Tucked away in a patio off Calle Palacio, the Cocoliso Cusco clothes store is easy to walk past, but this little gem of a store is one that you won’t want to miss! Run by French-Peruvian Architect Elise who like a true French woman has always loved clothes and fashion. When she moved to Cusco she decided to try her hand at designing clothes and open the fabulous Cocoliso store.
A lover of photography, she started off by using serigraphy to stamp her photos of locals onto cotton bags and t-shirts for a modern take on local Andean tradition. Check out her current collection which features llamas and a dancer from the ‘Candelaria’ festival in Puno.
Elise then started experimenting with other materials and now exhibits her unique range of hand-made knits including sweaters, ponchos, gloves and hats made from baby alpaca. The quality of her designs keeps getting better. Elise selects her own wool and then designs each piece. Garments are then manufactured by hand by local women’s knitting cooperatives from the communities of Rumira in Ollantaytambo, Mollepata in Anta and Quillahuata near San Sebastián in Cusco that are all paid fairly for their work.
Cocoliso also stocks the fabulous SaKé brand of handbags which are all ethically manufactured using organic leather and traditional Peruvian weaving designs as well as gorgeous jewellery by Lorena Pestana and there are also a few of Elise’s own vintage pieces on display.
This is one of the few stores in Cusco where all items are made of high-quality, local Andean materials and where designs are edgier and more fashionable than what you find elsewhere in Cusco.
Best of Peru Travel Recommends:
- After all that retail therapy head across the patio to the Cocoliso Cafe run by Elises’ husband Tomas for one of Cusco’s best hot chocolates…
- Elise, inspired by the birth of her first daughter has also recently developed a gorgeous range of baby alpaca knitwear for babies. Don’t miss the gorgeous baby ponchos which make great gifts!
For more places to shop in Cusco click here
Things to do in Cusco
