Hello everyone! I'm Christine, Haute Papier's new intern, and I'm a student at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. I'm really excited to work with Sarah, Erin, and Alison for the fall semester! I think one of the best ways to get to know someone is through viewing what they like, so for my first blog entry I want to write about a design studio whose work inspires me. Louise Fili, Ltd., based in New York, focuses on food packaging and restaurant identity. Once a senior designer for Herb Lubalin, Louise Fili has run her own studio for two decades. With only three employees, the studio has produced some of the most gorgeous retro-inspired, whimsical work I've ever seen, most pieces featuring hand-drawn type:

Louise's extensive collection of vintage signage and packaging, culled from flea markets all over Europe and gifted from clients, inform her designs. "I have three interests: food, type, and Italy," she says. I think these photos of her studio basically say it all:

Louise Fili, Ltd.'s senior designer, Jessica Hische, is the designer behind all that hand-lettering. The work on her own website, www.jhische.com, makes me quake with jealousy, in particular because Hische herself is only 24 years old. As a freelance designer and illustrator, Hische recently created these lovely letterpressed birth announcements for a friend:

I have to stop myself before I get carried away; this is just a sampling of things I love. I will continue to share my favorite things throughout the semester, so keep tuned!