Who were the most popular international film stars of the 1980s and 1990s? The postcard collection of Santoro Graphics Ltd. gives a good impression. The British design studio, based in London, worked at the time for the youth market and published postcards of classic film icons like Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot but also of such teen idols as River Phoenix and the young Tom Cruise. Santoro covered pops divas (Madonna!) and TV heroes, such as the two British hunks who starred as Robin Hood.
![Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. C 213. Photo: Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Howard Hawks, 1953).
![Brigitte Bardot]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, nr. C 254. Photo: Sam Lévin. Brigitte Bardot.
![Madonna]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. BW 123. Photo: Steven Meisel. Photo for the cover of Madonna's album 'Like a Virgin' (1984).
![Clint Eastwood]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd, London, no. BW 878. Photo: The Hulton Deutsch Collection. Clint Eastwood.
![Sylvester Stallone in Rhinestone (1984)]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. C 201. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox. Sylvester Stallone in Rhinestone (Bob Clark, 1984).
![Jean-Claude van Damme]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., South Yorks, no. C 349. Jean-Claude van Damme.
![Sting]()
French postcard by Carlton Cards / Santoro Graphics, no. CR 33. Sting.
Santoro was founded in 1985 and today it is still alive and kicking. On the Santoro website, the story of the firm is told: "In a little studio tucked away in a little street off the iconic Carnaby Street in London, two individuals had a BIG idea...." These individuals were Lucio Santoro and his wife Meera. They set up their first premises in a London studio. Soon after the launch of their debut collection, representatives of film studio 20th Century Fox came to visit and granted Santoro the license to create a print collection featuring Hollywood icons.
Before long, Santoro had outgrown its little studio and needed space to expand its horizons. Driven by their desire to innovate and break new ground, Lucio and Meera embarked on the creation of a revolutionary, interactive, moving 3D greeting card collection which would be folded down flat to be sent by post without the need of any assembly. The Swing Cards® were born in 1994 and have won numerous accolades since, including 'Card of the Year'.
Ín 2000, Santoro's Bang on the Door collection won LIDA's 'Brand of the Year' award - the highest accolade in the brand and licensing industry. This collection of bright, bold sketches generated over $800USD million at retail, and a new division in the Santoro group was launched - Santoro Licensing.
Lucio and Meera's first pop-up book followed in 2007. 'Journey to the Moon' was published by Simon and Schuster. Centered on Santoro's interactive designs and vivid artistic style, 'Journey to the Moon' and the following publications 'Predators' (2008) and 'Wild Oceans' (2010) bring designs to life by creating intricate moving 3D works of art.
In 2010 Santoro launched the Gorjuss collection which currently features over 800 products and is available in more than 55 countries around the world. In 2013, Santoro opened a pop-up boutique in Harrods and in 2015 Santoro opened a Santoro store in Milsom Street in Bath. There you can buy bags, accessories, stationery, toys, and yes, also greeting cards.
![Matt Dillon]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., London, no. C 236. Matt Dillon.
![Richard Gere]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., London, no. C 237. Richard Gere.
![Michael Praed]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. BW 133. Michael Praed.
![Jason Connery]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. BW 136. Photo: Paul Cox / Idols. Jason Connery.
![Tom Cruise]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd, London, no. C 243. Tom Cruise.
![River Phoenix]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., London, no. C 297. River Phoenix.
![Keanu Reeves]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., South Yorks, no. C 350. Photo: Keanu Reeves in My Own Private Idaho (Gus Van Sant, 1991).
![Emilio Estevez]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. C 289. Emilio Estevez.
![Nastassja Kinski in Unfaithfully Yours (1984)]()
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. C 200. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Nastassja Kinski in Unfaithfully Yours (Howard Zieff, 1984).
Source: Santoro.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. C 213. Photo: Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Howard Hawks, 1953).
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, nr. C 254. Photo: Sam Lévin. Brigitte Bardot.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. BW 123. Photo: Steven Meisel. Photo for the cover of Madonna's album 'Like a Virgin' (1984).
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd, London, no. BW 878. Photo: The Hulton Deutsch Collection. Clint Eastwood.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. C 201. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox. Sylvester Stallone in Rhinestone (Bob Clark, 1984).
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., South Yorks, no. C 349. Jean-Claude van Damme.
French postcard by Carlton Cards / Santoro Graphics, no. CR 33. Sting.
20th Century Fox came to visit
Santoro was founded in 1985 and today it is still alive and kicking. On the Santoro website, the story of the firm is told: "In a little studio tucked away in a little street off the iconic Carnaby Street in London, two individuals had a BIG idea...." These individuals were Lucio Santoro and his wife Meera. They set up their first premises in a London studio. Soon after the launch of their debut collection, representatives of film studio 20th Century Fox came to visit and granted Santoro the license to create a print collection featuring Hollywood icons.
Before long, Santoro had outgrown its little studio and needed space to expand its horizons. Driven by their desire to innovate and break new ground, Lucio and Meera embarked on the creation of a revolutionary, interactive, moving 3D greeting card collection which would be folded down flat to be sent by post without the need of any assembly. The Swing Cards® were born in 1994 and have won numerous accolades since, including 'Card of the Year'.
Ín 2000, Santoro's Bang on the Door collection won LIDA's 'Brand of the Year' award - the highest accolade in the brand and licensing industry. This collection of bright, bold sketches generated over $800USD million at retail, and a new division in the Santoro group was launched - Santoro Licensing.
Lucio and Meera's first pop-up book followed in 2007. 'Journey to the Moon' was published by Simon and Schuster. Centered on Santoro's interactive designs and vivid artistic style, 'Journey to the Moon' and the following publications 'Predators' (2008) and 'Wild Oceans' (2010) bring designs to life by creating intricate moving 3D works of art.
In 2010 Santoro launched the Gorjuss collection which currently features over 800 products and is available in more than 55 countries around the world. In 2013, Santoro opened a pop-up boutique in Harrods and in 2015 Santoro opened a Santoro store in Milsom Street in Bath. There you can buy bags, accessories, stationery, toys, and yes, also greeting cards.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., London, no. C 236. Matt Dillon.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., London, no. C 237. Richard Gere.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. BW 133. Michael Praed.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. BW 136. Photo: Paul Cox / Idols. Jason Connery.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd, London, no. C 243. Tom Cruise.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., London, no. C 297. River Phoenix.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics Ltd., South Yorks, no. C 350. Photo: Keanu Reeves in My Own Private Idaho (Gus Van Sant, 1991).
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. C 289. Emilio Estevez.
British postcard by Santoro Graphics, London, no. C 200. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Nastassja Kinski in Unfaithfully Yours (Howard Zieff, 1984).
Source: Santoro.