Born in Teherán, Iran, Fariba Heydari came to Arequipa in 1981 with her parents and brothers. Not knowing Spanish and unable to return to Iran for religious reasons, she was hired by a recently founded textile company because of her knowledge of English. She soon began to train as a designer. "I loved creating new designs and models," she confides. "It seemed like a dream that a passion of mine could become my life's work.

"I am fortunate to live in Peru with its array of fine natural fibers such as alpaca and vicuña. I'm able to experiment with new and different ideas, and my designs are widely appreciated in and outside the country. ...

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