If you’ve been wondering where I’ve disappeared to lately... I promise there’s a good reason. 😊

Over the past few weeks I’ve been working on custom orders, meeting with people one-on-one, and (very slowly 😂) building the Vincenza website.

And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I realized something I hadn’t really put into words before.

Every single custom order has been completely different.

Different notebook sizes.

Different color leather.

Different hardware.

Different letter stamping.

Different reasons for wanting a cover in the first place.

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One person wanted something simple and understated. Another wanted edge stitching, extra pockets, and personalized lettering. Someone else wanted a cover for themselves and another for their spouse so they could build matching setups together.

Then, just the other day, someone I’d never met booked a consultation after finding us online. [insert literally ANY SUPER EXCITED .gif… lol]

It made me stop for a second.

I think, for a long time, I felt like I was just in the “making leather trifold notebook covers” business.

But sitting down with people, asking about the notebooks they carry, how they journal, how they plan, whether they prefer one notebook or four, what color accessories they’d reach for every day to determine what hardware color they’d prefer for their covers... I realized something.

People aren’t looking for a leather cover.

They’re looking for their leather cover.

That’s changed the way I’ve been thinking about Vincenza.

I’ve stopped asking myself, “What colors should we make next?” (➡️ JUST KIDDING, I’m always asking myself what leather colors we should source next 🤣)

However, I do find myself asking,

“How can we help someone build a cover they’ll still be carrying five or ten years from now?”

That’s a very different question.

It’s also why the website is taking longer than I’d hoped.

I could have thrown up product photos and a checkout button weeks ago.

But that never felt like Vincenza.

I want someone landing on our website to feel the same way they do when they walk up to our table at a pen show.

Curious.

Comfortable.

Like they can ask any questions. I promise, promise, promise, there’s no such thing as dumb questions.

Note: I’m still trying to find a good balance between offering a BUNCH of options [I love customization options] but in a way that’s not overwhelming or leaves you feeling like you have decision fatigue.

Like there’s a real person on the other side who’s just as excited about notebooks and planners as they are.

Truthfully, this has been a strange season.

On one hand, there haven’t been any shows for us since Stationery Park back in May.

On the other, custom orders have continued to trickle in from people I’ve met over the past year and from people I’ve never met at all 🥰

Every notification still surprises me.

I don’t know if that feeling ever goes away and I hope it doesn’t.

So while things may have looked a little quieter from the outside, there has been a lot happening behind the scenes.

Covers have been leaving the workshop.

Conversations have been happening.

Ideas have been taking shape.

And little by little, Vincenza is becoming exactly the kind of company I hoped it would be when we started.

Thank you for being here while we build it.

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While the website is still in the works, I’ve finally put together a little home for everything else. If you’d like to book a 1:1 consultation, browse our social channels, or keep up with what’s coming next, you’ll find it all here.

Stationery Park was incredible 🥹

We had people walk up and tell us they made a beeline to our table first. Some of you said you found us on Instagram and couldn’t wait to finally see the covers in person.

Those were real pinch me moments.

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And honestly? Meeting everyone and getting to have conversations with you is what makes my heart sing.

Then there were the repeat customers 😭

I don’t think I expected that part to happen this quickly. Seeing people come back and support Vincenza again - or bring friends and family to our table - had me floating on cloud 9 all weekend.

Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, supported us, shared our posts, said hello, placed an order, or simply spent a few minutes chatting with us.

Also... we heard you 👀

💜 Purple leather 💜 came up A LOT this weekend.

We are officially on the hunt.

And if we manage to source some? Newsletter subscribers will hear about it first.

Bottle Green also made its return this weekend and we still have a little available: currently 1 - A6 and 1 - Passport are available, with more sizes on the way.

I also wanted to share a little peek into some of the customizations we worked on over the weekend: from hand stamping and hardware on Vincenza covers, Traveler’s Notebooks, and even our leather charms.

Watching each setup become uniquely someone’s was really special… which is exactly why our tagline is “Yours, by design.”

Thank you for helping us create such a memorable weekend.

You’re probably wondering… what’s next?
We’ll share more details soon, but here’s a little sneak peek: Vincenza is heading to the Empire State Pen Show in NYC on November 7–8!

With gratitude,

Stephanie

First off, if you’ve recently joined us, welcome 👋🏽

We’ve seen quite a few new names come through after San Francisco Stationery Fest, and we’re so glad you’re here.

We’re Vincenza, a small leather studio based in 📍 Los Angeles, CA creating handmade tri-fold notebook covers in seven sizes, designed for the way you actually use your notebooks and planners. Each piece is made by hand and can be customized to fit your setup.

