Woe! Woe! Woe!

We must interrupt our Onion Origin stories for the saddest (and rarest) of occasions: an Onion Departure.

Bruno Herfst, our beloved Tall Designer, is leaving us. We are heartbroken.

Which is confusing to him. 'Why does everyone keep saying how sad they are? Why isn't everyone pleased and happy for me?' he asks, with what we assume is a furrowed brow, only it's too high up for us to see.

Happy? Happy, Bruno? How can we be happy when you're ripping a tall chunk of the heart, a fair amount of the soul, and, let's be honest, probably ALL of the cool, from The House of Onion.

In his five years here, Bruno has designed and created the most stunning books - from picture books to young adult, from commercial to literary to downright obscure. He has worked cheerfully and calmly with authors, illustrators and frazzled editors. 

But his body of work speaks for itself...

So we will speak for him - for his energy and enthusiasm; his innovation and dedication; his passion for, and sometimes hair-tearingly infuriating dedication to, making everything juusssst right, from which, in the end (the down-to-the-wire end), we all benefit; his extraordinary expertise in type design, coding, printing, book-making best-practice; and his constant desire to push boundaries, to invent, to create, to experiment and to play.

He has devised countless ingenious ways of making our lives easier. And when he bounces into the office he lightens the mood, brightens the outlook and amplifies the energy.

Thank you so much for everything, Bruno.

We will miss you dreadfully. Every day.

And if you'd let us, we - your devoted sisters and aunties - would tie a note around your neck before sending you out into the world...

But, just like Paddington, you will find a wonderful new home, new friends and new challenges. You will flourish and grow.

We are very proud of you.

And very happy for you. 

Really we are.

*sob*