Attainable Luxury
Bio
Born in the vibrant city of Bogotá, Colombia, she is a dynamic force in the world of innovative design, seamlessly blending her passions for color, texture, and architecture. With a rich and diverse background spanning immunology, diagnostic imaging, and traditional Chinese medicine, she brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to her work. A proud Magna Cum Laude graduate of the Portland Fashion Institute in both Apparel Design and Apparel Entrepreneurship Programs, she has honed her craft and continually seeks new ways to evolve it.
As a mother of five children and a playful puppy, she embodies the essence of love and resilience, holding her Colombian, American, and Brazilian identities close to her heart. Her life’s motto, “With love, everything is possible,” is a testament to her unwavering belief in love’s power to transform and create. Each garment reflects her commitment to the brand’s core values: transparency, sustainability, quality, and one-of-a-kind couture.
Luza Rico’s designs are crafted for those who dare to stand in the spotlight, employing innovative techniques that maximize fabric usage and minimize waste. Each piece is thoughtfully created with its entire lifecycle in mind. The brand offers a unique service that allows customers to return original garments, repurposing the fabric to craft new designs. This is made possible by the high quality of the materials and the meticulous use of the entire yardage.
Passionate about reviving ancestral techniques lost to fast fashion, Luza is on a mission to prove that a successful fashion label can thrive with honesty, responsibility, fair trade, and a deep commitment to the environment, people, and customers. She seeks to merge tradition with modernity, creating avant-garde pieces that honor the past while embracing the future.
Mission
To create bold, sustainable fashion that merges innovation and tradition, empowering individuals to express themselves through one-of-a-kind couture. Luza Rico is dedicated to reducing waste, maximizing fabric usage, and providing services that breathe new life into each garment while honoring the past and embracing the future.
Vision
Values
- Transparency: Ensuring openness in every step of the production process, from material sourcing to garment creation.
- Sustainability: Committing to eco-friendly practices that minimize waste and promote circular fashion through upcycling and high-quality materials.
- Innovation: Blending modern techniques with traditional methods to create avant-garde designs that push the boundaries of fashion.
- Cultural Heritage: Preserving and honoring ancestral craftsmanship, particularly from Colombian, Brazilian, and global artisan communities.
- Quality: Prioritizing the use of premium materials to ensure each garment is durable, timeless, and worthy of repurposing.
- Responsibility: Upholding fair trade and ethical production standards, showing care for the environment, people, and customers alike.
Applications
- Full Fabric Utilization: Designs are crafted with the entire yardage in mind, sometimes using up to 6 yards of fabric, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.
- Scrap Repurposing: All fabric scraps, including threads, are saved. Reusable pieces are turned into fabric flowers, adding decorative elements to garments or accessories.
- Blanket Quilting for Homeless: Leftover scraps that cannot be used for garments are repurposed for quilts intended for the homeless community in Portland, OR.
- Local and Ethical Sourcing: Whenever possible, fabrics are sourced locally to reduce environmental impact and support local businesses.
- High-Quality Fabric Selection: Fabrics collected during travels are carefully chosen for their durability and quality, ensuring longevity and multiple uses for the garments.
- Slow Fashion Commitment: As a slow fashion brand, production does not follow traditional seasonal cycles. Garments are handsewn, requiring patience and time for each piece to be thoughtfully made.
- Inclusive Design Philosophy: Luza Rico creates timeless, inclusive designs for all people, regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity, supporting diversity in fashion.
- Circular Fashion Services: The brand offers a service where customers can return garments to have the fabric reused, extending the life of the material and promoting circular fashion.
“Every Thread matters, crafting timeless fashion with purpose and heart”
