Lillian Vernon’s mail order business has grown from a black-and-white space ad to nine catalogs

By Alicia Orr , Editor In Chief and Catalog Success

Q. What have been the most successful and least successful products you’ve sold?
A. “A monogrammed bookmark that we have sold for 45 years holds a special place in my heart because I was expecting my second son David when I first introduced the bookmark through an advertisement in Redbook magazine. When the ad first appeared, a phenomenal 20,000 pieces were sold, so I consider this a very successful product as well as one of my favorites. Several Christmas ornaments, especially our hand-embroidered, white cotton lace angels and hand-crocheted snowflakes are still top sellers. We sell 6,000 products so naturally not every one is a top seller...