Caption: that’s meeeee (hiya, it’s Stephanie) at SFSF. We were so honored to vend at the very first San Francsisco Stationery Fest! We had such a great time that once applications for 2027 were announced, we applied with the quickness! If we’re selected, we’ll of course, let you all know - our newsletter subscribers - know first 💁🏻‍♀️

Since then, we’ve received a number of messages and inquiries (some of which we still owe replies to 🫣—thank you for your patience with us).

We’re currently in Algeria 🇩🇿 visiting family, taking a bit of time to reset after a couple of busy shows.

Caption: this is some of the family. My brother and sister in law happened to also be in Algeria with our niece and nephew. They were visiting from Manchester, England! From Algiers, we took a day trip to Tipaza with my mother & father in law. The Mediterranean Sea is right behind us so the seafood was super fresh and delicious (that’s an understatement 🤤). Tipaza has SO MANY ancient Roman ruins that you can actually walk among. If you’re a history buff, you will love it!

We’ll be back in Los Angeles mid-May and will move forward with new orders as soon as we return 💪🏽

In the meantime, we wanted to share a small preview of what we’re bringing with us to Stationery Park (May 16–17 in Santa Monica):

Desert Rose—our most talked about color from SFSF—completely sold out… and we’re bringing more (in limited quantities).

And for those who remember—Bottle Green (the color that sold out on the first day of the California Pen Show) is back. We were able to source a small amount of this leather again, and we’ll have it with us at the show.

If either of these have been on your mind, Stationery Park will be the best chance to see them in person.

We’ll also be offering our on-site customization again—so if you’ve been thinking about creating a cover that really fits how you use your notebooks, we’d love to help you do that.

Caption: top photo, onsite customizations done on Vincenza covers

🎆 up to 4 characters of letter stamping and you can have it filled in with gold, silver or bronze paint

🎆 edge protectors: so the elastic closure doesn’t dig into your cover. We have short and long options

🎆 rivets and edge covers to make your corners look a little fancy!

🎆 elastic closure: if you’d like to swap out the color, we have plenty of options

🎆 patches! We love patches and we have a selection! We’re able to add them to your covers.

🎆 we have a charm bar! Pick out charms and add some goodness and fun to your covers!

Bottom photo: we also do customizations on covers you ALREADY OWN! If you have a Traveler’s Notebook, PLOTTER, Paper Republic, or any other cover - we can absolutely work on those too. Don’t be shy! ☺️

We have example covers with all of this so you can see what these add ons will look like IRL (in real life)

Thank you again for your patience, your support, and for being part of Vincenza. It doesn’t go unnoticed.

We’re looking forward to being back soon—and hopefully seeing some of you in Santa Monica.

If you’re not local…

If you won’t be able to make it to Stationery Park, we’ll be reopening our 1:1 video consultations once we’re back in Los Angeles.

These are 30-minute sessions where we sit down together and walk through:

• sizing (based on how you actually use your notebooks)

• color options

• customization details

It’s a slower, more personal way to design your cover—and honestly, one of our favorite parts of what we do.

We’ve opened a small number of spots starting end of May. If you’d like to reserve one, you can do so here (more dates will be available soon once we’re back in LA, once Stationery Park is over, and once I have a better idea of my schedule 💁🏻‍♀️)

Link to schedule

⬆️⬆️⬆️

If you’ve already messaged us, feel free to book a time that works for you—we’ll take it from there ❤️

First off, welcome 🤍
We’ve seen quite a few new subscribers join us recently, and we’re so glad you’re here.

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And to everyone who came out to support us at San Francisco Stationery Fest… thank you. Truly.

Whether you stopped by our table, placed an order, sent a kind message, or have been supporting Vincenza from afar - we felt it all weekend. It meant more than we can fully put into words.

SFSF was incredibly special for us. Not only because it was the first of its kind, but because of the energy, the conversations, and the care you all brought to our table. We’re so grateful we got to be a part of it.

A huge thank you as well to those who have placed custom orders - before, during, and after the show. And to those who’ve reached out via DM expressing interest, especially if you couldn’t make it to either the California Pen Show or SFSF - we hear you!

Because of that, we’ve opened up something new:

We’re now offering 30-minute 1:1 video consultations where we’ll walk through:
• sizing
• color options
• customization details
• and how you actually use your notebook day-to-day

The goal is simple: to help you create a cover that truly fits your life.

Desert Rose was an absolute hit at SFSF: every single cover sold out! We’re already in the process of making more. Some of the most popular sizes at the show were A5, B6, A5 Slim, A6, and Weeks.

