AYNI was founded in 2009 in Lima by Peruvian Adriana Cachay and Danish Lærke Skyum, who met when Cachay picked Skyum up at the airport in 2003 and began collaborating shortly after. The brand's name means 'today for you, tomorrow for me' in Quechua and captures its ethos of reciprocity: Nordic minimalism filtered through Peruvian craft, with every piece designed and produced in Peru in baby alpaca and Pima cotton. AYNI has shown at Copenhagen Fashion Week and is stocked at Selfridges, Ssense and global concept stores as one of South America's defining slow-luxury houses.
Where to Buy 2
Retailer list compiled from public information; actual availability may vary.
Timeline4
2009—2020·11 yrs
- 2009
AYNI launched in Lima
Adriana Cachay and Lærke Skyum found AYNI, named for the Quechua principle of reciprocity, to work with Andean knitters using native fibers.
- 2013
First Paris Fashion Week showroom
The label presents its alpaca and pima cotton knitwear at Paris Fashion Week, marking entry into the European wholesale market.
- 2017
Wool Awards finalist
AYNI is recognised among finalists at the International Woolmark Prize regional rounds for sustainable knitwear.
- 2020
Direct artisan partnership model
The brand formalises long-term contracts with knitting cooperatives in the Peruvian highlands, sharing profit margins with artisans.
