Knit Alpaca Blend Shawl in Graphite from Peru, "Andean Delight in Graphite"

"My name is Cristina Villalobos. I was born in 1993 in the Peruvian capital of Lima. I consider myself to be a very cheerful, honest, and hardworking woman.

"Like many, I have lived through difficult times, even more so because I am young and it is very complicated organizing my time in order to work, study, and be a mother at the same time. This is a challenge that keeps me very mindful of everything, above all my little baby. He gives me the strength every day to give him the best, and I want to be the best mother for him. My dreams are to become renowned for my trademark and my work, be the best mom that I can be for my son, and be able to show him the world.

"From a young age, I saw my father work in textiles and fashion. I liked to sew and draw. Little by little, I became familiar with the yarns and how they could be transformed into beautiful pieces of clothing. The variety of colors that exist and the mixture of textures and materials attract me, especially because I never stop learning.

"I learned these techniques and gained knowledge in the university. Without question, having my family close and seeing the workshop gave me a great opportunity to learn the process from the beginning. I had to force myself to learn a lot and dedicate hours of work, studying and being a mom. It is a marathon, but I love knowing that I am working to give him the best.

"What I like the most about my art is that we can always make new things and create color schemes that are outside of the ordinary. Pleasing shoppers and making an item of clothing that people hey can identify with is very challenging. I work constantly to achieve this. I am greatly inspired by retro fashion from previous decades, as well as by the landscapes of our incredible Peru. Being able to live here is a pleasure."