Dear Annabelle, Love BWB
The loving texture of a handwritten letter from a close friend is exactly what Marcie Pantzer had in mind when she founded the luxury stationery brand, Dear Annabelle.
2020 has been quite the year filled with many lessons — one being that time well spent with others is precious. Amidst new ways of keeping in touch without necessarily keeping in touch, letter writing is a lost art slowly coming back into orbit. The loving texture of a handwritten letter from a close friend is exactly what Marcie Pantzer had in mind when she founded the luxury stationery brand, Dear Annabelle. Each elegant envelope packs an experience that is personal, special and thoughtful. Most importantly, it holds an heirloom of precious human connection — an artifact of personal history you can share with generations to come.
Marcie Pantzer is an NYC dweller, a mom, a former editor at Town & Country and a seasoned letter writer. Her love for modern and luxury paper goods comes with an equal concern for the environment. Rest assured knowing that your inked words of love seep into paper made from sustainable forestry practices. Even better, a percentage of your purchase will go to One Tree Planted, a Vermont-based environmental charity focused on global reforestation through tree-planting across the world.
Marcie Pantzer is BWB’s pen pal this week! Read below to discover all the wonderful things she has to say about her brand, her children and her favorite places to be — signed xo, Marcie.
Photographed by Claiborne Swanson Frank
We have to ask — who is the Annabelle in Dear Annabelle?
Annabelle is my daughter. Part of my inspiration for starting this business was to show her that women can be successful entrepreneurs/CEOs and that it is possible to have a second act.
What does writing letters in 2020 mean to you?
Now more than ever, writing letters feels special and worthwhile. Getting a tangible letter in the mail that you can cherish and save is a real treat in our increasingly digital environment. I love the idea that we can save a letter or note and that our children (or even grandchildren) might find decades from now and have something to cherish.
Photographed by MJ Kroeger
What was the inspiration behind your brand and where do you see it taking you in the future?
The inspiration was to create products that would encourage people to spread love and joy through letters and gifts. I personally find joy in gathering my friends and family around the dinner table, so I hope to expand the brand to eventually include tabletop. We currently have place cards so it would be natural extension.
If you could write a letter to anyone in the world, who would it be to and what would you say?
Hmm… Interesting question. At some point, I would love to send a letter to poet/writer Cleo Wade. I am always so touched by her words and how she puts them down on paper. She is a writer and artist at the same time. Her lens on our world, and how we can each impact it for good, is really uplifting and inspirational.
Photographed by MJ Kroeger
We know you’re a fellow Upper East Side gal! What are your favorite places to go for:
Brunch?
Sant Ambroeus. We go almost every weekend with our children.
Coffee?
Not exactly coffee, but I am obsessed with coconut matcha lattes at Cha Cha Matcha. I wish that they would open on the UES. I find myself making excuses to go to Nolita to get a matcha at their location on Broome Street.
Night out?
For fancy nights out, I love La Grenouille. For trendier dinners, I adore Veronika and The Grill.
Shopping for the home? For your closet?
I love collection china and tabletop, so shopping for the home is one of my favorite pastimes. The 8th floor at Bergdorf Goodman always has such fun finds so it is one of my favorite spots. I also lately have turned to Moda Operandi for elegant homewares. Two of my other favorite home stores are Roman & Williams Guild in NYC and Monc XIII in Sag Harbor.
For my closet, I love to support my friends and fellow female entrepreneurs by shopping at their boutiques and on their websites. Among my favorites are Kirna Zabete, Love Shack Fancy, Warm, La Ligne and Westside.
How do you sign your letters or e-mails? Sincerely? Kind regards? Best wishes? Sometimes it’s hard to choose!
I usually end letters with “xo, Marcie” and draw a little heart. For more professional communications, I end with “Best” or “Warmly.”
Feature Image Credit: MJ Kroeger
Teresa Deely is a graduate from Columbia University with majors in English and Creative Writing. She is a freelance writer and marketing assistant working for clients in the wellness, jewelry, creative, and sports industries. She believes that one’s skin is yet another canvas and vehicle for art, and has loved styling her hair and applying makeup from a young age. Spending much of her time in educating youth and leading enrichment programs for children, she is highly motivated in discovering new ways to care for herself and sharing them with others.
I love the idea that we can save a letter or note and that our children (or even grandchildren) might find decades from now and have something to cherish.
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