Our Story
Aqvarossa is a luxury fashion label founded in Zurich with our design studio in London. We create the finest luxury coats and knitwear with an emphasis on simplicity, quality and sustainability. Each piece is crafted from sumptuous hand selected yarns, including alpaca and merino wool. These are all meticulously sourced by our design team and realised by the carefully chosen producers and partners.
LONDON
Studio
It is in London that our creative team is based, headed up by Creative Director Vera Thordadottir previously of Celine and Hussein Chalayan.
From the initial inspiration and designs for each collection to overseeing production and scrutinising finishes in the finest detail, this is where she and her production team ensure that each and every piece is both aesthetically stunning and made in a way that meets their exacting standards.
ZURICH
Head Office
From our Head Office in Zurich Christine and her team ensure that though we now have a collection that extends beyond alpaca, the brand is still true to her original ethos of creating a sustainable and conscious luxury fashion brand. Here she oversees the careful sourcing of every single material we use and the close relationships we have formed with the partners and producers who make each collection possible.
Our Alpaca
Soft grip and subtle shine, hypoallergenic and superbly warming – this is alpaca wool. The Alpaca lives in the South American Andes at over 3,000 meters and is closely related to the lama, the guanaco and the vicuña from the camelid family. Its fur has developed properties that are unmatched worldwide to protect against harsh weather conditions: the fibre is water-repellent and breathable, and even softer and warmer than cashmere. It contains insulating air inclusions, and the length and strength of the fibre guarantees a long life. There are only about four million alpacas worldwide, and the animals are sheared only once a year. Accordingly, their wool is exclusive and expensive. The many nuances of its wool from white to brown and grey to black result in a wide range of natural colours.
Alpacas live in peaceful symbiosis with the mountain population in Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Since the topography of the Andes does not allow mass animal husbandry, the farmers keep their animals in small flocks, giving them the best of care and a lot of affection and respect. Even the annual shearing follows the natural cycle to protect the animals from the cold. After all, alpacas are the main source of income and livelihood for their families. In addition and quite honestly, alpacas are unashamedly cool animals! But the harsh climate of the Andes sometimes takes its toll, and unfortunately, not all crias survive the cold periods. All this is part of natural selection; no alpaca is sacrificed for its fur.