To the Letter... with Alice Edwards

Welcome to our new interview series, To the Letter... one of the best parts of Memo Press are the collaborators and clients. Each month we'll be talking to one of the fascinating people we get to work with and first up, is our founder Alice. To the Letter…

Before founding Memo Press in 2020, Alice was a journalist for the Sunday Times Style and Times LUXX magazines. As Jewellery Editor her focus was on watches and jewellery but also covered interiors and most favourite of all the Christmas Gift Guide. Alice lives minutes from our Studio in South West London with her husband, two children and dog Coco.

What was the last letter or card you wrote? This morning I wrote a note card in each of the orders we sent out. I only hope the recipients can read my scrawl.

If you could be pen pals with a well-known person (dead or alive) who would it be? Nora Ephron, can you imagine the pearls of wisdom, let alone the humour?

If you could receive a letter from one person (dead or alive) who would it be? There are a few front runners but I think it would be from my grandfather George. He died when I was little and the older I get the more I realise what an extraordinary life he lived. I would love to have known him better.

Email, text or handwritten thank you letters? Handwritten, always.

What is your favourite thing to give as a present? Hardback novels or coffee table books, especially if they're second hand. I keep a small supply and know I'll find the perfect recipient eventually. My favourite places to stock up are Oxfam books, Daunt, and The Goose (should you ever find yourself near St Helen's on the Isle of Wight).

What’s the best present you’ve ever received?I'm a sucker for a gadget so it would be a tie between a mini Theragunand a Nutribullet both of which my husband gave me and both I use almost daily. Not remotely romanic on the surface but they speak my love language.

If you could only shop in one place, where would it be? Recently I was reminded of how brilliant Selfridges is. I took my children for an end of the summer treat (Build-a-Bear to be precise). I'd forgotten how vast it is and with the exception of the madness of the ground floor, the whole space was relatively calm.

What is your best piece of advice when it comes to choosing a present? I always start with what I would love and then however modest the present, make sure it's wrapped beautifully. A velvet ribbon or some beautiful paper can turn the smallest of gifts into a treasure.

What’s currently on your wishlist? The Liberty Advent Calendar, its one of my favourite things and I keep the old ones and fill them for my children to open. This year's is designed by Clym Evernden again and it's magical. An Eiderdown from our Gingerlily x Memo press Collaboration. The ruffles, the ticking everything about it is heavenly. I think they're timeless. Candles, I ardently believe you can never have too many and I don't think you can beat Diptyque (except the Ralph Lauren Holiday Candle which reigns supreme).

What was the last thing you read? The headlines this morning on the Times app. Full disclosure though I didn't get further than that before the school run and probably never will.

What three books would you take to a desert island? Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall. Jane Austen, Persuasion. Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything (I've yet to get past the first chapter and feel a desert island would be a good place to recommit).

If you could only read one writer or publication, who or what would it be? Jane Austen. I've been reading her novels since I was a teenager thanks to a wonderful teacher in secondary school, and each time I re-read one I find something new. I love her wit and her wisdom and can never get over how ahead of her time she was.

What is your favourite quote or motto? I love a good quote which is why we make our Quote Cards. The one I always come back to is Rilke, "Feel everything: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final."