Imagine a fashion brand that produces soft, comfortable, and elegant pieces while producing responsibly. As consumers, we want to imagine this but we also must consider how our purchases will affect the environment and workers and this question: "Who makes the clothing we wear every day and in what conditions?”

INKAMODA answers this question with transparency and an empowering vision. The Peruvian brand offers ethical and sustainable pieces that are designed with ancient techniques, reflecting the soul of Inca culture. They use unique Alpaca fiber (which promotes sustainable agriculture in the Andes) for their soft, warm, and breathable pieces. In our interview with Vari Garcia, the brand’s founder and designer, we talk about INKAMODA’s current campaign for empowering Andean communities and women creators, as well as the challenges of sustainability in business. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about INKAMODA.

Where are you based?
We are based in Cuzco, Peru.

What inspired you to create INKAMODA? What does INKAMODA mean?
The origin of INKAMODA was born in Cuzco, Peru. It is a city close to Machupicchu, one of the wonders of the world, and invites us to reconnect with our origins, with nature, and with its wisdom through ancestral arts. The brand was founded on the pillars of respect for native people, animals, nature, and Andean textile traditions from Peru. We worked to unite and revalue local techniques and talents to create a sustainable fashion. INKAMODA comes from two words: INKA the ancient Peruvian culture and MODA means fashion in English. We wanted to put these two words together to show the world the wonderful ancient textile techniques from INKA culture.

INKAMODA is a sustainable fashion brand. What was the motivation for you to cultivate a brand that is eco-friendly? What are the major challenges of developing sustainable fashion brands?
The motivation is to preserve the skills, knowledge, and traditions of the inhabitants of the area with the purpose to offer high-quality products that last a lifetime. We also support the sustainable development of our society by offering better commercial fair conditions, improving the quality of life of our collaborators, balancing people, planet, and profit. The major challenges of developing sustainable fashion are teaching, training artisans with new fashion trends, and connecting ancient techniques with modern trends.

You rescue ancient techniques from Inca culture like natural dyes and special weaving techniques with sustainability. Why is this important to you?
It is important to preserve ancient traditions because ancestral arts and textiles are considered the cultural heritage of humanity. The beauty in each design shows a history behind and those pieces are developed in an environment of harmony and respect, generating job opportunities for our artisans and a better social impact in their communities, improving their quality of life.

What are your other artistic influences?
There is a lot of diversity in Peru. Each town is special with their traditions and people. Where I find the best inspiration is in nature and art from Peru, adapting our design to modern fashion trends and creating exclusive garments.

We love that your pieces are super soft, warm, and breathable for winter. You use alpaca fiber which is one of the finest fibers in the World in your pieces. What makes this fiber special?
Alpaca fiber is super soft and hypoallergenic; it is versatile and can be used indoors and outdoors. Alpaca is fine, high-quality wool used in the elegant world of haute couture and is one of the warmest, as well as the finest. These are some qualities:

Lighter and warmer than wool.
Luxuriously soft to the touch with a silky sheen.
Comfortable and versatile to wear.
Grows naturally in dozens of beautiful shades.
Hypoallergenic.
Using Alpaca fiber promotes sustainable agriculture in the Andes.

This fiber has woven its way into the history of Peruvian culture and is considered the “Gold of the Andes” because, in the time of the Incas, royalty considered garments made of alpaca fiber to be their most precious and valuable.

You empower women through sustainable fashion and provide them training and job opportunities. As a woman in business, what do you think about the representation of women in the business?
Being a woman in business means being visionary with the discipline to make the business grow. It also means to be very organized between taking care of family and business at the same time — balancing all aspects of life. Empowered women are confident and are always learning and growing; they support one another, promoting peace and prosperity in their families and their communities and they uplift one another through commerce and entrepreneurship.

You partner with Andean communities to create modern fashion using alpaca fiber and natural dyes but communities that raise alpacas often live in poverty. Can you talk about this situation a little bit?
Peru is the holder of the largest number of alpacas (85%). Alpaca breeding communities live in the Andes, a region affected by climate change that has caused the loss of animals, natural pastures, cultivation areas, homes, educational centers, and roads. Due to these circumstances, these communities have little access to opportunities that allow them to develop, grow and prosper. They are people who inherited the art in their hands to create fine pieces with the wonderful alpaca fiber but due to the lack of opportunities, they cannot sell them and they have to settle for living off what nature gives them and fighting with the cold. We partner with some Andean communities to empower and train them to develop high quality garments with fashion trends to sell the world while giving them the opportunity to grow and prosper through art and fashion.

Jejune loves that by supporting your current campaign we can provide more job opportunities for women and their families in the Andean communities of Cuzco Peru, giving them a better quality of life. Can you tell us how we can help you reach the goals of your campaign?
We appreciate your support in our campaign. We would like for you to help us to promote the campaign with possible backers and costumers interested in originals unique and exclusive pieces made with love and dedication by Andean communities of Peru, knowing that thanks to their contribution they are giving better conditions to families in Peru and changing their lives for better and generating job opportunities for communities miles away. More support means that we are taking a step towards a more sustainable life and to foster the economic and cultural development of the precious Andean communities.

The fashion industry has been one of the most vulnerable and affected industries during the coronavirus pandemic. As an ethical fashion brand, how do you deal with these days?
In the beginning, it was a very big challenge. There was the uncertainty of not knowing what was going to happen with our store in Cuzco, but we maintained an optimistic attitude at all times, developing a new business model in which sales are now through social networks and the internet.

How are you staying positive during a shelter in place?
Adapting to change with an optimistic attitude and love for our team and family to make our project prosper.

What is your inspiration in life?
My inspiration in life is my son, family, and team with whom we work knowing that the effort we make in generating a better world.

To learn more about INKAMODA please follow them via the below accounts:
www.inkamoda.com
Facebook: inkamodaalpaca
Instagram: inkamoda_peru
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCau3_MKOaYmacWAmYLoBq4w

Photography by Shemeon Williams.

INKAMODA Invites Us To Reconnect With The Nature