# Meri Meri > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Meri_Meri > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Meri_Meri.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meri_Meri > Source revision: 1352944040 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American design house and lifestyle company}} '''Meri Meri''' is an American design house and children's lifestyle company founded in 1985. Beginning as a greeting card company, it was a significant member of the [alternative card movement](/source/Greeting_card) of the 1980s. It has been influential in developing greeting cards and party and lifestyle markets and is credited with creating the children's party product sector.{{Cite news |last=Moss |first=Victoria |date=2023-09-24 |title=Inside the world of the super-sized kids' party — starting at £4,000 |newspaper=[The Times](/source/The_Times) |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/how-kids-parties-became-big-business-fgkxc9nfb |access-date=2023-09-24 |issn=0140-0460}} Meri Meri is both the company name and the principal brand of the American designer [Meredithe Stuart-Smith](/source/Meredithe_Stuart-Smith). ==History== ===Greetings Cards=== Meri Meri originated in 1985 in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles) when Meredithe Stuart-Smith started making greeting cards at home and selling them to stores under the Meri Meri name. There were no commercially sold hand-made cards in the market at that time. Stuart-Smith's cards were different from the standard styles of the time, using materials and design sources previously unknown in that sector.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-05-25-9805250065-story.html|title=FANCY CARDS HAVE THEIR MOMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT|date=May 25, 1998|website=Chicago Tribune}}  Following local success, Meri Meri exhibited in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) in 1987, where the company attracted the attention of [Bergdorf Goodman](/source/Bergdorf_Goodman) and began to establish a nationwide customer base. By some measures, Meri Meri was the most successful member of the alternative card movement of small design-led companies that started to compete against Hallmark and [American Greetings](/source/American_Greetings) in the 1980s. Between 1987 and 2005, it won 81 [Louie awards](/source/Louis_Prang), a record for any company.{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Rebekah |date=November 25, 2005 |title=Greeting cards take Belmont company on a successful ride |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/11/25/greeting-cards-take-belmont-company-on-a-successful-ride/ |website=[East Bay Times](/source/East_Bay_Times)}} In 1990, the company moved its base to [Belmont, California](/source/Belmont%2C_California).   In 1996, Stuart-Smith moved to England and set up a United Kingdom arm of the company; the HQ remained in Belmont.  The company continued to expand, with a growing design team in the United Kingdom. ===Design Expansion=== The growth of Internet communication in the early 2000s put pressure on the company to move into different product areas. The company moved initially into party and event invitations, followed by a focus on paper products for children's parties.  In 2008, Meri Meri showed six children's party accessories collections at the New York Stationery Show.{{Cite web |last=Dawkins |first=Gemma |date=2020-05-05 |title=Meet Meri Meri Founder Meredithe Stuart-Smith (And Get A Tour of Her Cotswolds Studio) |url=https://thegracetales.com/meet-meri-meri-founder-meredithe-stuart-smith-and-get-a-tour-of-her-london-studio/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924144908/https://thegracetales.com/meet-meri-meri-founder-meredithe-stuart-smith-and-get-a-tour-of-her-london-studio/ |archive-date=2023-09-24 |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=The Grace Tales |language=en-US}} They developed the first [cupcake kits](/source/cupcake) and introduced them to the market that year.{{Cite web |last=Godding |first=Nicky |date=May 10, 2022 |title=Rousing return for Giffords Circus as Cheltenham gift firm launches circus themed party ware |url=https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/companies/rousing-return-for-gloucestershires-giffords-circus/ |website=The Business Magazine}} It expanded further into other children's party products in the following years. The company is credited with creating the children's party sector. Around 2017, it moved into children's bedlinen and soft furnishings,{{Cite web |date=2017-05-09 |title=Meri Meri at The Hambledon collaboration |url=http://carolinerowland.co.uk/blog/2017/5/5/meri-meri-at-the-hambledon-collaboration |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Caroline Rowland |language=en-GB}} together with homewares,{{Cite news |last=Fokschaner |first=Serena |date=2019-10-26 |title=A touch of magic for an old rectory |language=en-GB |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/26/a-touch-of-magic-for-an-old-rectory |access-date=2023-09-24 |issn=0029-7712}} children's jewelry{{Cite web |title=Brands We Love : Meri Meri |url=https://www.lepetitsociety.com/blog/post/why-we-love-meri-meri |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=www.lepetitsociety.com |language=en}}  and other sectors. ==Current Operations== The company currently has bases in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Its managing director is Paul Cripps.{{Cite web |title=Paul Cripps - Managing Director at Meri Meri |url=https://theorg.com/org/meri-meri/org-chart/paul-cripps |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=THE ORG |language=en}} The company's products continue to be used by an international clientele.{{Cite web |last=London |first=Bianca |date=December 19, 2022 |title=This is where you can buy Meghan Markle's favourite partyware (and Beyoncé and Michelle Obama are obsessed too) |url=https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/meghan-markle-meri-meri |website=Glamour UK}} ==Collaborations== Meri Meri has produced design collaborations with a variety of artists and brands: In 2017, it produced a homewares range in collaboration with design-focused store The Hambleton. In 2020, it produced a range of plates and other products in collaboration with French artist [Nathalie Lete](/source/Nathalie_Lete).{{Cite web |last=The4 |title=An interview with Nathalie Lété |url=https://merimeri.com/blogs/stories/an-interview-with-nathalie-lete |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Meri Meri |language=en-US}} In 2021, it produced a collaboration with [Liberty of London](/source/Liberty_of_London){{Cite web |title=23 LIBERTY PRINT MERI MERI PARTY ideas {{!}} liberty print, meri meri party, party tableware |url=https://www.pinterest.com.au/partycupboard/liberty-print-meri-meri-party/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Pinterest |language=en}} It has also produced collaborations with London store [Harrods](/source/Harrods){{Cite tweet |number=1066006160153677825 |user=Harrods |title=Meri Meri invites you to a magical party in a life-size dressing-up box. Featuring a treasure trove of costumes for all to enjoy, the Meri Meri dressing-up pop-up is free to all store visitors during store opening hours. |author-link=Harrods |date=2018-11-23 |access-date=2023-09-24 |language=en |df=ymd}} and with French patisserie house [Ladurée](/source/Ladur%C3%A9e).{{Cite web|url=https://www.laduree.us/laduree-x-meri-meri.html|title=Ladurée x Meri Meri | Maison Ladurée|website=www.laduree.us}} ==  References == {{Reflist}} Category:Design companies of the United States Category:Design companies established in 1985 Category:Greeting cards --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Meri Meri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meri_Meri) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meri_Meri?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.