How it all started
Even though it was not the first time that Augusta’s interest for designing clothing was aroused, Asarti’s story began when Augusta received a few coloured balls of Alpaca wool from her Dutch husband Jaap. Fascinated by this nobel material and by the traditional knitting and weaving culture of Bolivia they both decided to experiment with this remarkable tradition by bringing it to the market. From the very beginning, the venture strived to preserve and maintain the values and the colorful culture of the local communities. The first garments were designed by Augusta herself and made through cooperation with some of the women of the area. With the help of Jaap’s contacts these unique garments arrived in England, where they were received with much enthusiasm.
The idea of the Bolivian-Dutch couple appeared to comprise much more than they had imagined. The project was named Asarti: “Asociación de Artesanos de Tiquipaya” (Association of Artisans from Tiquipaya”), in reference to the town where the atelier was established in 1983, on the outer reaches of Cochabamba in the heart of Bolivia. Tiquipaya is a picturesque village known for its floral affluence. The growing sales of the garments made it possible to employ some 200 people from the surrounding area and to provide appropriate technical and social facilities. Within several years, the atelier became equipped with, for example, a pleasant nursery where young children of the working parents were taken care of.
Asarti opened its first shop in 1985 in Cochabamba, and 13 years later a second shop followed in the Netherlands, in the city of Leiden.
In 2008 two of the daughters of the founders, Tania and Nicole, introduced their professional skills to the business. They had both studied in Amsterdam, art and fashion respectively, and decided to dedicate their acquired knowledge to Asarti. Hence, Asarti still grows from an extraordinary combination of the rich Bolivian culture and professional contemporary creativity.
Unfortunately, Asarti has not been able to evade the influence of the crisis and has needed to make certain adjustments. Parts of the facilities have been curtailed and a search for new markets has taken place in order to keep the business running. Asarti has thus expanded its activities of direct sales to Belgium, where a new shop in Antwerp opened in 2012.
As of today, Asarti works with a devoted group of around 30 people in the atelier in Tiquipaya. Most of the staff has been working for Asarti for more than 20 years. One can therefore count on an exceptional expertise and emotional commitment in the making of each of our garments.
