Lily - Our New Fashion Designer!
We are most thrilled to welcome Fashion Design and Fair Trade Expert Lily Kinder to Huaycán, where she has been working busily with the artisans to design new apparel for Huaywasi's Summer and Fall Collections! Read the interview with Lily below, and learn about her extensive travel experience and passion for trendy sustainable fashion!
1. Tell us a bit about yourself!
I'm a 25 year old Hoosier. I spent most of my life in my home town of Bloomington, Indiana, but knew that I always wanted to explore. Growing up I always had a love for fashion, but knew that I wanted to have a career with a social impact. This lead me to majoring at Non Profit Management and completing two minors in Fashion Design and Apparel Merchandising. I graduated in May 2014 from Indiana University, and since then I've been on a non stop adventure!
2. What other countries have you traveled to and what brought you there?
My first time leaving the comfort of home was during my Junior year study aboard experience in Paris, France. During my exchange I caught the travel bug bad! I was lucky to travel around bits of Europe to really get a taste for travel. After graduation from IU, I completed a three month internship in Cape Coast, Ghana with fair trade apparel company, Global Mamas. Next I headed to South Africa for one month to visit three friends from exchange. After I went to Australia for seven months as an Au Pair. I made a trip to New Zealand to visit two friends from home, and can't wait to go back. Before heading back to Indiana I went to Canada for the first time to visit two other friends from exchange. And for the past seven months I've been working my way south , starting in Belize, with my boyfriend. Peru makes country number eight on our Latin American adventure. (Belize, Guatemala (work exchange), Honduras (work exchange), Nicaragua, Costa Rica (work exchange), Panama, Colombia, Ecuador ( work exchange), and Peru.
3. What interests you about Fair Trade and Fashion Design?
While in high school I spent many afternoons with a family friend Gail. She created repurposed clothing, and really opened my eyes to all of the different "non mainstream" fashion channels. I love clothing, but I am also aware of the huge negative impact that it has on individuals and our environment. So I view fair trade fashion as a way to contribute positively to the fashion community, while still participating in current trends.
4. What is one goal you would like to accomplish before you leave Peru?
Besides perfecting my Spanish as much as possible, I'm really excited to watch my designs go from paper to production, to final product!!!! So my goal is wear one of my designs. :)
Be on the lookout for new apparel designed with Lily, coming soon!