Semera Faroog is a fashion designer who started her company Made By to create eco-friendly clothing using alpaca fiber from Peru. Her designs incorporate the natural thermal properties of alpaca wool to keep people warm in cold climates like Minnesota. Faroog works directly with women artisans in Peru who hand knit the sweaters, scarves, hats and other items. She hopes to expand her business and bring more Peruvian crafts to Minnesota.

1. E10 • VARIETY • S T A R T R I B U N E • T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 1 ( S W )
style+fashion
By SARA GLASSMAN
sglassman@startribune.com
A
nyone who has lived in
Minnesota knows about
the challenge of stay-
ing warm while look-
ing cool.
Semera Faroog understands. Her
company, Made By, based in Peru,
uses eco-friendly alpaca fiber to cre-
ate fashion-forward fair-trade sweat-
ers, scarves, gloves and hats in a vari-
ety of earth tones.
The 32-year-old designer is origi-
nally from Turkey and split her time
between Istanbul and Charleston,
S.C., as a child. She lived in St. Paul
briefly when she was 17, before mov-
ing to New York to attend the Fash-
ion Institute of Technology.
Fashion is in her blood — her
mother was an artisan in Turkey,
where she would hand-embroider
silks destined for Parisian couture.
“I grew up picking up beads and
sequins off the floor,” Faroog said.
In New York, she interned with
big names such as Cynthia Rowley
andMarc Jacobs andendedup work-
ing as a sweater designer at Jill Stu-
art, BCBG and Free People.
In 2008, Faroog returned to St.
Paul with a plan to start her own
business. Her intuition took her to
Arequipa, Peru, which is home to
most of the alpaca companies.
“I read a book on Peru with pho-
tos from the 1930s, I saw these amaz-
ing people on the mountains and I
loved the way they dressed,” she
said. When she arrived, she found
that “nothing had changed — they
have the same ponchos that their
great-grandparents knit.”
As a raw material, alpaca had al-
ways been a part of Faroog’s busi-
ness.
“It’s eco-friendly compared to
cashmere goats,” she said.
When goats feed, they eat grass
from the roots, but the alpaca eat
only from the surface. Their fibers
have a unique thermal quality.
“When it’s hot, alpaca keeps you
cool, and when it’s cold, the fiber
locks in your body temperature,” she
said. She takes advantage of the 323
natural colors. “You don’t even have
to dye them,” she said of the ivories,
grays and browns.
The brand’s name is especially
meaningful. When Faroog was pro-
ducing her first collection two years
ago, she gave each knitter tags to
add their names in case adjustments
needed to be done.
“They did such a nice job that I
was touched, and I wanted the cus-
tomers to feel the way I feel,” she
said. Giving credit seemed like the
logical thing to do, so Faroog added
photos, names and astrological sym-
bols of knitters to every tag under
the “Made by” designation. “Now
you can put a face on what you’re
buying,” she said.
“It’s really sad because many
don’t have heat or running water,
but somehow the women just man-
age to survive and keep a smile on
their face,” she said.
For the fall and winter collection,
Faroog was inspired by “silence.”
“We went to salt lakes in Arequi-
pa where it’s super white,” she said.
“When you go into the middle of no-
where, the sound of the wind be-
comes so loud, it’s like there’s noth-
ing really there.”
Faroog hopes eventually to buy
her fibers directly from farmers
and have her own yarns spun. She
also would like to move back to St.
Paul with her concert pianist hus-
band and their 18-month-old daugh-
ter.She’dconsideropeningalifestyle
shop to bring back more of Peru.
“They have so much good stuff in
the local market, like embroidered
canvases and wallpaper,” she said.
And Made By sweaters, too.
Kiehl’s Creme de Corps
Fans of Kiehl’s have a reason
to celebrate: The old-school
apothecary line recently
opened its first Twin Cities
boutique. Although known for
its no-frills skin
and hair-care
products, its
limited-edition
collaboration
with artist Jeff
Koons dresses
up bottles of
the popular
Creme de
Corps lotion.
