Stitch Me Up

Stitch Alpaca is an original collection of high quality alpaca clothing and accessories, featuring hooded jumpers in an array of colours, weekend bags and pure 100 percent baby alpaca scarves and socks. Sourced from the Peruvian Andes, the products are cosy, trendy and very affordable. David Fauchier, a first-year history student at the University of Edinburgh, is Stitch Alpaca’s founder. The idea for the brand came to him while working in Peru during his gap year. David noticed students were buying four or five jumpers for themselves and their friends back home and saw an opportunity. With the idea in place, he began looking into the feasibility of sourcing and importing the jumpers into the UK. 

September 2009 marked the debut of his new venture, when a small batch of jumpers was brought over and proved an immediate success. Since then an entire collection has been developed and orders have continuously increased. Fauchier has invested time and commitment into making the brand the triumph it has quickly become. He credits others for his success, citing the assistance and advice he has received along the way. One such constant advisor has been managing director, Olivia Martin. The Central Saint Martins graduate started out as creative director, tackling the gargantuan task of branding the new startup. Martin now handles much of the day to day running of the company, allowing David to balance student life with his business. 

 One of Fauchier’s key motives in starting the business was to give something back to the Elim Orphanage in Peru, where he spent six weeks working during his gap year. Having lived in the orphanage during that time, he claims it seemed natural to want to help when he returned to UK. 20 percent of all sales go towards the orphanage’s general fund—being spent on anything from Christmas presents to the reconstruction of the boys’ home.

Creating a marketing campaign, David wanted to go for something “fun, relaxed and outdoorsy”, and armed with friends from Pollock Halls and photographer Tasos Gaitanos, the shoot took place at Gullane beach, just outside Edinburgh. The results are impressive and David explains that the dog shot came about as the result of ‘pure luck’ when a wandering dog happened to run into the frame at just the right time.

Stitch Alpaca continues to grow rapidly and is gaining popularity throughout Europe. The brand operates a stall every Saturday at London's Portobello Market, and they have recently started supplying a shop in Helsinki, with plans to start selling in Paris, Australia and New Zealand. September 2010 will mark the debut of an entirely new collection featuring original designs that mix alpaca wool with silk and other fabrics. When asked about the future, the Stitch team say they are planning to start developing a high-end range, featuring luxury items from alpaca fur blankets to clothing for sale in premium and concept stores.

What started out as a small venture has quickly turned into a roaring success, and Stitch Alpaca is establishing its name as a fun, ethical and affordable brand. Their garments are stylish and snug, perfect for the unpredictable Edinburgh weather. Hooded jumpers are priced at £35 and the choice of colour combinations means there’s something for everyone. These are beautifully packaged and delivered within 24 hours. Alternatively, if you’re in London, you can pop by their stall in Portobello Market every Saturday.