StationeryNews.net caught up with Studio Pens, UK distributor for Kaweco, following its win of the Icon Award at this year’s Stationery Awards. Read on to find out what they loved about London Stationery Show 2024 and what we can expect to see from them in 2025.
The Stationery Awards took place at London Stationery Show. Overall, how was the show for you?
The London Stationery Show is always a good show for us, and 2024 was the best year yet. There was a great atmosphere, with a lot going on around the show. We saw many familiar faces, both customers and exhibitors, which is always a pleasure and is part of why we love the show. We also met plenty of people for the first time, and were delighted to open quite a few accounts with retailers looking to start stocking Kaweco products.
What was your highlight from the show?
Our highlight was most definitely winning the inaugural Icon Award with the Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen.
How did it feel to win at the Stationery Awards?
It was wonderful to win at the Stationery Awards. It’s always nice to win an award, but this one felt particularly special. The Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen is so well known and loved, but it was up against some tough competition, so for it to win the very first Icon Award at the Stationery Awards was a great honour. Our Kaweco colleagues are over the moon about it.
What do you think set your product apart from the rest of the finalists?
The Kaweco Sport design has been around since 1911 and remains very popular over a century on. The Kaweco Classic Sport perfectly embodies Kaweco as a brand – practical yet creative with a healthy dose of nostalgia! It is a timeless product, functional as well as beautiful, which has stood the test of time.
What made you enter the Stationery Awards?
Entering the Stationery Awards is a great way to showcase your products. If you’re lucky enough to be shortlisted as a finalist, your product gets some great press coverage and is also on display in the middle of the show floor throughout the duration of the Stationery Show, for everyone to see. This not only generates interest in that product, but also in the brand as a whole, so the Awards are an important element of the show for us.
Can you give us an overview of your top three products from the show?
Our top three products at the show were:
- The Kaweco Art Sport range (particularly the striking Hickory Brown).
- The new Kaweco Piston Sport fountain pen which, despite only currently being available in black, was very popular due to its integrated, mess free filling mechanism.
- The Kaweco DIY Sport in Berry – which allowed visitors to have a go at making their own Kaweco fountain pen.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to stationers planning on entering the Stationery Awards in the future?
Entering as many products as you will increase your chances of becoming a finalist or a winner. Being acknowledged as a finalist or winner is widely recognised by potential stockists, providing a powerful endorsement for your products and boosting your brand’s success. The awards are highly valued within the industry and can significantly enhance your brand’s visibility.
What is your goal for the year ahead?
To bring Kaweco to more towns and cities across the UK. We have always grown organically, but this means there is patchy Kaweco coverage in some parts of the UK. We’d love to see Kaweco in a store in every UK town.
Where can people find your products?
Retailers can find our products (including all of our other brands) on our website: www.studiopens.com. Across the UK, we have just short of 200 retailers selling Kaweco (physical shops and online stores), so there’s plenty of choice for end consumers too. You can also use either the Studio Pens store locator or Kaweco’s own stockist locator which will enable you to support your local retailers.
Top: Kaweco’s head of sales, Olga Yakavenka (middle) and managing director, Sandra Tesar (right) with Studio Pens director, Nikki Devine (left).
