Reviewed: Why Fashion Girls Love Escvdo

Tell us about yourself and your business.

I studied graphic design at the art institutes in Fort Lauderdale and San Diego in 2004, and subsequently specialized in Performance: Design and Practice at London’s Central Saint Martins University of the Arts. In 2005 in London, my sister and I presented a line of one-of-a-kind pieces called Apus, which were the first steps of what was to come. I began my artistic experimentation with clothes when I came back to Lima and designed colorful costumes for a group of Peruvian folk singers in 2006. I presented my work in shows in the early-to-mid 2000s, and I later started focusing on creating a ready-to-wear brand with a strong focus on textile design using millenary weaving techniques and premium, natural fibers.

Escvdo is a contemporary, ethical luxury fashion brand inspired by and dedicated to our Peruvian heritage. We pride ourselves on our use of ancestral-weaving techniques in the execution of our modern and elegant designs.

We are committed to sustainability and transparency in the execution of our collections. We employ skilled artisans in both the sourcing of materials and the creation of our one-of-a-kind, handmade pieces, contributing to the local economies and financially supporting age-old traditions. We work with a predominantly female artisan staff and are dedicated to recruiting and promoting women artisans in hopes to provide financial independence and female empowerment.

Can you tell us more about the textiles used in Escvdo designs?

Our organic Pima cotton comes from the coastal region of Pisco, Peru, and adheres to the highest fair-trade standards. The specific cotton strain used for our garments provides the longest fibers available, yielding an exceptionally soft product.

Our Alpaca wool is sourced from the Peruvian Andes, where we partner with local craftspeople in the preservation of traditional sheering and hand-spinning techniques as well as the conservation and promotion of the 22 natural-fiber tones found in native Peruvian alpacas. Alpaca wool is softer, lighter, and warmer than most other wools and is considered renewable and ecofriendly. No animals are harmed in the production process.

All sourced fibers are brought to our headquarters in Barranco, Lima, where they are transformed by our in-house knitting team. Each garment is hand-stitched, and all finishings are done manually.