In Tribute to…David Hicks

In Tribute to... David Hicks

Left: David Hicks in front of Penelope, the boat he and his wife Nicole lived on, moored on the Thames in London’s Wandsworth.

A Really Good Bloke

David will always be remembered for lots of reasons - his character, his wicked sense of humour, his vision, his entrepreneurial talents, his principles, his dress sense, his love of travel, photography, food, but most of all his love of people and interest in their lives.

Having “stumbled by accident” into the greeting card industry in the late 1980s, David did things his way right from the off, something that was to continue right to the end. The Really Good Card Company, David’s first publishing venture, made its mark initially with postcards featuring the cartoons of Robert Duncan, published under the typically oblique range name of Not Particularly Orange. This led onto a vast array of over 250 greeting card ranges. While not a designer himself, as a publisher they all had the David Hicks touch, adhering to his mantra of having to be different from what was on the market - no ‘me toos’ for him, that was for sure.

While some of these were incredibly successful, most notably Happy Hefalumps, Edward Monkton and Bright Side - by David’s own admission “I have also published some awful failures, but they were always a bit different!”

The expansion sideways for both Really Good and Soul (which launched as a sibling brand in 1997) from cards into gifts provided another avenue for David’s entrepreneurial nous to come into play - only he could have come up with the idea for a ‘Man Tin’ of which an astonishing three quarters of a million were sold over a five year period.

David Hicks, founder of Really Good and Soul, who sadly died recently, was a true ‘one off’. He was great friend to many and inspiration to everyone who had the good fortune to meet him. David most definitely made the most of his life, but the cruelty of Motor Neurone Disease cut it too short. Here PG shares just a fraction of the tributes that have flooded in to pay respects to a true industry legend who was a really good bloke.

Above left: Always his own man! Above right: One of the many Not Particularly Orange designs by Robert Duncan that Really Good published. Above: David having his locks cut at Spring Fair when Happy Helalumps was in its heyday.

In Tribute to... David Hicks

Always one to see the bigger picture, standing up for things he believed in, David was a leading light in the complete reformation of what is now the Greeting Card Association some 25 years ago, making it relevant and invaluable to newbie publishers, recognising them as the lifeblood of our industry with their new design approaches that are relevant to the ever evolving tastes of the card buying public.

While David took the decision to close down both Really Good and Soul in 2019, with the intention of spending more time travelling and on his photography, he retained strong links with his many friends in the industry.

It was less than a year ago that David was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. Aware that his health would deteriorate rapidly, in true David fashion, he made no secret of the fact that when the time came, he would be going to Switzerland to control the inevitable.

Sadly, that time came at the start of last month.

David received two industry Honorary Achievement Awards, one in recognition of his contribution to the greeting card industry presented at The Henries in 1997, the other for his achievements in the gift arena at The Greats in 2017, but he will most certainly never be forgotten.

Mike Gray, managing director of MEG

“It was circa 1990 that I first met David, we both remembered the meeting - Athena in Park Street in Bristol. I was merchandising stock and there was a scruffy guy - jeans, T shirt and long hair - lovingly tending to his postcards. “Are you with The Really Good Card Company?” I asked, only for David to uncoil to his full 6ft something, thrust out his hand and with a beaming smile, proudly declare “No, I am The Really Good Card Company!”

Little did I know then, that five years later, I would find myself working with David and embarking on a friendship of a lifetime. I look back on those years as some of the most exciting of my life; I remember the unbelievably funny times we shared, working our socks off but partying equally as hard with a wonderful group of colleagues as David began to make his indelible mark on the industry.

Anybody who knew David would be well aware of his easy wit and love of a wind-up and, on more than one of the many business trips we would take together, my first job would be to buy replacement buttons for a shirt, shoelaces or even boxer shorts, as David had inevitably managed to hack into my luggage and wreak havoc with a pair of scissors. Still, to this day, I don’t think he completely thought through the

Nicole Mendelsohn, David’s wife remembers meeting him for the first time, at a ‘Brits night out’ convened during the New York Stationery Show, when she was working in the creative team of The Almanac Gallery.

“If it weren't for Nick Adsett [then creative director of GBCC], I would never have met David. Nick took me along to a dinner in New York and I sat opposite David. We talked all night and we knew straightaway that there was a connection. I remember thinking that I'd met a real maverick, and I loved that about him. Two a half years later we met again in my role as artist agent. We married four years later. I wish we could have shared more of our lives together, but I will be eternally grateful for the time I did have with him. David was a wonderful, kind, inspirational human and he will be in my heart and thoughts forever.”

