Creating the new Russian Pointe catalog

Each time we publish a new catalog I’m reminded of how much I enjoy this process. It’s one of the most creative projects we do, and it’s always exciting to watch a catalog take shape.

We all see so many catalogs every year, some as thick as books and others barely longer than brochures, some looking like works of art and others merely lists of products. Why do we spend so much time with some, but recycle others as soon as they arrive in the mail? Considering this question is actually one of the most important parts of publishing a new catalog – we want to be sure that it will be a pleasure to look at and read, and that many customers will want to save it as a thing of beauty as well as an important reference.

The most obvious purpose of making a new catalog is providing customers with updated product information. There are other benefits, though, that might not be so obvious. In my view, it encourages us to take a fresh look at our products and services – to evaluate how we are communicating and presenting the company.

We’ve refined our company branding over the last few years, and this year’s catalog definitely shows the results. When we started using our now-famous purple boxes, I thought about how any of us might feel if we received a blue Tiffany’s box – as soon as you see that color, you know something beautiful will be inside the box! I wanted dancers to have that same sense of anticipation about their Russian Pointe boxes. I see this year’s catalog like that, with its purple cover enclosing all the beautiful images and ideas inside.

This year’s catalog features many new products, and putting these into print was certainly exciting. We’ve been developing each product for quite a while, from initial ideas through design and production to the testing of prototypes. It’s a real treat to know that the catalog will be the first time customers see the products we’ve become so familiar with. We’re delighted to introduce you to Russian Pointe’s new footwear collection (our first stretch slipper, jazz shoe, character shoes and booties) and the beautiful new Stages of the World collection.

Giving a fresh look at pre-existing products can be more challenging, but it is just as important. Our goal is to avoid simply reproducing previous images and information. Instead, we try to improve upon our presentation, and we hope that even long-term Russian Pointe fans will learn something new.

It takes a lot of good planning and teamwork to make a catalog beautiful and informative. Photos have to be taken, edited and selected, text has to be written and edited, and pages have to be laid out very thoughtfully. It’s a project with many moving parts - many decisions have to be made and some of our aesthetic choices change several times along the way!

Over the years, I’ve learned the importance of scheduling from the very beginning of any printing project. For each publication, I consider when we’ll need the finished product and talk with the printer to determine a deadline for our pages. Creating a catalog usually takes several months, so good planning can make all the difference in meeting that deadline and being happy with the results.

While a website has room for more information, to me there’s no substitute for holding a beautiful printed catalog and moving from page to page with anticipation. I hope that you see the new Russian Pointe catalog soon and enjoy holding it, opening the purple covers and turning the pages many times!