Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Hurlbut.
Annie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Peruvian Connection began by happenstance in 1976. I was an anthropologist living in the Andes of Peru, studying women selling in Andean markets. I returned to the States for my mother’s 50th Birthday and brought her as a birthday gift a super luxurious sweater coat knit of alpaca and trimmed in glamorous alpaca fur.
Friends of my mother, Biddy, suggested I import sweaters like the one I brought up. My mom and I had always been close so before I headed back down to Peru we cooked up the idea to start a small importing business.
The business started out as a wholesale business selling exclusively to upscale fashion boutiques. We also ran space ads in the New Yorker and the Wall St. Journal as we were interested in establishing a retail mail order business as well. A lucky break came in 1979 when the New York Times ran a story and a picture of me in one of our sweater coats. The story took up a quarter of the Style Section. Thousands of catalog requests poured in as the story also hit the wire services.
Fast forward to the present time, we produce 5 original design, luxury fiber collections a year, as well as five gorgeous catalogs, shot on location in exotic places from Argentina to Morocco to Andalusia. But now most of our business comes through the internet. Since 2008 we’ve opened 7 beautifully appointed stores in 7 great markets: New York, Washington DC, London, Chicago (on Armitage Street), Boston, Santa Fe and Kansas City.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Plenty of obstacles… too many to cover them all. The biggest perhaps was the great Recession of 2008. We made it through by forging ahead and also relying on loyal customers. It was an amazing learning experience which I hope I’ll never have to go through again.
Peruvian Connection LLC – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Original design, luxury fiber apparel, mostly from Peru. Artisan production is our focus… our pieces are small batch and handcrafted and the quality and uniqueness of our designs is what we are known for. Our tag line, ‘Artisan apparel for nomads and romantics’ says it all. Our customers are individualists who prefer to express themselves in part through their clothing.
The fibers we focus on are Peruvian pima cotton and alpaca, the cashmere-like fiber sheared from the Andean camelid. Most of our pieces are knit, ranging from versatile fine gauge basics to extraordinary art knits. We also design and make in Peru a collection of alpaca coats. The coats are made in the same factory as Max Mara, so our quality and workmanship are simply the best.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
At the end of the day, success is getting to do what you are passionate about, in the company of extraordinary people who share that passion.
Pricing:
- Our pieces are very well priced considering the unique designs, luxury fibers and quality of workmanship. Many pieces are offered in the $50 to $200 range.
- Wonderful unique shapes and colors of jersey tees and tops in the $40 to $60 range
- A killer assortment of scarves, many of which are very affordable, often under $50
Contact Info:
- Address: Peruvian Connection
925 West Armitage
Chicago, IL 60614 - Website: peruvianconnection.com
- Phone: 773 975 4088
- Email: il@peruvianconnection.com
- Instagram: peruvianconnection
- Facebook: peruvianconnection1976
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
