Meet Iciar Bravo | Owner of María la Paz, womenswear brand from Paraguay

We had the good fortune of connecting with Iciar Bravo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Iciar, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Our company was born from the hand of Margarita Tomboly, my mother, who after finishing studying Fashion Design in Barcelona, created the children’s clothing brand, Cootchy Coo. After a few years the brand moved to Asunción, where little by little it grew until it was the most recognized Paraguayan children’s fashion brand in the country, already having more than 30 years of experience.
Inspired by my mother, I pursued a career in Fashion Design in Buenos Aires, followed by a Master’s Degree in Fashion Business in London. During my time in the UK, I worked for 3 years with the designer Stella McCartney, who is globally recognized for being a leader in sustainable fashion.
When I finally moved back to Paraguay, my home country, between the two of us, mother and daughter, we founded María la Paz, a womenswear brand focused on sustainability by choosing to manufacture all our garments in Paraguay through local entrepreneurship, and also selecting fabrics that are kind to the environment.

To this day, my mother, and her three daughters, Iciar, Ana and Inés, work in the company. Between the three of us, we follow in my mother’s footsteps to keep the company growing.

Since 2013, we design with the purpose of dressing women with simplicity, joy and peace.
Our brand is consolidated by its quality, with the right balance between trend and timelessness, putting love and delicacy in every detail.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
María la Paz is proud to be the first Paraguayan brand to enter the US fashion market.

We have manage to create a big network of local and hardworking manufacturers all around the country. Our first focus is social sustainability, caring for the people working with us and the wellbeing of the community. We source the best fabrics for our products, looking for sustainable materials and recycling our textile waste.

We are passionated about our work. Since 2013, we design with the purpose of dressing women with simplicity, joy and peace.

Our brand is consolidated by its quality, with the right balance between trend and timelessness, putting love and delicacy in every detail.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For Fashion, Miami’s Design district is always an inspiration for me, every architectural detail, the people who walks around, the brands and their concepts are things I can always take inspiration from.

For relaxing and family time, I love Key Biscayne and all it’s activities for a sunny weekend.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
For sure, my Mother, Margarita, she has always been the greatest inspiration for me.

Website: https://marialapazshop.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marialapazusa