Lima: Teilor, a fashion brand founded by Silvia Marín and Migdonio Alba, made a significant debut at New York Fashion Week 2025, marking a milestone for the family business and the culmination of a 30-year dream, as they aim to expand into international markets.
Last Saturday, a prominent announcement illuminated a giant screen in Times Square, revealing Teilor’s participation in New York Fashion Week 2025. This milestone was a moment of significant celebration for Silvia Marín and her husband, Migdonio Alba, who were approximately 6,000 kilometres away in Lima, Peru, relishing the attainment of a dream they had nurtured for three decades.
Silvia Marín, who spoke to El Comercio from her store in the El Polo II shopping centre, expressed her excitement about the achievement. “It’s very exciting. Even now, I still find it hard to process. To think that I didn’t study design; I learned everything empirically. That’s why I don’t draw my models; instead, when I see the fabric, I imagine what piece it will be for and draw directly on the pattern,” she remarked.
The journey of Silvia and Migdonio into the fashion world is marked by numerous challenges since its inception. Silvia’s story began in the 1980s when she left her hometown of Celendín at the age of 12 to move to Lima. She explained, “My sister came first and had her baby. We are six sisters, and I’m the third.” After some family dynamics led her to leave her sister’s home, Silvia fortuitously met a fashion designer who employed her as a personal assistant, thereby introducing her to the world of fashion.
Reflecting on her early experiences, she shared, “She told me, ‘Here you have a magazine, look at it and tomorrow prepare the clothes I will wear.'” This opportunity allowed Silvia to develop her skills, ultimately leading her to love fabrics and garment creation. Her ascent continued as she became a seller in her mentor’s workshop and later worked in La Limeña, an established fabric gallery in Downtown Lima. Here, her passion for sales flourished, and it was also where she met Migdonio, who produced sweaters.
Married at 27, Silvia and Migdonio combined their expertise to launch Teilor, initially focused on bespoke clothing. According to their daughter, Magaly Alba Marín, who is now the CEO of Teilor, their background in the industry was substantial. “My mom had worked for a long time with these types of garments thanks to the designer who took her in as a child, while my dad had shifted to making alpaca sweaters for exporting companies,” she explained.
Teilor faced several challenges in its early days, with issues such as non-payment from some stores, coupled with limited starting capital that only enabled small fabric purchases. Silvia recalled, “At one point, I was making 80 sacks daily. We did everything ourselves. We cut, I sewed, and my husband overlocked.” Despite the hardships, the business grew rapidly, at times unearthing days when sales were so high that even the mannequins were left without clothing to display.
Before the pandemic, Teilor had secured eight physical stores across various districts in Lima and maintained a stellar demand that positioned them as sole clients for five small workshops in Gamarra. However, the emergence of COVID-19 brought unforeseen challenges. Silvia noted, “If we closed, many people would lose their jobs.” Their external warehouse allowed them to pivot quickly to a digital platform, which ultimately proved successful.
With a family deeply woven into the fabric and design business, Magaly recounted how they used the pandemic as a launchpad for innovation. “The leap to the digital market allowed us to experiment and take a bit more risk in design,” she said. Among their modern designs was a coat featuring detachable sleeves—an idea that encapsulated their aim for versatile clothing.
Seizing opportunities, the family set their sights on local runway shows, believing participation could pave the way for international forums. It was during one such show at La Rayuela that an executive from Runway 7 Fashion contacted them on Instagram, leading to their invitation to participate in New York Fashion Week. Magaly recalls, “I checked their account, and everything was verified; they were real! We passed an interview, then they invited us to participate in Fashion Week, and we decided not to miss this opportunity.”
On Sunday, March 9, Teilor presented their collection titled ‘Resilience’ in New York, while the Alba Marín family celebrated back home. They have planned a special event in their store to replicate their New York presentation as they continue to absorb the significance of their achievement.
Looking ahead, the family has ambitions to solidify their presence in both national and Latin American markets, eyeing countries such as Colombia and Ecuador for expansion. “We want to take it slow and cover everything; that’s our plan,” said Magaly, encapsulating the entrepreneurial spirit that has driven Teilor’s journey from its humble beginnings to its recent international acclaim.
Source: Noah Wire Services
