Jessie Barber, a born-and-raised South County resident, has always had a penchant for creativity, though her path to putting it to good use hasn’t always been clear.
“I actually went to four different universities to figure out what I wanted to do,” she laughs.
The first was a year at the Providence campus of Johnson and Wales, followed by a year at CCRI. Then she really took off at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, where she earned an associate’s degree in textile design.
“It was something totally different that interested me,” she recalls. “It was still art, but it involved creating patterns and illustrations and using them for home decor or clothing. It seemed super interesting to me and I had always wanted to go to New York.
After a year in the Big Apple, Barber returned to the Ocean State to complete her bachelor’s degree in textile marketing at the University of Rhode Island. Her hard work paid off and eventually landed her a job as Marketing Manager for local acclaimed interior design company, Blakely Interior Design. Yet while curating content for social media and the company’s website provides her with plenty of opportunities for creativity, Barber has found that her free time also requires a creative outlet. So, last May, she decided to start her own stationery business dedicated to providing stylish wrapping paper, gift tags and cards.
“I thought it was a good way to use my one-year degree from FIT,” she says. “Plus, I love wrapping gifts and I love receiving; it all made sense.
Barber describes her design style as a complementary blend of classic coastal patterns and timeless patterns – the same aesthetic that also dictates her wardrobe and home decor tastes. When creating products, she often draws inspiration from her seaside surroundings in Charlestown as well as traditional New England vibes. His company name follows the same pattern.
“I had ‘Pearl Print’ in my head for a while. Pearls, as a symbol, are classic, beautiful and durable. And then my boyfriend is an oyster farmer, so I have a connection there,” she explains. “The name felt right to me. Many of my patterns are based on classic ginghams, checks and checks, and all of that goes with pearls too, historically.
Although she considers it a “side-hustle,” Barber puts a lot of thought, time, and effort into her Pearl Print Co. designs. Designing a new collection and bringing it to fruition can take a few months at a time between refining color palettes and patterns and ordering test prints of wrapping paper to ensure good quality. Her latest collection release includes four new spring-inspired wrapping paper designs and five gift tags.
Mini spring collection from Pearl Print Co.
“I always think about whether new products will go with existing prints, because I want everything to match the cohesive aesthetic of my brand. For example, if you have three gifts, you can use two or three different designs and they will go all together. And then you can make it fun by mixing and matching the gift tags or incorporating different ribbons,” she says. “When I come up with new collections, I try to keep everything at least in the same palette colors, then enter a different color. Like for Christmas, for example, I did a lot of green and white instead of blue and white, but it still goes with my existing designs.
And more future collections are on the way. Barber plans to not only create a few more prints for the summer season, but also design a collection inspired by his favorite spot in Rhode Island.
“I already sell a Block Island themed sticker sheet and got a lot of interest at a few stores, so I thought I might do some Block Island wrapping paper and note cards. to accompany them,” she said. said.
As for her favorite part of the process, Barber says it all falls into place.
“It’s so different from seeing it on screen when I’m creating – it’s super flat. Once I have the paper in my hands and wrap a present, finished with a tag and a bow, everything comes to life,” she says. “I always encourage my customers to share photos of their gift wrapping. At Christmas, people were tagging me in their photos on Instagram of how they were wrapping their presents, and it was really cool to see. I also get gifts from my family and friends with the gift wrapping and I’m like, “Well, that looks familiar!” I love it.”
If you would like to use Pearl Print Co. wrapping paper and accessories for an upcoming birthday, shower, or wedding gift, you can purchase directly from the Etsy shop here. You can also follow the latest collection styles on Instagram here.
