Yarza Twins by Camila Cardeñosa
Camila Cardeñosa is one of our DesignbyWomen collaborators who has curated and written a series of inspirational features showcasing Spanish speaking female designers based in Latin America and Europe. Her first article is based on a conversation with her friends – past fellow students from Central Saint Martins in London – the influential and groundbreaking Yarza Twins.
I met Eva and Marta Yarza more than seven years ago whilst we were all studying for an MA in Visual Communication at Central Saint Martins in London. Eva was in my class, and we connected quickly, as there were only a few of us who spoke Spanish. Marta started the course a year later. I remember seeing them walk through the university together and was always amazed by the way in which they approached their projects and found a unique, irreverent graphic language.
One of my strongest memories from our that time was a feedback session with one of our tutors, Christian Küster, who recommended that we should always think outside the box. Eva and Marta followed his advice in all ways. Since then, their work has always stood out as different, experimental, and one step ahead of current trends, making them a reference point in the design world. Their work is widely known and has become an inspiration for many people.
Today they both still live in London. When we talked, Eva told me that living in the city has encouraged them to be brave and pragmatic. The beginning was not easy, but over time they have learned to be bold, knock on doors, showcase their work, and value themselves. In our conversation, Eva said something that has really stuck with me: “You are the one that sets your own limitations.”
Undoubtedly, this approach combined with a great deal of talent, creativity and determination has allowed them to work with a wide array of clients around the world, including Adidas and Smirnoff. Today they have clients in Sweden, the United States, the Netherlands, and Spain (their home country). In 2016 they were included in Print Magazine’s list of the 15 most exciting designers under 30.
Catching up with the Yarza Twins has been fantastic. In addition to remembering our time as students, it was another opportunity to learn from them. We chatted about their studio, their inspirations, and the path that has led them to establish themselves as an upcoming force in the design field.
I hope you enjoy reading this interview, as much as I enjoyed catching up with them!
CC: When did you realize that you were interested in design and that you wanted careers as designers?
Eva: I didn’t know what design was until I started studying at university in Madrid. I studied Fine Arts and wanted to specialize in restoration., But the classes were so boring that in an act of desperation I enrolled in another class that still had an opening called “Introduction to Design.” That’s when I discovered what design is.
Marta: I realized it when I was working as a technical architect in Madrid. The moment I graduated, the financial crisis began, and I couldn’t find a job in the architecture field with a salary that covered my rent. That is why I considered a change and decided on the design pathway. I discovered it through Eva and soon it became one of my passions.
CC: Tell me about your careers so far. What were the steps to get where they are?
When we finished the MA degree at Central Saint Martins, neither of us found it easy to get fellowships or jobs so we decided to start personal projects. For a year we worked in restaurants and stores until Eva got the opportunity of a fellowship at the Sagmeister & Walsh studio in New York. In addition to letting us see up close how an exceptional studio works, this opened many doors for us. After working in other studios in London, we both felt that it was time to open our own studio and that’s how we started three years ago.
CC: One of you studied fine art and the other architecture. How do you combine these two fields in graphic design?
We have both always had an aptitude for the arts. Let’s say that architecture has helped us to define our spatial design, organization and 3D work, while Fine Art has helped us with colour selection, ideas generation and technique.
CC: What is it like working together? Do you divide the work, or is it a constant collaboration?
As we are a small studio we always need to collaborate, otherwise one of us would have nothing to do while the other would be working all the time. We divide the work every day and love discovering that we have different points of view of each project. We have very different approaches to design work and that adds a richness to our collaboration.
We divide the work every day and love discovering that we have different points of view of each project. We have very different approaches to design work and that adds a richness to our collaboration.
CC: What do you enjoy most about being designers?
We like the freedom to create trends and to choose which emotions our work will evoke among the audience. We also like to see our clients happy when they launch products with an image that we are proud of.
CC: You both took the MA course at Central Saint Martins. Why did you decide to do it in different years and not together?
Eva finished her degree in Fine Arts first and then started her Masters immediately after that. Marta finished her Technical Architecture degree a year later and then went on to study at Saint Martins.
