IN THE WORKS 04/25
A monthly update from inside PREST WORKS.
Hello,
Have you ever started a new project but struggled to finish it? Same here. When something’s finished, it can be judged. It’s easier to leave it half-done. Full of potential. I start new projects, new notebooks, new plans… then abandon them when a newer idea comes along. PREST is one of the few things I’m committing to fully, and this newsletter is one of the things keeping me accountable. But even while building the brand, I keep going on little side quests. I blame undiagnosed ADHD, but maybe it’s just natural curiosity.
This month looked a bit quieter on the surface while I wandered off on one of those side quests, but things have still been ticking along nicely behind the scenes. Here’s what’s been happening at PREST in April.
TLDR: Smaller label design. Some proper brand guidelines. Big Cartel over Shopify. Pondering business models. Making boxes.📓 Updating the labels
I’ve been tweaking the label designs after making up some more samples. They felt too big before. The smaller version feels a bit more considered. The tricky part is getting the balance right. Enough space to write on, while feeling in proportion with the notebook. There’s also space for a logo, which will usually carry PREST’s branding. But I’m also thinking the space could be used for personalisations where a person/brand wants their name on the cover. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself there.
✒️ Formalising the branding
Even though I’m a designer by trade, I’ve kept the PREST branding pretty loose so far. I didn’t want to pin it down too early, knowing it would naturally evolve (and because I’m pretty indecisive too). This month, I’ve slowly started to settle on some of the core elements: some tweaks to the colours, a decision on fonts, a bit of work on the logotype. All in preparation for getting things printed and launching the site. I was hoping to share more on this today but I might do a bit of a deep-dive once it’s more fleshed out.
🛒 Choosing a website platform
I’ve been weighing up e-comm platforms: Squarespace, Shopify, Wix, Etsy, Big Cartel. I’ve used Squarespace before and could never quite get it to look or behave how I wanted. Shopify is clearly the best option, but I’m bootstrapping this and the monthly cost is high when you’re starting small. Wix is an Israeli company, so that’s a no from me. Etsy takes a hefty cut in fees, and I want PREST to feel like its own space anyway rather than part of a marketplace. Big Cartel feels simpler and more focused. Less about bells and whistles, more about getting something out into the world. It’ll need some customisation, but I think I can code well enough to get it how I want it.
⚖️ Exploring business models
I’ve also been figuring out how I want PREST to actually run. Should it be small batch drops or always-in-stock? Should I be thinking about wholesale? I don’t have the answers yet, mostly because I’m learning as I go. Limited drops seem to make the most sense in terms of a making schedule. And it would keep things fresh and seasonal. Brands like Ffern and Paynter do this sort of thing really well. More work to be done on this.
🎁 Making boxes (the side quest)
I’ve done bookbinding for years, but lately I’ve been more drawn to box making. It’s all the same skills really, but I like the one-off nature of a custom box vs. making multiples of the same book. Simple greyboard boxes, portfolio cases, test structures. Just making for the sake of it really. And a nice way to spend the bank holiday too.
