PILLOW TALK: CARLA VALDIVIA NAKATANI

DESIGNER CARLA VALDIVIA ON HER LOVE OF COLOUR, RETURNING HOME TO MEXICO, AND WHAT SUNDAYS MEAN TO HER.

After a childhood spent in the United States, and a stint in London as a student at Central St Martins, Carla Valdivia Nakatani was drawn back to her home country of Mexico by the vibrant energy and endless possibilities in 2013. As a young creative establishing her graphic design studio, Studio Katsu, she also launched her clothing line, Worldwide Limited, as a brighter alternative to the greys, blacks, and whites that were popular at the time. Before long, she was setting up shop with two of her friends at the heart of Mexico City where they opened Hi-Bye, a lifestyle shop showcasing their colourful designs, unique accessories, and ever-changing interiors.

Speaking to Carla, you notice not only her radiant personality and fun-loving nature, but her drive and passion for opening up the creative landscape for the next generation of designers in Mexico City. On a sunny summer day, we met Carla at her home in the city’s Centro district for a chat about her big dreams for the future of her business, her love of colour, and what Sundays mean to her.

Hi Carla. Tell us about yourself. Is there something special that not many people know about you? A talent or a quirk that someone would only know about if they’ve known you for a long time?

This is a really tough question! When I was 21, I became obsessed with screen printing. I practiced it 5 days a week for about a year during my last year of university. I can honestly say that I got really good at experimenting with it and even tried developing my own printing techniques!

What drew you back to Mexico after living abroad for so long? How does it make you feel to be back on home soil?

I hadn't spent more than 2 months at a time in my birth country since I was 3 years old! When I was 24, I came to Mexico for Christmas and lots of pieces were moving around in my life. I was starting my clothing brand and my own graphic design practice. I felt so emotionally charged in Mexico, in that moment the energy was totally right for me to take on the challenge of starting my businesses here. 

Even though I felt like an alien in my own country, I saw that there were people like me here, with similar tastes and interests. I recognized the possibility of introducing something that wasn’t widely available yet, even if it was a small group of people. Especially in terms of style, it was a challenge to introduce something like colourful sportswear as fashion six years ago. “Those clothes are too simple, what’s the point of making banana yellow sweatpants with zippers?”, I used to get comments like that a lot.

What do you love most about the culture here? 

There’s a warmth about our culture that comes through in a really special way. Our food and our homes are the things I love the most about my country. There’s something really homey about the way we take care of each other.

You are such a colourful person and your brand is so bright. Where does your love of colour come from? And how important was it that this was a part of your brand?

Thank you! For me, colour is the easiest way for me to express all the stuff I have in my head. I discovered that colour was my medium when I learned to screenprint. It was something already inherent in my thought process, but mixing colours and figuring out how they worked together with my hands was a really big moment for me. Knowing that I could just intuitively mix the colour I was imagining in my mind was really confidence building. Colour became my thing after that.

For Worldwide Limited, colour is SO important! Like in all my designs, whether it’s graphic, floral or clothing, I use it to evoke positivity. I know it sounds really idealistic, but I think that reality is hard enough, why not make joyful clothes that offer a break from it all?

Has living in such a vibrant and colourful place pushed your love of colour further?

More than anything, I feel understood somehow. I’ll take a walk to work or to the corner store and I always see something where I think “YES! That’s the same colour combination I made for this design and it looks AMAZING!”

You started Hi-Bye with two friends. How did it all begin?

It’s kind of a long story, but I can try to tell the short version. There are three of us, Roberto, Emilia, and me. 

Emilia and I met at an airport 11 years ago. We were both flying from New York to Mexico City and it was an instant friendship connection. We kept in contact and it was through her that I met talented and lovely people here in Mexico, including Roberto!

When I moved back to Mexico, the three of us would hang out on the weekends. I was starting Worldwide Limited and I was confiding in them a lot, we would all meet and try on each other’s designs. It was clear that there was common ground and understanding between the three of us.

5 years later, in 2018, Roberto asked me, “Do you want to open a shop with Emilia and I?”. I didn't hesitate for one moment and said, “Of course!”, and that was that.

What do you love the most about working together?

I love feeling that we’re on the same wavelength! The three of us are really different, but it’s our differences that create balance in our business. I really feel so lucky to be working with them.

Tell me about the creative community in Mexico City at the moment. It seems as though there are lots of exciting things going on in the fashion and creative industries!

When I moved back 6 years ago, Mexico City was very different. In the last 2 years, I've seen lots of new brands, shops, publications, and galleries sprout at an incredibly fast rate. For the most part, I think it’s really important for there to be so much choice, experimentation, and economic stimulation. Personally, I’m really proud of our contemporary art, food, and architecture. I think our creative industries still have a long way to go, but it makes me really excited to see people waking up and realizing that they’ve got a lot to offer the global market. That being said, there is a fine line between offering something truly unique and self-exoticizing. It’s very complex!

What is your biggest dream?

For a long time, my biggest dream was to have a shop! Now, I think my next biggest dream is to grow our business and hopefully create more infrastructure for young designers in Mexico. But another biggest dream is to have a garden so I can have a dog.

If you had to pick a) a book, b) a film, c) an album, and d) a place in Mexico, what would they be? 

a) Learning from Las Vegas by Robert Venturi.

b) Do The Right Thing by Spike Lee.  

c) Gorillaz by Gorillaz.

d) El Orquidiario.

We have an undying love of Sundays. What do Sundays mean to you?

Sundays! It’s a mixed bag because Sunday is often the day I meet with my partners at the shop. We take that day to re-group, talk about our plans, order food and dish! So really it can mean friendship!

But sometimes Sunday is the day I get to spend with my boyfriend, Leonel. We stay at home and draw new clothes, read magazines and go for a pizza. 

Sunday is a day to dump out my mental hard drive from the week. Having time to get ideas on paper and out in the open is really important to make decisions about what projects come next.

What would your ideal Sunday in Mexico City look like? 

I would wake up and go to the flower market for flowers and quesadillas. Then I would come home and make some arrangements for the apartment. When I was little, my dad used to do this! Lunch would have to be a Bloody Mary and some barbecue shrimp at home, cooked by Leonel on our roof. Followed by a good friend hang out into the night, and a really good sleep for the week ahead.

What daily rituals do you cherish the most? 

My life is so irregular that I only have one daily ritual! A small coffee with milk and sugar is my most cherished daily ritual.

What gives you a sense of freedom on Sundays? 

I feel freedom when I make flower arrangements! It's really meditative and I feel super relaxed when I'm doing it.