Looking ahead, we’d love to see you again soon:

We’ll be at Stationery Park in Santa Monica on May 16–17, and we’re currently on the waitlist for the San Francisco Pen Show in August (we’ll keep you posted).

Thank you again for being here, for supporting this small business, and for being part of what we’re building with Vincenza.

With gratitude,
Stephanie

If you’re attending SFSF, you’ll find us at Table 32!

Here’s what we’re bringing with us:

A familiar face is making their return.
Slate Blue is officially back.

Our new show exclusives are coming with us too:
Desert Rose, Deep Ocean, and Poppy Red - available in limited quantities for the weekend.

And something new.

At the California Pen Show, a number of you asked about a slightly thicker leather option - something with a bit more structure. We took that seriously. We sourced new hides, tested them, and we’re bringing a smalllllllll batch to SFSF.

We’re calling them Noir and Saddle.

Once we’re fully set up, we’ll be sharing a closer look.

Also yes, we finally did it.
We now have business cards!

One of our favorite moments from the California Pen Show was creating our “CAPS” charms but what we didn’t expect was how many of you asked:

“Can I add my own letters?”

So, we listened.

For SFSF, we’re bringing blank leather pieces that can be customized with up to four letters. Initials, abbreviations, something personal: it’s yours to make.

We’re also bringing more patches, more charms, and… one new option we’re excited about. We’ll share more on that once the table is set.

—

And one more thing.

If you’ve been wanting something more specific, whether it’s choosing the right size, pairing inserts, or thinking through a fully personalized setup - we’re opening up 1:1 Vincenza consultations.

These will be relaxed, one-on-one sessions where we walk through your setup together, answer questions, and help you build something that actually works for how you use your notebooks.

If that’s something you’ve been waiting for, you can reserve a time here:
1:1 Consultation Booking

—

If you’re in San Francisco this weekend, come find us.
We’d love to see you, hear what you’ve been using, and help you build your next setup.

📍 Table 32 🥳

— Stephanie

The response from the stationery community has been incredible, and we’re working nonstop to prepare inventory for the event.

After the excitement of the California Pen Show, one thing became very clear: you all have strong opinions about sizes! We completely sold out of A6 covers, so that size is now a top priority as we build up inventory for San Francisco. Other popular sizes: A5, A5 Slim and Hobonichi Weeks! I’m can’t wait to see what your favorite sizes are in SF!

Exclusive Colors for SF Stationery Fest

For the San Francisco show, I’m introducing a few special colors that will debut at the event:

•⁠ ⁠Deep Ocean – a rich, dark blue

•⁠ ⁠Desert Rose – a soft dusty rose tone

•⁠ ⁠Poppy Red – this one came directly from customer requests

Several people commented on the bright red cover I made for myself, so I went back to the drawing board and sourced a better leather in the same vibrant shade, one that stamps beautifully for personalization. I’m very excited about this one.

Slate Blue is making a comeback: this color was so well received at the CA Pen Show! We were able to snag a bit more of this leather so we’re happy to say that you’ll see covers in this color.

Custom Orders

Another highlight from the pen show was receiving so 👏🏽 many 👏🏽 custom 👏🏽 orders!

Seeing people want something made specifically for them is incredibly meaningful, and we’re excited to start offering more 1:1 personalization options in the future.

What’s happening AFTER SFSF?

Stationery Park in Santa Monica!

If San Francisco is a bit far, you’ll also be able to find Vincenza at Stationery Park in Santa Monica on May 16–17. I’ll share more details as we get closer, but I’m already looking forward to seeing y’all there.

Thank You

Every message, order, and kind comment has meant so much as this little brand continues to grow. I can’t wait to show you what’s coming next.

— Stephanie

➡️ Newsletter subscribers are the first to see new colors and limited batches before events 💁🏻‍♀️

And truly — y’all showed up and showed out!

We launched just four months ago, and while we hoped the weekend would go well, we didn’t fully know what to expect. What we experienced instead was encouragement, thoughtful conversations, fun customizations, and genuine excitement around our work.

Thank you 🥹

If you’re new here, welcome!

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My name is Stephanie — Vincenza (pronounced: Vin-Chen-Za) is my middle name — is a small-batch leather goods studio creating handcrafted trifold notebook covers designed for the written life.

What began as a small idea almost exactly 2 years ago has quickly grown into something much more meaningful.

Seeing so many of you carefully choose your cover, select additional hardware, pick an elastic color that better fits your aesthetic, and letter stamping details in person reminded me exactly why I started this.

Yours, by Design truly came to life at the table.

This show was also personally meaningful because it coincided with the beginning of Ramadan. Observing the fast while participating in our first major show required discipline and intention, but it also made the experience deeply grounding. It felt like the right way to begin this chapter.

