Cohoes, NY - Mohawk Fine Papers Inc. is pleased to announce the release of Luxury Found: A Treasure Hunt, a unique portfolio from Strathmore featuring extraordinary identity systems produced on Strathmore papers. Luxury Found, designed by Robert Valentine of The Valentine Group, contains a richly illustrated map of Valentine’s quest through Manhattan in pursuit of identity systems of brands whose names embody the notion of luxury. But, what defines luxury? Well, while experts predict the rise of demand for luxury products is not likely to stop with the rebirth of Burberry’s plaid, or the exclusivity of private-label wines, the question of what defines luxury is being discussed. And, though people differ on opinions of what their idea of a luxury brand is, there seems to be a consensus that luxury is more than the price. To be considered luxurious a product or brand must possess elegance, aesthetics, and the personal value of choice. As Valentine states in Luxury Found, “True luxury cannot be contained within a single classification like antique, traditional, modern, renegade or simply, most expensive. Luxury should run the gamut from an exquisitely wrapped piece of chocolate to a one-of-a-kind work of art.” This very idea is depicted in the identity systems he chose to represent Strathmore and the essence of luxury, be it hangtags for Nicole Farhi, correspondence cards from Asprey, or the opulent stationery of Noriko Maeda. The samples included in this piece showcase some of the most exquisitely designed identities produced with the use fine arts like letterpress, engraving and thermography. A large fold out map, created by Susan Hunt Yule, is also housed in a sleekly designed envelope style portfolio. Valentine maintained Strathmore’s sense of history and tradition in the creation of this inaugural sampling — secured with nothing less than a rich, custom wax seal. About Luxury Found, Valentine says, “Just as people are judged by the company they keep, so too, are brands. Knowing luxury loves company, our strategy for Strathmore involved associating it with a variety of luxury brands, several of which possess a mystique and intimacy that would provide our audience with a sense of discovery.” For this reason, their selection of brands was intentionally personal, somewhat esoteric and occasionally obscure. Valentine’s branding and design philosophy is based upon a desire to create desire. Robert Valentine’s personal approach to every project is to position a brand in such a manner as to amplify its most desirable aspects, and then to execute the creative with a precision, power and lushness to match the stated promise. “In the end, the look and feel of the piece is a perfect embodiment of the message,” he says. For more information contact your local distributor. To find a distributor near you visit www.mohawkpaper.com or call 1-800 the mill.