In this edition of our Lima mini-guide we wanted to include a local Lima clothing and handbag designer to add to our collection of best shops in Lima. As we have been following designer Susan Wagner’s work for a few years in the few places that stocked her designs in Cusco we felt she was the perfect choice!

Wagner is a powerhouse who is passionate about what she does and you can often find her in her shop just across the road from the entrance to Huaca Pucllana archaeological site in Miraflores. She stocks a range of clothing and products from local Peruvian contemporary designers who all have the same vision about using fashion to make positive change.

Wagner designs using local materials and techniques that don’t damage communities or the environment. Her vision is to encourage people to connect with nature and protect it through fashion rather than destroying it so her brand has a strong ethical and sustainable fashion focus. She uses organic cotton, baby alpaca fiber, silk and recycled materials in her pieces and also works with small associations, families and artisans throughout Peru.

She mixes her design with alternative, modern and indigenous design elements and is constantly inspired by the Peruvian culture and landscapes. Wagner constantly uses a variety of different techniques and materials to create her hand-crafted items which are produced in small batches using ancestral techniques including natural dyes harvested from nature and pre-Colombian embroidery techniques. She finds her inspiration on the streets of Lima and has travelled extensively around Peru where she is constantly influenced by her countrys’ traditions which she then likes to incorporate into her work.

Wagner also stocks the stunning Peruvian brand of baby alpaca knitwear Mia or ‘Mothers in Action’ which is made by single mothers from different communities in Huancayo.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

  • Susan’s collections usually involve a great selection of ladies’ handbags which she sees as an extension of a womans’ home. Look for colourful, over-sized designs that you won’t find anywhere else in Peru!

See more great places to shop in Lima here

Check out our list of the top things to see and do in Miraflores