Many of you asked about a website, and I’m happy to share that it’s in progress. We’ve secured our domain — vincenzalosangeles.com — and are refining our online shop experience now.

Next up: Stationery Park (Pen Paper Palooza) May 16th & 17th at the Santa Monica Bay Woman’s Club! We hope to see you there!

We’re also working on additional show applications and will keep you updated as those are confirmed.

Being on this list means you’ll always receive first notice of new releases, show appearances, and custom build openings.

Something fun will be dropping sooner than you think (✨ hint: we just got back from our leather supplier and picked up something special 💁🏻‍♀️ Stay tuned)

Thank you for supporting Vincenza in its earliest days.

We’re just getting started.

Warmly,
Stephanie
Vincenza Los Angeles

I’ve been sewing pockets everywhere…

On the bus.

At my desk during breaks.

In the car.

In cafés.

If I’m sitting still long enough to thread a needle, I’m probably attaching a pocket to a leather cover.

With the California Pen Show officially less than 2 weeks away 😱, things are getting very real, very fast but in the best way.

This week brought a few milestones that felt especially good:

• Our Vincenza Los Angeles stamp arrived (and yes, we immediately stamped everything within reach). Packaging is finally coming together.

• Every cover now includes an insert, because I want you to actually use your cover the moment it’s in your hands and not wait for the “perfect notebook.”

There’s something really satisfying about fanning out finished covers and seeing that Vincenza Los Angeles stamp. It feels like a quiet “okay, this is happening.”

As for what I’m making right now:

I’m deep in A5s and Passports (as usual), with Pockets, A6, Weeks, B6, and A5 Slim all in rotation — in black, camel, brown, and a very special blood 🩸 red that I can’t stop staring at.

Each one is getting the same treatment: hand-cut, hand-stitched, and built to protect bound books without wrecking their spines.

No two are exactly the same. That’s kind of the point.

I’ll share more as we get closer but for now, just know that a lot of care (and a truly unreasonable number of stitches) is going into what I’m bringing to the show.

Back to sewing 🪡,

Stephanie

Vincenza Los Angeles

If you signed up for this list at one of the pop-ups back in November (Pen Paper Palooza) or December (Scrap & Yap), thank you for your patience. A lot has been happening behind the scenes, and I wanted to wait until things felt clear before showing up here properly.

Since those events, Vindiana Jones Studio has become Vincenza.

Same hands. Same love for analogue. Same slight obsession with doing things the hard way — just under a name that feels more like home.

Why Vincenza?

Vindiana Jones started as a punny name to house my embroidery projects back in 2017 when I was still living it up in Brooklyn, NY while working at Etsy. I’m a huge fan of Indiana Jones (I have the tattoo on my arm to prove it 🤭) and at work I would go by “Vinny” since everywhere I turned there was another Stephanie so hence, Vindiana Jones. That name carried me through a lot of creative chapters. But somewhere along the way, the leather covers took on a life of their own.

Vincenza is where that work finally comes into focus.

Vincenza (pronounced: Vin-Chen-Za) is my middle name 💁🏻‍♀️

This brand exists because I love bound books - planners, journals, notebooks - and I hated them get slowly destroyed by strings, stress, and bad setups. I wanted something that could protect the spine and still give me flexibility. So I built it.

Every cover is cut, punched, stitched, assembled, and customized by hand.
Pockets are sewn for bound books.
Strings are there for inserts, chaos, or whatever system you’re running this week (lol).
Hardware, stamping, elastics - these are what makes the cover “Yours, by design.”

No two are exactly the same, and that’s the point.

What I’ve been working on lately

Right now, we’re deep in production mode getting ready for the California Pen Show (February 19–21). We hope to see you there!

That means long days, lots of leather cutting, and more covers on my kitchen table than open space.

Y’all, I can’t wait to eat at my kitchen table again 🤣

I’ll be bringing a mix of ready-made pieces and offering customization, because I’ve learned something important at pop-ups:

Some people want a blank slate.
Some people want it fully loaded.
Most people want it done for them - with just enough room to make it theirs.

I love all three.

What this newsletter will be

This won’t be spammy. I promise.

Here’s what you can expect if you stick around:

• Behind-the-scenes looks at the making process

• Thoughts on analogue life, paper systems, and everyday carry

• New releases, show updates, and customization ideas

• The occasional opinion (I have a few)

If that sounds like your thing, I’m glad you’re here.

More soon - and truly, thank you for supporting small, handmade work. It means more than you know.

- Stephanie
Vincenza Los Angeles

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