Peruvian Fashion

Talking about Peru inevitably inspires images of an indigenous woman carrying a baby on her back using a shompironte that she wove herself following the tradition passed down by her mother and her grandmother.

Weaving is, in general, a mode of learning and communication, a diffusion of aesthetic and cultural values, and a source of cultural identity. Today, weaving is still one of the fundamental industries of Peru's economy, and it is very interesting to observe how the idea of “sustainable fashion” in Peruvian fashion is taking advantage of nature as a fundamental part of the Peruvian design business.

This pathway of innovation is reflected in events such as the Forum for Textile Exporters and Flash mode, a symposium where the future of green in the Peruvian textile industry is discussed. Also, name-brands such as Indigenous Designs and Anpi Organic are based on the use of sustainable methods. From within this changing and evolving business, Peruvian designers have transcended the traditional industry, and have taken their designs to some of the most fashionable runways. Some of the best-known names of Peruvian fashion designers are Marcela Zenozain (whose brand is Marcela Lima), Gustavo Adolfo Valdez, Valeria Reiterer, and Andrea Vizcarra who are the creators of the brand Improvicé, which has revolutionized new trends, and the great designer Norka Peralta.

These designs also need models who can properly exhibit them on runways and in fashion magazines. Notable models include Andrea Luna, Claudia Abusada, and Jamila Dahabreh, all of whom confirm the extraordinary beauty of Peruvian women which made one of them, Maria Julia Mantilla, Miss World 2004.