For $50, you
can get a
miniaturized
version
of Balloon
Flower (Yellow).
Proceeds will be donated to
the Koons Family Institute
on International Law and
Policy, which combats child
exploitation and abduction.
If you’re interested only in
moisturizing, you can try
Creme de Corps for $10.
$29 to $72, Kiehl’s, Mall of America,
www.kiehls.com.
T H U R S D AY
Russell Bourrienne sample sale:
20 percent off samples by the mens-
wear designer.
4 to 8 p.m. 711 W. Lake St., Mpls.
F R I D AY
Art of Optiks trunk shows:
The eyewear boutique is celebrating
its 10th year with trunk shows from
Alain Mikli (Thu.) and Chrome Hearts
(Sat.).
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 747 E. Lake St., Wayzata,
952-404-2020, www.artofoptiks.com.
Joynoelle holiday shopping party:
Local designer Joynoelle will host
Penny Larsen Jewelry and wreaths by
Black River Tree Farm.There will be an
emphasis on gift items such as purses
and earrings for less than $100.
5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sat., 312
W. 42nd St., Mpls.,
612-209-7822.
Holiday pop-up: The shopping party
features Karma Boutique,3Way Beau-
ty,Irely and Smashbox Cosmetics.
6:30 to 9:30 p.m., 526 Selby Av., St. Paul, 651-
222-3839.
S AT U R D AY
Sheila Moar trunk show:
The St.Paul-based designer will offer
jewelry from around the world.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Neiman Marcus, 505 Nicollet
Mall, Mpls., 612-339-2600.
Minnetonka
Moccasins event:
Buy one pair of full-
price Minnetonka
Moccasins and get
another pair at
half-price.
1 to 4 p.m.,
Love From Minnesota,
Mall of America.
Drama’s
Jewelry
Bazaar:
Shop the collections of Rox by Robyne
Robinson,m.bridget designs,CAMBA
by Kristin Krull,Engels by Design and
Feather Mamas.
11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 4946 France Av. S., Edina.
CO Exhibitions World (Craft) Fair:
Shop homemade goods from more
than two dozen local crafters,includ-
ing Carly Schoen,Lela Horst Bau-
mann,Mermapillar,Sew Smiley,
Florence Oliver and Quinine Design.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., CO Exhibitions, 1101 Stinson
NE. Blvd., No. 2, Mpls., www.coexhibitions.com.
S U N D AY
St. Paul Beauty Lounge sale:
20 percent off of all merchandise.
Noon to 5 p.m. Sun. and Dec. 18, 474 S. Hamline
Av., St. Paul, www.stpbeautylounge.com.
Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177
sglassman@startribune.com
Follow Glassman on Twitter: @sararglassman
stylepoints sara glassman
Semera Faroog with her daughter,
Sophie Ayse Valdiva.
Photos provided by Semera Faroog
Semera Faroog’s Made By sweaters use eco-friendly alpaca fiber from Peru.
ALL
WARM
AND
FUZZY
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sales+events
Faroog’s Made By line includes sweaters and accessories.
M A D E BY
What: Alpaca sweaters,hats,socks,gloves and bags.
Where to buy: Allee Metro Chic,493 Selby Av.,St.Paul,651-414-0274.
Web: www.mymadeby.com.
KYNDRA JAMES
Store manager at American
Apparel, 24
Seen at: The Vita.mn 5th Anni-
versary party.
What are you wearing? Gray
skinny jeans, black Steve Mad-
den pumps, sweater from
American Apparel, vintage fur
jacket.
Describe your style:Androgy-
nous, relaxed rock ’n’ roll.
How do you dress for a rock
show while still looking fash-
ionable? Keep it simple. Pair-
ing some great shoes, accesso-
ries and jacket with jeans and
a T-shirt can look casual and
comfortable without looking
like you just rolled out of bed.
If your style were a band,what
band would it be? A mix be-
tween Oh Land and Nine Inch
Nails.
ELLEN DAHL LAWSON
style star
Monique Lhuillier
3928 west 50th street . edina . 612.929.0747
Outerwear
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952-746-4440
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