Twitter: @danieluh
“All good things are wild, and free,” and a brand really capturing that life’s essence is newcomer to the fashion scene, Pitusa. As we’re currently fading away into a pale, dark oblivion in NYC, all I’m looking forward to is SUMMER. We want color. We want vida. With their neon fabrics, eclectic textiles and daring designs, the Pitusa brand will immediately catch your eye and the attentions of everyone around you, so get ready.
Pitusa was started in Miami by designer Clara Lago, who confesses that her brand came to life after she ate a big meal and thought of how much more comfortable she’d be if she could have cool, stretchy pants in “neon orange or hot pink!” While most of us would gripe about how dowdy or nasty we felt, Clara took matters into her own hands and decided that she just needed to make them for herself. Naturally.
Born in D.C. and growing up in London to Spanish and English parents, her multicultural background and desire to make vibrant, cozy, yet eco-friendly clothes inspired her to found Pitusa. (Of the quirky name she says, “My father calls me Pitusa. In Spain, it is a term of endearment meaning ‘cute, funny little girl.’ I thought the name captured the style of the brand well.”)
She soon headed to Peru, where she had once fallen in love with the culture, colors, and fabrics. While there, she gathered some of the best textiles in the world for her clothes: Pima cotton, viscose, and a unique fabric that blends Pima Cotton and Alpaca.
“Many cultures influence Pitusa, but one of the strongest influences on Pitusa at the moment is The Inca culture. We use a lot of Inca fabrics, such as mantillas and ribete,”says Clara of the unique designs on their skirts, head bands, and “Incan abayas” which are quickly becoming their signature. Respecting fair trade and having a passion for sustainable products, Pitusa even has track pants made from recycled plastic bottles and her unique ideas for pieces and materials are ever evolving.
“It’s an exciting feeling that people all the way from L.A, to Lebanon are wearing your designs. A few times I have seen strangers on the street wearing Pitusa and that gave me great joy. Every morning I am excited for what Pitusa will bring me and teach me that day,” Lago says of Pitusa being sold to women in over 22 countries, and with retail at boutiques in Sao Paolo, Ibiza, and St. Tropez, to name a few.
Slowly becoming a go-to brand for stylish, free loving ladies (Puerto Rican-American actress Victoria Justice recently rocked the star leggings in Annex Magazine, causing bloggers to demand where to buy them), Lago truly represents the heart and soul of Pitusa, which is the “boho-chic” girl that she designs for.
“Creating pieces is always exciting-seeing how your ideas really look and feel once materialized,” says Clara. “I want Pitusa to be known by women all over the world as a brand that is comfortable, cool, colorful and affordable.”
And if her collections so far have anything to say, Pitusa is well on her way to being all of that and more.
If you want to hit up some summer festivals with star leggings like Victoria Justice or the abaya like Spanish model, Eugenia Silva, make sure you check out store.pitusa.co.uk , where you can find all of the above which can be shipped to over 180 countries!