Parisian notebook: The surprise ‘it’ accessory

A leather-bound notebook from a luxury brand in Paris has quietly become one of the most talked-about stationery items today. The refillable journals by Louise Carmen — finely crafted and customisable with coloured elastics, charms and initials — are now seen not just as stationery but as personal keepsakes and fashion accessories. Fans say that putting pen to paper feels more intentional and more personal.

A stylish, customised accessory
The notebooks start at around €122 (approx ₹13,000) for a pocket-sized version with 64 pages, with prices rising depending on size, materials, and chosen embellishments. Designed to last a lifetime, the notebooks are refillable, with inserts and accessories sold separately. Each piece is made from vegetable-tanned leather that softens and develops character with use.

Celebrities turning stationery into styleMade by the Paris-based brand Louise Carmen, the notebooks have also entered celebrity circles. According to The New York Times, Kendall Jenner featured one in a gift guide she recently shared on social media, while Lana Del Rey, the American singer-songwriter, and Shay Mitchell, the Canadian actress and entrepreneur, have appeared in videos posted by the brand online. Such moments have renewed buzz around Louise Carmen, a stationery label founded in Paris a decade ago. As celebrities treat the notebook as both a personal tool and a style statement, its appeal has moved well beyond writing desks — and into the spotlight.

‘This was an entire experience’
For 33-year-old Lindsey Nguyen, a marketing professional in Denver, buying the notebook felt deeply personal. Nguyen, who booked an appointment to design her notebook last October, told The New York Times, “It went beyond just me as a consumer purchasing a good; this was an entire experience where I felt connected further with the brand,” she said. “A more personalised, like, white-glove-service experience.”
She chose a notebook embellished with charms and embossed with her favourite Latin phrase — “cor cordium”, meaning “heart of hearts” — which cost more than $300.