Our Story / Amaia

WITH AMAIA ELEGANCE STARTS FROM BIRTH

SINCE 2004 

THE FOUNDER

Mother of three, Spanish married to a French husband and living in London for over 20 years, Amaia Arrieta left her career in International Finance to live her passion for children and fashion in 2004 and created Amaia. Since then she indulges in her love for prints, fabrics, colours and her dedication to children and family."When I was expecting my first child, I started to look for baby clothes, excited by this new adventure. I soon realised that beautiful, high quality, classic but reasonably priced outfits like in Spain were impossible to get in London! I truly thought there was a need for these beautifully handmade pieces to be shared with the whole world.

From the beginning, I knew I wanted to support Spanish renowned textile traditions, to protect small family businesses and to promote this heritage of excellency.
I personally know each talented seamstress who is behind each piece and that bond is priceless.

In the current globalisation process, our European textile manufacturers have been adversely affected by the big companies relocating their manufacturing to the Far East in search of higher profits. When you hear all these textile workers the huge impact that this has had not only on their families, communities, entire regions but also on the livelihood of entire professions like hand embroiderers, who are really disappearing as youngsters do not aspire to suffer the same hardship their mothers have over the past few decades.

Being a Mum myself, my idea was to create a brand dedicated to families with elegant, refined, joyful, timeless yet easy to wear outfits for everyday and for every occasion and with matching outfits for siblings.

 THE INSPIRATION

A strong believer in family, elegance, traditions and an admirer of the innocent and poetic world of childhood, Amaia Arrieta aims to incorporate her values and sources of inspiration from her own childhood and from her children to her brand: "My children have always been a great source of inspiration, same as all the memories I had growing up, on how my mom would very tastefully pick and choose all the pieces my brother and me would wear. I also fondly remember the choosing and fitting sessions we had at small textile ateliers where she would take us for special pieces."