Our interview with Emma-France Raff, the founder and artist behind the innovative brand “Raubdruckerin” with a unique approach to fashion. Emma transforms city manhole covers into wearable art, using paint and fabric to capture urban textures. Her work blends street art with design, revealing the hidden beauty of everyday infrastructure.
The Fashiongton Post: What does the name “Raubdruckerin” mean, and why did you choose it for your brand?
Emma-France Raff: “Raubdruckerin” comes from the German word “Raubdruck,” which means “pirate print”, and it can be translated accordingly as “a female pirate printer”. I definitely didn’t choose it because it’s ‘easy’ to spell internationally , but rather as a symbol of subculture, individuality, feminine-word-culture, and the idea of imprinting existing patterns from our surroundings. It’s also about changing the way people interact with their everyday spaces.
F.P.: What was the first manhole cover you ever printed, and do you still have that piece?
E.F.R.: I still remember the satisfying moment when the pattern transferred from the street onto the fabric. It was in 2005 or 2006 in southwest Portugal, and the manhole cover had the word “Água” on it, which means “water”. I still have that print, it is a part of my collection of almost all the prints I have made on T-Shirts since 2006.
F.P.: How do you select the locations and specific manhole covers for your designs?
E.F.R.: I decide together with my partner, Orpheas Tziagidis, and it is usually a combination of mostly two factors. The pattern is the most important—it should have character, be “special” and reflect the place it comes from in some way. But we also like to choose beautiful cities and interesting neighborhoods. Sometimes it is very difficult to choose because when you start searching you’ll find lots of patterns.
F.P.: How do you take care of the quality control of your final products? What specific paint type do you use for the prints in order they would not come off due to water and other mechanical impacts after application?
E.F.R.: As I’ve been doing “this” since 2006, I’ve gained a lot of experience and know exactly what mix of paint works best to create a perfect print. We use water based, environmentally friendly and certified textile paints. All our prints are washable at 30° and long lasting. Just recently I transformed a T-shirt that I printed 10 years ago into a cleaning cloth. The T-shirt fell apart but the print was still great.
F.P.: How fast does the paint dry and what kind of special instruments do you usually use?
E.F.R.: Like all paints, the drying time depends on humidity and temperature. In sunny weather, it dries quickly; in cold, damp conditions, it can take much longer, etc. My most important tool is the paint roller! With time I learned to really control it. But when I print in the street, I have a small suitcase with the cleaning material, measuring tools, cord, of course T-shirts, linen or paper…to name some.
F.P.: What challenges do you face when transferring intricate designs from metal to fabric?
E.F.R.: Working outdoors in public spaces is completely different from atelier work. Authorities may intervene—usually, they appreciate what we do, but I’ve also received a fine before. Weather is another major challenge: wind blows everything away, rain prevents drying, and if it’s too hot, the paint dries too fast. Some surfaces—especially old ones, delicate ones or material on which I haven’t printed before, like my latest experiments with road signs —require special sensitivity when using the roller to get a good imprint. It’s challenging but also fascinating. And I love interacting with the surrounding and see people’s reactions in the street!
F.P.: Do you collaborate with city officials, or do you prefer to work guerrilla-style, secretly cruising around the city and making prints while there are not so many people around?
E.F.R.: The main goal is to print! So, it depends. We do a lot of guerrilla printing, which has a spontaneous character but in Berlin, we also collaborate with the city officials. We wouldn’t mind doing that more often—it could create positive synergies. But in our experience, it’s not easy to find someone within the city administration who is willing or able to take responsibility for it.
F.P.: Have you ever had any unexpected encounters with authorities while printing?
E.F.R.: Well, it’s never truly unexpected—I’m rolling paint onto surfaces in public spaces, after all. I communicate what I’m doing, and I assure that I clean up really well afterwards—often leaving the surface cleaner than before. Unfortunately, it happened that we have been fined for property damage. It can feel frustrating because we are always very careful. I believe that public spaces should be both respected and used freely. Printing in the streets brings always a certain risk but most passers-by are curious and fascinated. It happens to hear a story, get invited for a guided tour or a refreshment.
F.P.: Do you make adjustments to the prints afterward, or do you leave them as they naturally appear?
E.F.R.: We love the raw print aesthetics of the materials we print on like cast iron, concrete and so on. All our “Berlin Mitte” prints are created directly on the original manhole covers, so they stay exactly as they come out. The other prints are always based on an original street print, that’s why any text appears mirrored—it makes them feel like the fingerprint of a specific place. A little fun fact: they look “unmirrored” in the mirror or in selfies.
F.P.: Where do you see your brand evolving in the next five years?
E.F.R.: I want to focus more on creative research, discovering new printable surfaces and hope to involve a community more. I am looking for fascinating patterns from around the world to continue designing quality apparel with a true story behind.
F.P.: Traditionally, your piece of advice to The Fashiongton Post readers?
E.F.R.: Buy less, choose better quality stuff, support independent businesses, and avoid mass production. Learn how to repair your clothing instead of throwing it away. And when it comes to creativity – trust your instincts and follow your impulses!
Official site of Emma-France Raff: www.raubdruckerin.de
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