CC: Being a woman, has it impacted on your careers?
Yes, both positively and negatively. During the first year of her Fine Arts course, Eva heard her teacher say to a classmate, “women are very hardworking, but the real artists are men.” This sentence highlights one of the many prejudices that women encounter in the field. We have had to prove ourselves twice as much as men to be considered their equal.
However, we have observed a very big change since the ‘Me Too’ movement. In the past, only one female designer would have been promoted out of a mixed field as compared to several male designers. Nowadays, there are many platforms that share the work of other creative women that, in our opinion, deserve to be showcased. Being a woman is complicated, especially if you work in design studios. In London you sometimes see that the senior creative jobs are mostly taken by men, while accounting or project managing jobs are primarily women. We believe that little by little this will change, but it is important to heighten awareness of these inequalities and obstacles and to support and listen to young female designers.
CC: In your experience, do you think there is equity and diversity of men and women in the world of design?
Today we believe there is more equality. But this change has only occurred when we, as women, have consciously protested against the lack of it. It is true that in the 90s no one could refer to more than one female designer or female artist. But thanks to so many people who are working to give visibility to women, this is changing. On a personal level when we give lectures, we have noticed that there has recently been a conscious effort to book as many women as male speakers.
CC: If you could go back and start over, what advice would you give to your young self?
We would tell ourselves that we should be braver and louder. Also, to trust ourselves and that practice makes perfect. We would also say something to ourselves about having patience and dedicating time to ourselves. – Life can’t be just about work.
CC: Many people in the creative industry suffer from imposter syndrome and doubt about their abilities. Have you experienced this? And, if so, how do you handle it?
We believe that everyone at some point in their life suffers from impostor syndrome. Sometimes it is difficult for us to promote our work or speak confidently about our worth. I think it’s important to realise that we all experience the same anxieties and to look back at your path and see that everything you have worked for is what has led you to where you are today.
CC: How do you get inspired? What are the first steps to start a new project?
When we receive a new brief, we usually think about two or three ideas that we will present to the client. In general, we can be inspired by anything: nature, art, etc.
When we present the first ideas to our clients, we don’t usually focus on design work because we want to leave the door open to a thousand possibilities instead of closing possible routes for the project at the start. We have talks with the client in a very close way.
When we present the first ideas to our clients, we don’t usually focus on design work because we want to leave the door open to a thousand possibilities instead of closing possible routes for the project at the start. We have talks with the client in a very close way.
CC: Personal projects are very important to you. Tell me about one in particular that you remember? What is the favourite?
We love the American Apparel project because it opened up so many doors for us. We really enjoyed the process of doing it.
CC: Have you had a female role model, or a woman who has accompanied you on this path and helped you grow in your career?
Yes, without a doubt our mom and our older sister. They have never put limits on us in terms of being what we want to be.
As artists, we have always admired Frida Kahlo. She was such a strong, confident woman but also so vulnerable too. Also, Jane Goodall who as a young woman went alone into the jungle to study gorillas. In the design world Paula Scher has of course been a light on the way.
Today’s girls have it slightly easier. Not only do they have great examples from their generation like Malala and Greta, but also the characters in books and TV series have begun to show women and girls as more complex and stronger personalities, rather than the weak and secondary characters we grew up with.
CC: What advice would you give to women who are currently thinking about starting a creative career?
We would tell them that they will experience many rejections but that they must have confidence in themselves. Also, we would mention a quote from Picasso that had a big influence on us; it was something along the lines of that every time he had a new idea or an inspiration, it had to find him when he was working.
For both of us it means that if you want to improve and give your best you must be determined to work hard. Nobody is going to give you anything unless you are the child of a millionaire. Many people put off that great project for years and years while making excuses. When we started, we worked more than 11 hours a day without days off (or weekends) and that is how we found time to do our personal projects.
CC: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
We hope to be happy and above all without masks. We hope to live in a cleaner world with a very impressive design industry.
CC: What designer, artist, photographer, creative inspires you?
Paula Scher, Jessica Walsh, Annie Leibovitz, Marina Abramovic, Yayoi Kusama, and so many more…