Stationery Store Series: Fabriano Boutique

Endowed with high quality paper and swathed in top–grade leather, Fabriano stationery wouldn’t look out of place in a collection of primly trimmed Italian couture accessories. The new Fabriano shop in the heart of Covent Garden manages not to look too exclusive to be standoffish but make no mistake: this is no ordinary stationery to be purchased in bulk by the masses. After all, the name says it all: Fabriano Boutique. The very old and very revered artisan paper once only intended for artists has been bound into jolly notebooks and notepads and become part of a stationery range that could not be displayed in any other place than a boutique which exudes Italian flair.

There is a lot to choose from: Circo notepads with their die-cut holes and primary colours, cloth-like paper notebooks in earthy colours; three-stitch bound “Trio” notebooks, or four-stitch bound Quartetto with their doodle-like spiral design on the cover; Savile Row-inspired notepads; hard bound journals, and if you wanted to sample all the varieties of Fabriano paper the Bouquet notebook set in a rainbow of colours contains seven: felt marked, embossed, parchment, Vellum, laid, ecological and natural.

If the fine leather writing cases and passport holders are out of your price range, the delightful elastic band which neatly holds Fabriano eraser, sharpener, ruler and two pencils around a notebook is a must-have. Fabric pencil rolls containing a full set of colouring pencils hang on the wall enticingly; there is a sharpener in the form of an ink pot; magnetic pencils; handmade writing paper and envelopes as well as notebooks and stationery for kids. And there is a range of bottled inks I would very much like to try.

This is a bright and colourful shop with very keen and friendly staff that seems to have taken to heart the Fabriano heritage. After all, the brand which has been synonymous with high quality paper since 1264 celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, and Fabriano boutiques are on their way up with branches from Beijing to Berlin and from London and Lebanon. 

Fabriano Boutique

21 Neal Street

Covent Garden

London WC2 9PU