Our stay in Lima is short and we continue our journey to Arequipa the next day. Before that, however, there is still a little time to stroll around and visit some art exhibitions. The flight is short and after 1.5 hours we are picked up by our agent, Lucrecia Lovera, and the manager of Incalpaka, Juan Luis, and accompanied to our hotel. Incalpaka is one of the largest alpaca yarn manufacturers in Peru.
Arequipa is located at an altitude of about 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. Note to ourselves: we need to take a bit of this relaxed attitude. We are excited about the Alpaca Moda fashion fair, to which we have been invited by the Commission for the Promotion of Exports and Tourism in Peru.
Turbulent, tropical, creative
It is Monday morning and after a long flight we arrive: in the land of the alpacas. Instead of our usual Monday meeting in the LANIUS loft studio in the tranquil southern part of Cologne, we are now almost at the other end of the world. Lima is a colorful place: the climate is tropical and the people seem creative and lively to us. Elaborate and impressively realistic street art paintings adorn the walls of the houses.
After a quick check-in at the hotel, we are picked up by our former agent Matthias and after a coffee we go to Matthias' agency office. Barbara, 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 the alpaca styles for LANIUS in Lima since 2008.
Original, warm, familiar
Quite inconspicuous from the outside, an incredibly warm, familiar and authentic atmosphere awaits us inside the company. We are introduced to each individual employee and are given permission to take photos and film for you and this travel journal.
We feel that everything here is shaped by the sustainable soul of the owner, Mariella. Proud men and women work on the hand knitting machines, in the design and in the organizational area. These small workshops are spread all over Lima, where our favorite alpaca items are made by hand. We are very impressed.
Surprisingly familiar and very organized
You would hardly suspect it, but even in faraway Peru you can meet people from the Rhineland: In the second production facility we visit, we meet the owner Christian, who comes from our neighboring city of Düsseldorf. The company is GOTS-certified, has good 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 informative and fascinating at the same time. 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 the new wool of an alpaca range from "Royal Alpaca" to "Baby Alpaca" to coarser qualities. We were explained very clearly that "Baby Alpaca" does not come from a young animal, but from the back of the alpaca and only makes up around 20% of the animal's total wool. The same is true for "Royal Alpaca": this finest quality comes from the neck area of the alpaca and is extremely rare with a wool content of only around 2%.
On the second day at the fashion fair, we discover a producer who will be producing scarves for LANIUS in the future. Suddenly we are standing in the knitting workshop. We see a sweater and think: We know that one! In fact, one of our new alpaca styles is currently being measured in the knitting workshop. We can take the sample straight to the showroom to discuss adjustments there.
From work in production, the journey continues straight to the fashion show in the old town. The four largest alpaca brands from Arequipa present their new collection. After the fashion show, the guests are led into a romantic back courtyard. The mood is relaxed, people chat cheerfully and the Pisco Sour, a classic Peruvian cocktail, flows. Among the guests are the Minister for Foreign Trade, Eduardo Ferreyros Küppers, and the Mayor of Arequipa, Florentino Alfredo Zegarra Tejada.
On the trail of the alpacas
On the last day in Arequipa we finally see them in their usual, barren environment: the alpacas - in the Andes at an altitude of 3500 meters. Juan and Lucrecia have accompanied us to the highlands and we marvel at the dry, surreal landscape. This is how we imagine it on the moon. The alpacas feed on the few grasses that grow there. They are accompanied by a shepherd with a dog.
Even Vecunjas make an appearance: these animals are particularly shy and delicate, their fur is short and very fine. They are therefore only sheared every two years. To ensure that the animals do not die of stress when they are sheared, they are slowly surrounded by a human chain and handled and sheared with particular care. A scarf made of 100% Vecunja costs around €1500 and is incredibly soft.
Fascinating landscapes and relaxed people
You can also go shopping in the middle of the Andes. In a small square, local women sell their own spun and knitted alpaca goods. There is even a small restaurant where we drink fresh Inca tea and of course buy something: beautiful alpaca hats and scarves. It is very quiet up here - only a tractor or a tour bus drives past now and then.
After the impressive journey to the highlands, we set off back to Lima with a heavy heart. We arrive at the hotel in the evening and, full of the impressions of the trip, try to get some sleep: we have a 12-hour flight to Madrid ahead of us the next day, then a change to Frankfurt and a train to Cologne - but we don't want to think about that yet. What was that about the relaxed attitude of the Peruvians that we wanted to get a piece of...?!
