Ani Álvarez Calderón
Ani Álvarez Calderón is a Peruvian couture label founded in 1994 by the designer of the same name and based in Lima. It makes couture garments and collections inspired by Peruvian cultures, including work with Shipibo-Conibo artisans and their Kené designs.
| Founded | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Base | Lima, Peru |
| Lines | Couture and Peruvian-culture line |
| Key collaboration | Shipibo-Conibo Kené artists |
| Website | anialvarezcalderon.pe |
What is Ani Álvarez Calderón?
Ani Álvarez Calderón is a Peruvian haute couture designer whose label, bearing her name, began in 1994 with a small group of clients. The brand grew out of a passion for textiles, design and the production of unique garments, and it works closely with Lima's artistic community.
Products and positioning
The house operates two lines:
- Ani Alvarez Calderon Couture, a haute couture line with international distribution
- A line inspired by Peruvian cultures, centred on ancestral traditions and collaboration between communities
Since 2016 the brand has explored Kené, the design system of the Amazonian Shipibo-Conibo community. That year it worked with Canta Gallo artists in Lima on the Tres Regiones collection, shown in New York. A 2020 trip to Pucallpa led to the BENAI collection, in which artists paint fabric using ancestral Kené methods. The label emphasises slow fashion and sustainability.
Distribution
Collections have been shown in the United States, Europe and Asia, including six catwalk appearances between 2015 and 2020 in Paris, Hong Kong and New York.
Why it matters
The label is a reference for Peruvian couture that collaborates with Indigenous artisans, presenting Amazonian design traditions on international runways.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Ani Álvarez Calderón?
Ani Álvarez Calderón is a Peruvian haute couture designer who founded her eponymous label in 1994.
What is Kené in Ani Álvarez Calderón's work?
Kené is the artisanal design system of the Shipibo-Conibo community, which the brand has used in collections since 2016 through collaborations with Amazonian artists.