Modern Day Calling Card
Before business cards, text messages and email there were “Calling Cards” also referred to as “Visiting Cards”. In the 18th-20th centuries, upper class “Ladies of Fashion” and gentlemen ranking high in society used Calling Cards as a means of getting an invitation to someone else in society they were trying to connect with. Used as an introduction, cards were typically exchanged from servant to servant. This meant that Calling Cards were confined to the upper class which employed servants.
About the size of today’s business cards, these cards were meant to reflect elegance and simplicity though sometimes more ornate in design. Embossing, coats of arms, portraits and neo-classical designs were used while other times simply the persons' name and title across the front in calligraphy.
There was strict social etiquette involved when handing out Calling Cards and here’s how it worked. Person A’s servant would go to person B’s home and give the Calling Card to person B’s servant. If person B sent his servant back to person A’s home with his own Calling Card that meant that a meeting with the other person was welcomed and would be set up. If person B didn’t send his or her card to person A or sent the card in an envelope that meant that a meeting was not welcome and not likely to occur. If the edge of the card was turned up that indicated that the actual person delivered their own card, not his or her servant. In return, if a visit was welcomed the other person might personally deliver their card with the edge turned up as well.
I don’t have business cards for my job and I wanted something I could hand out at networking events & social gatherings that would be memorable and have the necessary information one would need to contact me. With the help of my talented son Diego who happens to be a designer, we worked together to create a modern-day Calling Card.
We knew straight away we wanted the front to be simple and the back to be bold using a different color for each. After a few hours going over various ideas including random facts unique to me that few people know, my son nixed that idea stating “mom, you’re just not that interesting.” :) We considered putting my picture on the front but since my hair and style seem to be ever evolving (and I’m only getting older) we decided against that as well. We wanted something timeless.
Continuing our creative endeavor Diego designed the front of the card in a typeface called Mrs. Eaves, a transitional serif typeface designed by Zuzana Licko in 1996. Mrs. Eaves is a variant of the Baskerville typeface designed in England in the 1750s and takes its name from Sarah Eaves who became John Baskerville’s wife. The front of the card has my name, email, website, and phone number. Simple, modern, and clean using an off-white parchment color with a cool blue undertone. Moving onto the back of the cards we used a color mixing website. Diego asked me to pick various colors and shades that appealed to me. We came upon what is sometimes referred to as “Kelly Green”. I told him that it was called Kelly Green because of the green Hermès handbag made especially for Grace Kelly Princess of Monaco. After that bit of insight, we knew exactly in which direction to go.
Kelly Green, named for the Hermès bag designed for Grace Kelly in 1954.
With our creative excitement and my somewhat unusual knowledge of designers and celebrities, we created five unique cards with a random fact that specifically relates to the color used on the back of each card. The cards were printed by MOO.com with a soft matte finish in a paper stock that feels substantial. The end result was clean and simple. Modern with a creative edge. I very much enjoyed working with my son and the creative process as a whole. I can now pass along my Calling Card to people I meet and confidently know the person receiving it will learn a bit about who I am and see some of my son’s design work in person.
If you are interested in custom design work by Diego Segura please visit www.diegosegura.me
Worn in 1953 by Marilyn Monroe, this is the color of the iconic pink dress worn during her famous performance of “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.”