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Annie Hurlbut, CEO/founder
Annie Hurlbut, CEO and co-founder of Peruvian Connection, shares her thoughts on Fall 2010.
Q: What excites you about this fall’s PC collection, personally or in terms of fashion in general?
A: Shorter hemlines. I love the versatility of some of the shorter pieces in the collection. Take for example the Ludlow Street Dress—I wore this the other day with cropped leggings. I think the idea of feeling modern is not necessarily about young and old but about how pieces are styled to fit each person comfortably.
The other thing that excites me about this collection is how many affordable great pieces are available. I’m not just talking about accessories. I love the accessibility of some of our pieces without sacrificing quality.
Q: Speaking of using fine craftsmanship and materials, what inspired the wide array of ethnographic textiles in this particular collection?
A. We sourced the best woven fabrics from Premiere Vision (a fabric and textile trade show in Paris). Their materials come from the finest mills around the world. We then take these fabrics and send them to their respective countries for production. For example, we don’t send our French viscose fabrics to Peru for production because they don’t have the traditional sewing skills for this medium. Our clothing is made in the countries with the best craftsmanship for each material—bead work is much better done in India where there is a rich tradition of creating clothing using that material. Clothing produced in China isn’t a cost-saving tactic but rather the source of the best silk craftsmanship.
Q: PC is known for its exquisite textiles. Can you describe some of the pieces in the collection?
A. I’ve been in love with Andean textiles since I was 19 years old.
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Cuzco Hippie Bag, handwoven in vegetal-dyed wool $59
Our Cuzco Hippie Bag is one of our authentic Andean textile items, made by using the same weaving traditions as when I first went to Peru.
Another piece I love is Kaffe Fassett’s Pinwheel Cardigan. This is very arty. The pattern doesn’t repeat but the color changes constantly–he paints with yarn. When he designs a piece for us he designs a swatch and then we turn it into an interesting shape. It’s a collaborative effort. But make no mistake—the true beauty of the piece comes from him. He’s a master of color and pattern.
Q: You’re just back from Mexico where the fall collection was shot. What were some of the highlights?
A. We were up in the highlands of Mexico in Zacatecas, which has a Peruvian flavor to it. It was a natural fit for PC we felt back in the “briar patch” with the city’s Andean feel. A fun thing happened–the hotel where we were staying was right on the center square
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The Zócalo in Zacatecas
where a huge international rock concert was set up so every night we had a free concert. (see the Behind the Scenes Video of our shoot in Zacatecas)
Q: Which key accessories will make a fall outfit look on trend?
A: I love the hats in our collection especially the Newsboy Hat on the cover of our catalogue. Also, I think the berets give a nice international feel to the collection. We have a wide array of belts this season, which are great styling pieces.
Q: What about party dressing?
A: My favorite party piece is our Plaid Taffeta Skirt. This skirt is wonderful for formal occasions but can also be dressed down if paired with a casual top. It’s truly flattering.
See all of Annie’s Fall picks
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