There are moments in life that stop you completely. For me, it happened in a small market in the Andes in May 2025.
I was back in Peru - the country where I was born, the place that shaped me - surrounded by the colours and sounds I grew up with. And tucked into a corner of that market, I found them. Handmade jumpers unlike anything I had ever seen. Bold, joyful, alive with detail. Little animals stitched across the front. Suns and clouds and mountains woven into every inch of wool. Each one completely unique.
I couldn't leave without them.
The artisan behind Chicha
The woman who made them is named Analy. She is a gifted artisan based in rural Peru, and her technique is called arpillerÃa - a traditional form of textile art that transforms wool into vivid, storied pieces. When I met her, I was struck not just by the beauty of her work, but by the quiet pride she had in it.
Analy doesn't work alone. She employs 15 rural Peruvian women, each of whom hand stitches every jumper from start to finish. There are no factories. No machines. Just skilled hands, vibrant wool, and generations of craft knowledge passed down through communities in the Andes.
Every single Chicha jumper is made by one of these women.
From the Andes to Fiordland
I am Peruvian born, but I call Manapouri home - a tiny town tucked at the edge of Fiordland in the Southland region of New Zealand. My husband Kyle is a farmer. Our daughter Isla grows up running through one of the most breathtaking landscapes on earth, and I wanted her to carry a piece of where I come from too.
That's how Chicha was born. A bridge between two worlds. Peru and New Zealand. The Andes and Fiordland. Bright Peruvian colour and the wide open skies of Aotearoa.
What Chicha means
The name comes from chicha morada - a traditional Peruvian drink made from purple corn, shared during celebrations and gatherings. Chicha Culture is a celebration of identity, colour, resilience, and joy. It felt like exactly the right name for jumpers that carry all of those things.
Why it matters
Every Chicha jumper sold in New Zealand directly supports Analy and the 15 women who make them. Fair wages. Meaningful work. A thriving community in rural Peru.
We believe clothing can be a force for good. And we believe childhood should be warm, colourful, and full of joy.
If you've ever wanted to give a child a gift that means something - something handmade, ethical, one of a kind, and genuinely unlike anything else - this is it.
We ship free across New Zealand, from Southland to Northland and everywhere in between.
Welcome to the Chicha family. 🌈
Diana Keith, Founder, Chicha NZ Manapouri, Fiordland
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