ABOUT OUR BOLD COMPANY

Andean Blue was founded in September 2020 and is on a mission to bring Andean culture to the forefront of you everyday.

Meet The Owner and Founder

Christian Vinces

My name is Christian and I am a Peruvian transplant living between Lima, New York, and Los Angeles. Not long ago, I decided to make a hiking backpack that was very “me.” And this ended up being one of the backpacks you see on this website: The Wanderer.

Growing up in Peru, I have always found Andean culture fascinating: Always adapting and surviving in the midst of challenges. These expressions appear everywhere: in small accessories, textiles, jacket patches or completely unique products like the intricate design on chocolate bar packaging – descriptively Andean and handmade.

This may not sound impressive right away. But we have to remember that Andean Culture, like Native American culture, has been pushed aside for a long time. And yet, it always finds ways to come back to life stronger and bolder than ever before. Nothing says “indestructible” like hundreds of years of actively fighting oblivion!

Its resilience makes it beautiful.

That’s why we want our textile accents to bring this rich Andean life, culture, and history to the forefront of hiking and outdoor activities.

Unique Packs for Unique Memories

About Our Textiles

Our textiles are all Andean sourced. This is an important part of our mission as we seek to bring the Andean culture to daring adventurers and bold travelers like yourself. The idea was born when talking to some friends in May 2020, when they complained that they couldn’t go to Peru because of Covid19. My first thought was: “What if I bring Peru to you?” I contacted a couple of friends in Peru and got things moving. Six months later I was taking my red Wanderer for a hike.

Textiles have long been a part of Andean culture. Like our pottery, textiles have been found in ancient tombs, some thousands of years old. The textiles we use are not quite this old, but they carry with them the rich Andean history in their intricate designs. Today, many people still handcraft these textiles following carefully kept family techniques and traditions. Like in many other places around the globe, the patterns and colors are used to identify the wearer’s place of origin, cultural background and even some times to know if they are looking for a date.

If you have been to Peru or any other Andean country, you surely know what I am talking about. The colors and designs of our textiles have found their way into modern fashion and they are very present all over the streets and homes. It is such a big part of our culture and history, we couldn’t imagine the world without them.