Fall 2024 - 71

MEET THE MAKER
Rivers' grandmother was an expert weaver, held
a master certification in the craft and even taught
weaving and sewing classes at college-level institutes.
When Rivers' mother was about 10 years old, they
decided to come to the U.S. in search of a better life for
themselves and future generations.
" Whenever we would sew or weave, they would
tell me all about it, and I thought it was just absolutely
incredible and fascinating, " she said. " I just felt really
proud of what they accomplished, and what they
did for me - it meant a lot to me. So throughout the
years of being in fashion school, my design was always
inspired by the textile first. I always gravitated to the
fabric itself because I was so familiar with how it came
about, whether it was through knitting or weaving, so
I'm infusing all the textiles into Anaya. "
Health - About eight years ago, Rivers experienced
a very serious health scare, which she later discovered
was chronic Lyme disease. For a time, she was bound
to a wheelchair and in search of something that could
provide comfort and stress relief.
" Through that journey, I started decorating my
home as much as I could. I couldn't work, but I
started decorating my home to create a calm, serene
environment. And I started buying these fabrics that
made me feel calm and relaxed - especially in my
bed, where I actually lived for a year, " she said. " ... I
actually felt calmer, and I still do to this day. "
That harrowing experience plays a major role in the
Anaya brand philosophy. Rivers wants her products
to possess a tier of quality, softness and texture that
brings emotional and physical reprieve.
All three of these factors led to the founding of
Anaya - a brand inspired by global designs, textiles
and architecture. A brand that harkens back to the
value of family and cultural connection. A brand that
offers comfort to those who need it the most.
PRODUCTION
In 2024, Anaya opened its own production facility in
Miami. The company imported fabrics from Spain and
then hired a team of sewers to cut and sew production.
" The sewers remind me so much of my grandmother.
It's just heartwarming to me, because they speak like
her, they sing like her, they're sewing, and they have
their Spanish music in the back. I mean, they look like
her, too, " Rivers said. " So I really feel connected with
her. She's no longer with us. She lived an amazing life
until she was in her early 90s, and she was really the
inspiration behind my work. "
When considering the future of her company, Rivers
hopes to further move production to the U.S. and open
up more job opportunities for local residents, especially
Anaya's products are
designed to offer
top-tier quality,
softness and
durability.
for women of Latin American descent " who are looking
to make a better life for themselves. "
BESTSELLERS
Anaya's bestselling collection is the So Soft Linen
line, which Rivers said only gets more popular each
year. The collection is produced on-site in the Miami
facility, is available in 30 colors and can be cut or sewn
to any size of pillow.
" We process the fibers and the fabrics, and we
prewash our linen so everything is soft to the touch
right when you put it out on your retail store, " Rivers
said. " Your customers can feel the fabric and go, 'Oh,
wow, this is just the softest linen we've ever felt.' "
Another top performer is the Handwoven collection,
Anaya's signature line. The pieces are subtle and
handwoven by artisans in India, and the company
then applies the textiles to benches, storage items, side
tables, stools, poufs and pillows. Anaya - which can
be found in the Ivystone showroom at Atlanta Market
and Las Vegas Market - just debuted its most recent
version of this collection at the markets this year.
" This is inspired by how I grew up with the weaving
with my grandmother, " Rivers said. " We weave the
patterns in-house, and then we work with artisans in
India who replicate the fabrics. So we have been doing
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Fall 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fall 2024
