?
We met by chance... I (Tom) was living in New York. Julie was in town visiting
a friend who also happened to be a friend of mine. I stopped by the friend's
apartment for no reason and we immediately hit it off. We stayed out ‘til
6am
and then had breakfast together on St. Marks Place. We've been together
ever since.
How do you imagine Jack and
Lulu met?
You'll have to read the book to find out!
