Milling around the shop at London’s Design Museum, my eyes fell on the perfect companion — a hardback paper diary designed by Els & Nel. With a black and white inkblot-design cover and a handy pullout year planner, it was just what I was looking for. I bought it immediately.
Some might think this an unusual purchase for a millennial with an iPhone and an iPad who flits between WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat, and who works as a digital journalist. But it is not. I am a habitual user of paper diaries and notebooks for work and personal use — and I am not alone.
As we enter a new year, with calendar space to fill with meetings, projects and appointments, many are reluctant to give up their paper companions. Physical diaries and notebooks, particularly the upmarket, expensive kind, are more than holding their own against the digital onslaught of Google docs and online calendars. Leading luxury suppliers report strong demand among millennials and consumers of all ages. In 2017, we still want to use paper and a pen.