In her very first photo-shoot and interview since giving birth to her daughter Esmeralda Amada with longtime love Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes sat down with her friend and VIOLET GREY founder, Cassandra Huysentruyt Grey, for VIOLET GREY’s digital publication The Violet Files. The usually private actress opens up, discussing everything from the parenting values she shares with Ryan, to her excitement about her expanding her New York & Company collection to the comfort she gets from the chatter in online mom forums. TM & Marta Walsh have the sneak peek!

Eva Mendes In VIOLET GREY

Stunning on location in the powder room at Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA, the story has just gone live at VIOLETGREY.com.

EVA’S FIRST TAKE ON MOTHERHOOD, AS TOLD TO VIOLET GREY:

On what her nights look like now:

“I thought my wild nights were over but these are some of the wildest nights I’ve ever had.”

On motherhood and life with Esmeralda:

“Everything is a struggle for her. For instance, I haven’t thrown up since the ’90s and she’s thrown up twice since we started this interview. Motherhood is cake compared to what it’s like to be a baby.”

Eva Mendes In VIOLET GREY

On the name, Esmeralda Amada:

“Ryan and I both love the Esmeralda character from the Victor Hugo novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and just think it’s a beautiful name. Amada was my grandmother’s name. It means “beloved” in Spanish.”

On steering clear of the paparazzi and the spotlight during her entire pregnancy:

“Whether we like it or not, privacy is going to be very difficult for Esmeralda. I think it’s unfair but that’s our reality. So Ryan and I decided early on to give her as much privacy as we could. And my pregnancy was the first opportunity to give her that.”

Eva Mendes In VIOLET GREY

On her collection with New York & Co:

“My inspiration for the holiday collection actually comes from my VIOLET GREY Christmas story I art directed last year.  I wanted to bring affordable elegance to the collection for my favorite time of year. Practically, I wanted to make a dresses that made women feel beautiful.”

AVAILABLE PHOTOGRAPHY

All photography was shot by Emma Summerton @ CRM

ABOUT VIOLET GREY: Founded by Cassandra Huysentruyt Grey, VIOLET GREY began in 2010 as a private dressing studio for red carpet clientele. The studio naturally evolved into a luxury content and commerce beauty company that includes an exclusive brick and mortar flagship store located on Melrose Place in Los Angeles and an editorially rich online destination—THE VIOLET FILES, a digital magazine dedicated to documenting Hollywood beauty culture in collaboration with celebrated storytellers in fashion and film.

VIOLET GREY showcases Hollywood’s HERO products, curated by its community of stars and artists exclusively for VIOLET GREY.