“Something old, something new…” best heralds the basic design philosophies of PAPER+CUP. Founders, Minhee & Truman Cho, are inspired by both the timeless classics of venerable tradition, while remaining gleefully enchanted with the dynamic avant-garde. They have established a strong reputation for their innovative approach in design, while still retaining a solid foundation of the enduring classics. “We love to take things that at first seem common and mundane, and then turn it into something totally new and interesting. Its what excites us.” They have been acclaimed for their work in the design industry in numerous publications such as Print, Martha Stewart Wedding, Real Simple, Domino, Lucky, Instyle and the New York Times.

We are inspired by things such as vintage candy wrappers and antique industrial labels, to the more obscure, like the detailed work of fine bespoke tailoring and the textures of old mill textiles. We love to scour flea markets every chance we get, and find inspiration in our love for cinema and all sorts of music. To put simply, our inspiration for design borrows from the late industrial designer Richard “Bucky” Fuller – “when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, then I know it is wrong.”