Interview with Eva Calodar of Printed Wild

Interview with Eva Calodar

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Well, I’m French, but also American and Swiss.  I was born in France and grew up in a town called Aix-en-Provence [you should hear her say it; it’s wonderful!].

I have no idea where that is; I’ve only been to Paris!

It’s the most beautiful place. It’s in South of France in the Provence region, close to Marseille and the Mediterranean sea.  It is a very pretty city, with amazing weather.

Miss it, I take it?

Eva: Yeah, of course.  

What about Printed Wild – how did it get started; why did you create it?

The whole story starts with my mother, who is Cuban and was born here in Washington D.C.  My grandfather was a diplomat at that time and she grew up here.  I remember visiting my grandparents when I was a kid, so it’s funny that I eventually ended up here with my partner because of a professional opportunity.
After we moved, I was unsure if I wanted to keep on working as a graphic designer as I had been doing for years. I took some time to figure out what I was interesting in. I did some research and found inspiring pattern design blogs.  I had studied illustration and always loved drawing.  So I took a class at the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design and just started designing patterns; that is how Printed Wild was born.

Do you make all your own pieces?

I used to when I first started out: drawing, screen printing, cutting fabric and ironing, sewing!  Now that I receive more orders and my brand is expanding, I outsource the screen printing and hired a seamstress to help, but still do a lot of it myself.

So, it’s still very much you and your process.

Yes, yes, yes!

What is your process like – where do you find the inspiration and how do you come up with your designs?

I am inspired by nature. As you can see, most of the patterns are leafs, flowers or botanicals.  I have three ways to create the patterns: I carve linoleum blocks, cut stencils, or do very intricate pen and ink drawings.  Then, I scan the design I made and transform it into a repeating pattern in Photoshop, adding or deleting whatever I want.  When the pattern is ready, I send it to the screen printers and it goes from there.

What kind of girl do you imagine wearing Printed Wild?

A stylish women! No specific age, but someone who appreciates quality.  Plus, black and white is a classic; it’s timeless! It’s definitely for someone who wants to invest a little.  You can buy clutches anywhere for super cheap, but these are good quality, made with an environmentally friendly process here in the USA and will last.

What about your personal style?

I’m not drawn into anything seasonal.  If I like something, there is a good chance I will be wearing it in ten years.  I avoid fast fashion as much as I can, but I love shopping so it’s very hard.  I find myself going to thrift shops and buying second-hand so I’m not participating in the first round of consumerism.

So you go for the timeless, classic look.  I mean, you pull off all black better than anyone I have ever met.

Black is.. [chuckle].  I always hesitate, thinking I should buy more colors.  But I know myself and black is my way to go.  The style I like is usually very simple; you can’t get bored with something classic. You can always play with accessories and jewelry. I’m not excited by having a new wardrobe every season, I’m happier to find a coat that will last for years.