Brand Story: Q&A with founder, Sophia

From Finding Oneself To Founding A Brand For Many

I meet Sophia in her apartment. Some dim, golden-hour morning light shines through the floor-to-ceiling windows. It smells of Palo Santo and chamomile. ‘Can I make you a cup of tea?’ she asks with her soft yet clear voice.

She sinks into the chair in front of me. Her hands encircle a cup as large as a cereal bowl. Steam rises from it. She exhales with a satisfied sigh. Sinking deeper into the soft blanket beneath her.

A Deep Knowing In The Midst Of The Unknown

Is this how you start your every morning?

Usually, I spend my mornings alone. I wake up when my body wants to wake up. I drink a cup of tea as slowly as possible. And indulge myself with my blanket. There are no commitments. There is no rush. There’s just my body and me in connection with each other.

 

Has it always been like this?

Not at all. Before I founded La Sierra, I was part of the ‘go-go-go, achieve-achieve-achieve world’. I lived in Australia and believed that life is a freeway with stops like high school, university, promotions and the next big salary. 

 

What changed?

I went to Ecuador in 2014. There, I did not only fall in love with a local man but also with its warm culture and loving, vibrant people. It was the first time that I experienced such a different pace of life and the beauty of finding joy in the small things. I had just finished university and had to make a decision: start a full-time corporate job in Australia or move to Panama with my partner and let life unfold.

 

Can I make a guess? You moved to Panama?

Yes! It was one of the scariest steps I ever took. But deep in my heart I felt this pull. This knowledge that it was the right thing to stay. The local that I had fallen in love with, René, had this sparkle in his eyes – this life and fullness / completeness. And I remember myself thinking: ‘Uhh, I want more of that.’ So yeah, I embraced the unknown and moved to Panama.

 

This intuitive pull, this deep knowing that something is ‘just right’ – did it also guide you to founding your brand?

There is this one moment of awe - the initial spark that ignited my love for alpaca textiles. I was visiting a local market with friends, where I found one stall with Alpaca jumpers. I could not believe its softness and the warm feel it gave me. I immediately thought, I’d love more people to have this experience. The world needs this – the warmth, the comfort, the feeling of coming home.

 

And this is when you founded La Sierra?

I called my Mother and asked her: ‘Mum, do you want to start a business together?’. She was like: ‘Yeah let’s do it.’ We ordered samples and I got back to Australia to start the business. I had no idea of how to run a brand. But there was one thing that I was sure about: I wanted to share my love for this one-of-a-kind quality fibre.

A Long-Lasting Feeling Of Connection

It’s been some years on your ‘La Sierra journey’ now. And I can still see that spark in your eyes while you’re talking. What makes your love for Alpaca so unwavering?

It seems my love for it is as long-lasting as the material itself. Did you know that Alpaca fibre is one of the most durable fibres in the world? When you take good care of it, it can stay with you for a lifetime. I have this image in my head that people take our products into their lives across so many years and have many moments of inner satisfaction with them.

What do these moments look like?

Imagine this: You cooked a great dinner with your friends and sit together on a couch, wrapped in Alpaca blankets, wearing the softest jumpers and socks, while laughing, enjoying, and feeling loved. Or you are in a foreign land and walk around the streets wearing the jumper – feeling safe and home while taking in all the new sights and smells.

 

Talking about imagination and what you envision: if you had to choose one word to say what La Sierra stands for – what would it be?

Connection. I want people to live slowly, take time for themselves and develop a stronger relationship with their bodies to connect more. I believe when you connect more with yourself, you can connect more with another person in front of you and to the planet.

Made By People For People

What is your connection to the people who make your products?

I have personal connections to them. I visit them in their homes, we’ve cooked dinner together and had trips through nature where they tell me folk stories. They bring you into their hearts and homes. La Sierra isn’t about working with big anonymous factories, where everyone is after out for themselves. To me, it’s about family. We all really care for each other.

 

Was producing so ethically and sustainably always your goal?

Here’s the funny story: When I started La Sierra, I did not even know what it meant to ‘produce ethically’. It was simply the nature of my vision and who I am. I care about the people and our planet. It was only as I grew with the brand, that I understood that the way we produce is called ‘ethical’, and I learned how sustainable Alpaca wool truly is on so many levels.

 

What’s your vision for the future?

I want to expand to make more people know about La Sierra. Not simply because I want to grow alone – but grow together with the communities we work with. The more people know about us, the bigger we can be and the bigger impact we can have with the communities. I want to see their education, housing and generational wellbeing and wealth improve.

 

At the end of the day, it’s not just about selling something. It’s not about money, it’s not about profit. To me, La Sierra is about purpose – what I care about, what is good for the world, good for people and the planet.