About Us
PINK GINGHAM BY CAROLINE ZIV
It all started with a bedspread. When founder Caroline Ziv – long a fan of woodblock printed fabric - wanted a colorful quilt for her 1920s Florida bungalow, she found a hand-stitched one she loved. After seeing how it brightened the bedroom, she bought another one for the guest bedroom. Then her sister asked if she could find quilts for her own house. It didn’t take long for Caroline to realize how the all-cotton woodblock fabric used for the quilts would be perfect for clothing to keep cool (and look bright & sunny) in Florida’s hot climate. Soon she partnered with some of the artisans making woodblock print fabric and clothing in Jaipur, India and Pink Gingham was born.
Here’s a Q & A with Caroline explaining more!
Before Pink Gingham, what did you do for a living? ?
I was a television producer working for Good Morning America, Dateline NBC, and, for more than a decade, The Oprah Winfrey Show. When The Oprah Show ended, I started a boutique video production company creating online videos for non-profits and companies. I still do video production work as Pink Gingham continues to grow.
Talk a bit about your love of block printing.
I love the unique qualities of hand printing, and how the ink doesn't always fit exactly within the outlines of the pattern. That "imperfection" is part of what's so wonderful to me, a bit like the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi which, in part, is the art of accepting and seeing the beauty in imperfection. Every garment made from woodblock printed fabric one-of-a-kind. It's the opposite of mass produced. I'm a fan of natural fibers, starting from when I first slept in 100% cotton sheets as a teenager. Pink Gingham started about two years ago. I was living on the Gulf Coast of Florida and looking for a bedspread. I wanted something cotton, colorful, and unique. I'd always loved block print and found some handmade quilts. My sister visited me, loved them, too, and I realized there might be other people who liked the bright colors, 100% cotton and uniqueness of Indian woodblock goods. So I ordered a bunch of quilts to sell at a beach market. I also ordered some robes and pajamas similar to ones I'd purchased in India 15 years ago! Gradually, I started working with the vendors in India to create other items. The line is evolving and I'm always learning..
Have you always been interested in fashion?
To be honest, no! My first job out of college was working as an assistant in the fashion department of a women's magazine in New York City. It was the kind of job lots of people would have loved: going to fashion showrooms, picking out clothing, going on fashion shoots, and even going to fashion shows. But I realized early on I didn't really care about trendy fashion. I HAVE always been interested in artisan made items. Whenever I would travel anywhere, I would look for the handmade thing. I still do. And, I have always loved textiles. I love the colors, textures, even the smell of the wool woven blankets. I have to stop myself from buying textiles when I travel or I'll need to rent a storage locker to house them!
What role do you play in the selecting of patterns, colors and designs?
Each vendor I work with does a run of prints and colors and when I'm ready to place an order, they send me their current stock of fabrics. There are dozens and dozens of patterns and color ways. The truth is I know what I like and that's what I order. When I see a pattern I like, something just sparks in my brain. But that spark isn't 100% right. I've picked some fabrics that I don't even sell because I don't like them once I see them in person. However, there's a purple print that I keep re-ordering because it looks good on absolutely everyone. Every age, every skin tone, every hair color.
The ideas for the clothing styles come from everywhere. I draw designs (poorly) or send photos and work with the vendors to create different looks. There's a lot of back and forth and things get lost in translation. Yet, some items come out even better than I hoped.
One thing that's been a surprise to me is just how little attention I paid to the importance of color in what I wear. It makes a huge difference. Some people know what colors look good on them but many of us don't. If someone asks my opinion, I'll be honest. When they try on the "right" color - POW! - what a difference. .
What inspires you and your work?
I love seeing a woman try on something from Pink Gingham and tell me how good they feel in it. It's never about making a sale - it's about making a woman feel good. We all have things in our closets we bought for the wrong reasons, because it was on sale or it was trendy, or because of the label. I tell women if they don't feel great in something don't buy it. Save your money for something you LOVE. I also like that I'm supporting artisans doing a craft that dates back hundreds of years. I love supporting people working with their hands.
Address
2326 7th Ave W, Bradenton Florida 34205, United States.
Customer Support
czivvy@gmail.com.