Moleskine Unleashes Your Genius On Paper

The brief reference to a Moleskine notebook in Bill Murray’s recently released, The Friend, added to my long list of “sightings” of the cult classic, which happens to be a favorite companion of mine. The books are indeed everywhere, showing up in meetings, coffee shops, and alfresco, in addition to movies and books. And my own home library is a battleground for shelf space, as I have used (and saved) Moleskine journals and notebooks for years as documents of my thoughts, observations and imaginings. There are designated travel journals mixed in, with unrestrained ticket stubs helicoptering to the floor each time I’m in the mood to recollect.

“Our mission is to unleash human genius on paper,” Moleskine Global CEO Christophe Archaimbault explained during our recent conversation, he at his office in Milan, where the company is based, and I in Houston. Moleskine’s commitment to fostering creativity has not changed much since the book’s earliest inklings in Paris, he says, which brings up the musing: Moleskine or moleskine?

Moleskine or moleskine

Small leather- or oilskin-bound notebooks were sold in 19^th century Paris, becoming a fan favorite of the likes of Van Gogh, Picasso and Hemingway, and the generic term “moleskine” eventually became a broad reference to these Parisian carnets—or notebooks. But it wasn’t until 1994, when entrepreneur Maria Sebregondi suggested recreating them, that Moleskine, the company, was born. The name was trademarked in 1996, and the first products were available soon after.

Their popularity was near instant, and their style, user-friendly size and exceptional paper quality only added to the interest among creative types of every ilk wishing to record sketches, notes, and ideas. Today Moleskine’s core user is around 30 to 40 years of age, professional, affluent, and urban, “with a strong appetite for creativity and art,” affirms Archaimbault. University students are also high on the list of those who love Moleskine, and Moleskine loves them right back, offering convenient accessibility and special options at college bookstores.

Classic Moleskin

The Classic Moleskine in black, with its timeless design codes, has been augmented over the years by colorful covers and innovative styles, like the spiral-bound Student Life Diary Planner. The limited edition Sakura Collector’s Box includes two notebooks, a German-made Kaweco fountain pen, and a decorative pin, and a collaboration with Peanuts for the cartoon’s 75^th anniversary is just out. The company also made a successful foray into the digital world several years ago with Moleskine Smart, and an AI-supported app is debuting this summer. “We are tailoring products to meet needs,” Archaimbault says, adding that the company sometimes works with artists outside Moleskine for design input.

In addition to the coveted notebooks, Moleskine’s range of products includes pens and pencils, bags and even eyewear, available at retail locations around the world. There are also 60 freestanding Molestine destination boutiques, with a goal of about 150 in the next few years. And Moleskine cafes – including one at the Geneva Airport – offer additional opportunities to get creative with paper and pen and perhaps a jolt of espresso.

Unleash Your Genius

With art and the timeless power of handwriting being central to Moleskine’s ethos, Milan Design Week, held last month, was a fitting opportunity for a celebration of pen and paper. The theme, Unleash Your Genius, was energized by analogue and digital displays, along with experiential workshops. An oversized origami-inspired sculpture in the shape of a brain, crafted by contemporary artist Antonio Pignatelli, hung from the ceiling as a dramatic visual reminder of the power of writing. It was fashioned from Moleskine paper, which is an art form all its own.

You may also discover Moleskine via Detour, a traveling art exhibition curated by therapists brand. It features decorated notebooks transformed into sculptures, graphic novels and more by internationally recognized artists, architects, film directors, graphic designers, musicians, illustrators and writers. Detour has visited such cities as Shanghai, Paris, New York, London, and most recently Milan.

The nonprofit Moleskine Foundation, presided over by company co-founder Sebregondi, pays it all forward, assisting marginalized youth worldwide using education to promote creativity. The artistic works in the foundation’s collection now number over 1,500 and will eventually form the core of a Moleskine museum.

As scientists, educators and artists tout the research-supported benefits of writing by hand, it’s no doubt a good time to be in the notebook business.

“To me, the digital world triggered the need for people to connect with themselves – the need to slow down, to reflect, to express,” attests Archaimbault. As for Moleskine, he sums it up simply: “A good Molesking is a used Moleskine.”