Our stay in Lima is short, and we will continue our journey to Arequipa the very next day. Before that, however, there's still some time for a stroll and a visit to a few art exhibitions. The flight is short, and after 1.5 hours, we are warmly greeted by our agent, Lucrecia Lovera, and Incalpaka's manager, Juan Luis, who escort us to our hotel. Incalpaka is one of the largest alpaca yarn manufacturers in Peru.
Arequipa is located at an altitude of approximately 2300 meters. The landscape is fascinating: we are surrounded by mighty mountains and volcanoes. The air is noticeably thinner, and the people are incredibly relaxed. A note to ourselves: We need to learn a thing or two from this relaxed attitude. We are looking forward to the Alpaca Moda fashion fair, to which we were invited by the Commission for the Promotion of Exports & Tourism in Peru.
Turbulent, tropical, creative
It's Monday morning, and after a long flight, we arrive in the land of alpacas. Instead of our usual Monday meeting at the LANIUS Loftatelier in the tranquil Südstadt district of Cologne, we now find ourselves almost on the other side of the world. Lima is a vibrant city: the climate is tropical, and the people strike us as creative and lively. Elaborate and impressively realistic street art adorns the walls of the buildings.
After a quick check-in at the hotel, we are picked up by our former agent Matthias, and after a coffee, we head to Matthias' agency office. Barbara, a buyer from hessnatur, joins us, and we set off to visit our long-standing production facility. Mariella Gonzales is the owner of the family business, which has been producing alpaca styles for LANIUS in Lima since 2008.
Original, warm, familiar
Rather inconspicuous from the outside, we are met inside the company by an incredibly warm, familiar, and authentic atmosphere. We are introduced to each and every employee and are given permission to photograph and film for you and this Travel Journal.
We sense that everything here is shaped by the sustainable soul of the owner, Mariella. Proud men and women work at the hand-knitting machines, in design, and in the organizational area. These small workshops, where our favorite alpaca pieces are handmade, are located throughout Lima. We are very impressed.
Surprisingly familiar and very organized
You wouldn't believe it, but even in distant Peru, you can find people from the Rhineland: In the second production facility we visit, we meet the owner Christian, who hails from our neighboring city of Düsseldorf. The company is GOTS-certified, well-equipped with machinery, and specializes in fine qualities. We look forward to expanding our production there in the future.
Trip to Arequipa for the Alpaca Moda fashion fair
We spend the morning at the Alpaca Moda fashion fair with so-called "producer speed dating," where different products are presented to us.
The afternoon is both informative and fascinating. We get an exclusive insight into the production of Incatops: here, the shorn wool is delivered, sorted by fineness, washed, combed, and finally wound into a "top" – from which the yarn can then be spun. The fineness levels of an alpaca's virgin wool range from "Royal Alpaca" to "Baby Alpaca" and coarser qualities. It was very clearly explained to us that "Baby Alpaca" does not come from a young animal but from the back of the alpacas and accounts for only about 20% of a animal's total wool. The same applies to "Royal Alpaca": this finest quality comes from the neck area of the alpaca and is extremely rare, with a wool content of only about 2%.
On the second day at the fashion fair, we discover a producer who will be manufacturing scarves for LANIUS in the future. Suddenly, we find ourselves in the knitting factory. We see a sweater and think: We know that one! Indeed – one of our new alpaca styles is currently being measured in the knitting factory. We can take the sample directly to the showroom to discuss further adjustments there.
From working in production, we head straight to the fashion show in the old town. The four largest alpaca brands from Arequipa present their current collection. After the fashion show, guests are led into a romantic backyard. The atmosphere is relaxed, cheerful conversations flow, and Pisco Sours, a classic Peruvian cocktail, are served. Among the guests are also the Minister of Foreign Trade, Eduardo Ferreyros Küppers, and the Mayor of Arequipa, Florentino Alfredo Zegarra Tejada.
On the trail of the alpacas
On our last day in Arequipa, we finally see them in their familiar, barren environment: the alpacas – in the Andes at 3,500 meters altitude. Juan and Lucrecia accompanied us to the highlands, and we marvel at the dry, surreal landscape. It's how we imagine the moon. The alpacas feed on the few grasses that grow there. They are accompanied by a shepherd and his dog.
Even vicuñas make an appearance: These animals are particularly shy and delicate, their fur is short and very fine. They are therefore shorn only every two years. To prevent the animals from dying of stress during shearing, they are slowly encircled by a human chain and handled and shorn with particular care. A 100% vicuña scarf costs around €1500 and is incredibly soft.
Fascinating landscapes and relaxed people
By the way, you can also shop in the middle of the Andes. In a small square, local women offer their hand-spun and knitted alpaca goods. There's even a small restaurant where we drink fresh Inca tea and, of course, buy something: beautiful alpaca hats and scarves. It's very quiet up here – only a tractor or a tourist bus passes by occasionally.
After the impressive journey into the highlands, we reluctantly make our way back to Lima. In the evening, we arrive at the hotel and, filled with the impressions of the trip, try to get some sleep: a 12-hour flight to Madrid awaits us the next day, then a transfer to Frankfurt and a train to Cologne – but we don't want to think about that now. What was it about the relaxed Peruvian attitude that we wanted to emulate...?!
