About the founders

Silvio Montanarini, CEO Red Caribou

As a child, I was interested in photography, clothing, animals and video games. As a teenager, all those interests were channelled towards design and creativity, so I decided to study fashion design. But growing up in a conservative environment, I found it impossible to follow that path, so I chose my career within the options my parents considered best for me. I started studying law.

In 2009 I finished law school and started my professional career as a tax and foreign trade lawyer, first at a Big Four and then at a prestigious law firm in Peru. I was not happy in the corporate world, let alone wearing a suit and tie. Despite not feeling satisfied then, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to advise different companies in various industries and to work with talented people because it allowed me to learn plenty about the management of national and international companies. Today I can apply all that knowledge to my company.

I met my partner in 2013 during a trip to Cusco, Peru. She caught my attention because she was the first vegetarian person I had met. In addition, she had a great sensitivity towards animals and the environment, which immediately connected me with her.

In 2014, we decided to start Red Caribou; she was a full-time entrepreneur, and I worked in my spare time. In 2017, I left my career as a lawyer and leapt to a new one to dedicate myself to the brand full-time. Today, I look back and feel grateful for that decision.

Since then, I have come a long way in learning about children's fashion, sustainability, international business and how to persevere when you see your dreams threatened. Today I feel fulfilled working in the fantastic world of Red Caribou, surrounded by creativity, animals, designs, fabrics, excel tables, graphics and my valued customers. 

I am proud to be part of a team of wonderful people with whom I grow daily and keep the same goal: to tell beautiful stories through the best quality clothing, coherent with the environment and with purpose.

Michelle Álvarez, Creative Director

I started my professional career in 2004 after studying architecture and fashion design. During my years of experience, I have been lucky enough to work on many projects that I am passionate about, always linked to creativity and design.

Throughout the different projects I have worked on, I have met different people who have enriched me deeply and forged me as a professional. Some experiences, such as my first clothing brand, Pictograma, have defined me. I have learned to overcome obstacles, be perseverant, and push myself to succeed.

In 2014 I started Red Caribou with my partner and left my fears behind to take the leap into the unknown as an entrepreneur. My enthusiasm for the creative and entrepreneurial spirit has only grown since then.

One of my greatest motivations was to have a project with its own voice where I could bring together all the things I love most: design, fashion, textiles, nature, sustainability and building a company. Being able to create stories inspired by animals and nature has been a great dream, especially when you are creating a product so coherent with your message.

The last ten professional years of my life have been focused on creating creative projects, leading teams, overcoming all possible obstacles of being an entrepreneur and aiming for the growth of Red Caribou without leaving aside the commitment to deliver values to the families that wear our products.

If you respect your dreams, no matter how long it takes, it will make you have a life consistent with your essence.

For the future, my goal is to continue to promote the values that drive Red Caribou, enhancing its purpose: to have a more conscious, kind and safe world for our nature through respect, love and creativity.