Louise Carmen Notebook: Very expensive for leather and paper, right?

Fans travel long distances and wait a long time for one of these writing companions: people are always lining up in the boutique in the Passage du Grand-Cerf in Paris to get a copy of Louise Carmen’s notebooks. Because their wealth of ideas, it seems, knows no cost limit.

The family business makes the leather journals by hand. It uses a vegetable tanning process that used to take three to eighteen months, but is now completed within 48 hours. The finished products offer a choice of five different variants and up to 33 colors for the lid. All models feature an elastic closure band and are advertised as extremely durable: with good care, they are said to last more than twenty years and are also protected from rot – a promise that has yet to be proven, as the company has only been in existence since December 2016.

Apparently the possibility of designing every detail according to one’s own wishes has an irresistible appeal. From the leather color to the engraving to the selection of insoles – everything can be made individually. The item also has space for several notebooks. A true paradise for the journaling community that can never seem to achieve enough self-fulfillment. But that has its price.

To better understand the costs behind it, it’s worth taking a look at the official website. The smallest and cheapest version, the “Pocket (S)” model, starts at 129 euros – mind you, only for the empty book. Any additional accessories, such as notebooks and tags, will incur an additional charge. The amount for the complete set can quickly rise to more than 300 euros.

But the fans don’t care. Clips are sprouting up like mushrooms on Tiktok in which happy buyers proudly hold up their new treasures to the camera. A woman says enthusiastically: “The leather cover develops a patina over time!” – a vintage look that almost everyone wants to have. Every post not only contains joy, but also the silent confirmation of the status symbol that the notebook now represents.

Notebooks are not alone: ​​in the world of journaling there are numerous products that for some are more than just writing utensils. So noble fountain pens like the “Sailor 1911” arouse desire and make us think about the value of design and exclusivity. Montblanc is certainly also known to older people.

The family business Louise Carmen has also managed to create this feeling. The brand’s official Instagram account, which has more than 116,000 followers, regularly provides insights into the busy store and shows clients personalizing their journals. Such videos often trigger the desire for your own model. Again, these are notebooks.

As someone who likes to get lost in my notes, I find myself scrolling through the website and dreaming up my dream copy. I imagine myself choosing the perfect color, picking out the pendant to match the cord, and maybe even getting my initials embossed in gold. But then I realize: a normal notebook from the library does the same thing. Perhaps the desire for such a luxury book is driven less by the quality of the goods and more by the desire to be part of an exclusive group. So is it the dossier that inspires me or is it the status it gives me?

It’s easy to be dazzled by shiny covers and fancy designs, but ultimately it’s not the price or brand logo that makes a journal truly valuable. The true value lies in the reflections captured within, the stories written and the ideas put on paper. A notebook doesn’t need gold embossing to ignite the creative spark.

You don’t need expensive bells and whistles to live out your creative potential. If you like the Louise Carmen design but are afraid of the high price, you can get a so-called one for much less money find on the internet. These offer similar functionality and durability without demanding the price of a cheap flight from Paris to New York. If you have some craftsmanship, you can also make your own mental shell. Cut a bit of leather, punch holes in the material and sew on the inside pockets by hand – done. And the whole thing also has the charm of being homemade.

Louise Carmen’s idea collectors are undoubtedly beautiful. But they also embody a lifestyle trend that suggests: “Only the most expensive is good enough.” Journaling is actually something deeply personal that doesn’t require a designer cover. Instead, it’s worth using your own creativity, because it doesn’t have a price tag.