We sat down and spoke to Leslie Dimitrief, the founder of Blake & Co. Design. Prior to starting Blake & Co. Design, Leslie spent seven years working as a graphic designer and art director across several advertising agencies, a Fortune 500 company, a commercial real estate firm, and a non-profit. After designing pieces for her own wedding in 2017, she realized her passion for custom stationery, and thus Blake & Co. Design was born!
Presently, Leslie lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with her husband Michael, her son Ari and their dog Blake (the muse for Blake & Co. Design!). She shares with us her love of design, what makes her business unique and the best feedback she’s received from clients!
Can you please tell us a bit about yourself personally? Where do you live (and why you decided to live there/love living there) and names/ages of kids.
I recently moved from Manhattan – in SoHo / Tribeca – to Cos Cob in May. My husband and I decided to move because we were looking for more space and really fell in love with the town of Greenwich. We love the beach, the amazing downtown area, access to great schools, and how close Greenwich is to the city. We have one son (Ari), who is almost 2.
What do you love about Greenwich and your neighborhood? In Cos Cob, I really appreciate the access to nature. On my morning walk, I can hear a waterfall and birds chirping – it’s a relaxing feeling (especially compared to our old neighborhood in NYC)!
For anyone who isn’t familiar, how would you describe Blake & Co. Design?
Blake & Co. is a luxury, custom stationery business. All of our designs are completely custom and tailored to the personal aesthetic of our clients. We specialize in designing custom stationery for special events, such as weddings, bar / bat mitzvahs, showers, birthday parties, etc. For these events, we typically design all of the paper, including save-the-dates, invitations and day-of pieces (like menus and place cards). Additionally, we also can create personalized thank you notes, business cards, and holiday cards. Anything paper related, I am your girl!
What is your professional background and how did that lead you to launch Blake & Co. Design?
Prior to starting Blake & Co. Design, I spent almost a decade working as a graphic designer and art director across advertising agencies and a few corporations. I honed in on my passion for custom stationery after designing pieces for my own wedding in 2017. I loved the experience so much that I decided to focus my career on stationery design, founding Blake & Co. Design shortly after.
What has been the biggest challenge and biggest rewards of being an entrepreneur?
The biggest challenge for me as an entrepreneur has been scaling. It takes a lot of networking to get the word out about us! In terms of reward, I love working with clients that love stationery as much as I do. Custom stationery is an art form, and I love finding those clients who appreciate it!
We love your gorgeous and unique designs – tell us more about how you are unique to other stationery design businesses?
I pride myself on offering a completely custom and luxurious experience for my clients. I am there for my clients every step of the way, including project management and the ultimate assembly and mailing of their stationery (which, let me tell you, is a lot of work!). While a Minted invitation may be more cost effective, we are a full service operation that caters to clients looking for a more tailored and high-end experience. Also, as a professional graphic designer by training, I offer access to expert design paired with the highest quality paper and printing.
What is the feedback you hear most often – or most rewarding comment you’ve had from a customer?
One of my most recent clients told me that “my guests thought they had gotten Royal Mail when receiving my invitation.” Nothing makes you feel better than having your clients confused for royalty!
What is your “mom mantra” or anything that gets you through busy times as a working mom? How do you handle the life/work juggle with kids?
My “mom mantra” is to try to stay as present as possible with my son because I don’t want anything to take me away from what really matters. What’s most important is my love for him. I am thankful to have a nanny 4 days a week, which allows me to have time to focus on my business. Friday is the day that I can spend time together with my son, which I always look forward to!
Anything else you’d like to share?
I am so excited to be part of the Greenwich community and would love to hear from you, even if it’s just to say hi! If you are an event planner, it would be great to collaborate together. For anyone planning an upcoming special event, don’t hesitate to reach out so that I can help with your paper needs!
We love to support local businesses. What are your fave places locally to:
Grab coffee – CFCF Riverside
Workout – Physioelements for Pilates
Go on a date night – Happy Monkey
Go out for a girls night – Eastend
Go out to dinner as a family – Le Penguin
Get your hair done – La Brosse Dry Bar
Get your nails done – One Nail & Spa
Have fun as a family – Tod’s Point
Learn more about Blake & Co. Design on their Instagram: @blakeandco.design