Right: David and Nicole shortly before he died. Above left: At The Henries with PG’s Warren Lomax. Above right: Mike Gray with his best man, David Hicks at his wedding. Far left: The message David asked his wife Nicole to post on Facebook to announce his death. Left: (left-right) Happy Hefalumps, Edward Monkton and Bright Side, were a trio of successes for Really Good.

In Tribute to... David Hicks

Ged Mace, managing director of The Art File

“David Hicks was my best friend. We go back over 30 years and the first time we met at Spring Fair, he rugby tackled me to the floor! He was an inspiration to so many of us, delivering brilliant greeting card ranges through Really Good and Soul over decades in an industry he loved. David was a game changer. We will all have special memories of David, for me these include many a fun time in Oxford, Nottingham, London, New York and Hong Kong. However, the best times always involved drinking too much on his boat as we rewrote the greeting card industry from A to Z. Later Bro…

My thoughts are with his wife, Nicole.”

possible outcome of placing a 1kg bag of white vacuum cleaning powder in my luggage for me, in my blissfully unaware state, to take through customs at JFK airport! Oh, how I laughed!

David’s love was design: he always aimed to be progressive, shake things up and make an impact, which he certainly achieved whether through his great card ranges (as well as the ropier ones), his leadership, his willingness to go against the grain or just the friendship and inspiration he offered to anyone with whom he came in contact. If asked for advice, he would always willingly oblige.

Away from his work, David’s passions were travel, photography, enjoying fine food and the company of his friends - of whom he had many in all corners of the world. Anybody who was lucky enough to be one of those friends will be remembering his cutting wit, generosity and his interest in what others were doing and, if any of his friends were ever in trouble or needed help, he was always the first to spot that something was wrong, step in and offer assistance if he could.

I was privileged to be one of those friends. He was my best man, my best friend and I’m remembering the man that grabbed life with both hands, his infuriating stubbornness, the cutting humour, his generosity, his immeasurable kindness but, above all, his love for life and people.

Thank you, my friend - the world has been a better place for you being in it.”

Wendy and Steve JonesBlackett, co-owners of Wendy Jones-Blackett

“The card industry has lost its brightest shining star and we have lost a lovely friend. Some people are just born legends and David Hicks is one of those.”

Below: David with Wendy and Steve Jones-Blackett on his boat.

Above: David with good friends Ged Mace (second left), Alan Hawkes and Lisa Shoesmith, who was general manager of Really Good and Soul, at a PG Live opening night party.

Jenny Cummins, owner of McMillan Cards & Paper, Sydney

Father and daughter duo, Alan and Vanessa Harnik, directors of US distributor Notes & Queries, enjoyed a long and close relationship with David Hicks. Vanessa sent out a lmessage to N&Q customers and partners on the day David died, which included some special thoughts from Alan too… “In addition to David being a very successful entrepreneur, photographer, world traveller, David was a very successful and inventive chef. We enjoyed dining out together at Michelin star restaurants, He introduced me to Malbec, one of his favourite red wines,

varieties of which we have finished many a bottle together. This past year David has taught me about the true meaning of courage and how to cherish and enjoy the time one has on this planet. In the end we can learn so much from one another. I have benefited from the many years I have known David and hope that I can pass what I have learned onto others The Brits have a term GUTTED and that expresses how I feel.”

“Like many I am just so sad. David was a close mate in the true sense of the Australian word. We learnt a lot from each other, yes, I shared my female wisdom and logic quite loudly…over all the years, but he still remained my rock and dear friend. I miss him badly, can’t quite come to terms that he is not here anymore, but this will be the same for so many others who were lucky enough to share time with him. I was looking at the many photos which reminds me of all the good times we shared. He introduced me to the Royal Academy exhibition back in 2012, which was just part of my ‘education’ from him of so many good things and people British’. For now it’s simply painful to know that he has left us too early, that he could not live a full life and share the best end of it with dear Nicole. You will live on always in my heart David Hicks. A kind, very generous and thoughtful man. Be at peace. And thank you for so many good times and very special memories which I treasure.”

Left: Jenny Cummins (far right) at Cart’s Markus Keller’s 50th birthday party (front) with David (centre back), Blue Eyed Sun’s Jeremy Corner (second right) and Rosanna Rossi’s Troy and Anna Nelson. Above: David with Alan Harnik.