This month, I was delighted to reconnect with a dear friend and colleague, Mandy Kordal of Kordal Studio. You can read our previous interview here but I wanted to check back in with Mandy. A lot has happened since we last spoke, including the opening of a brick-and-mortar shop in Green Point, Brooklyn. I was delighted to hear that she’s doing well despite all the challenges thrown her way in recent months. During our conversation, she shared what has been working for her, how she coped during the worst times last year, how she pivoted to adapt, and where she’s been going to stay inspired.

This month, AOW connects with Laura Siegel of Laura Siegel Collection, a designer of artisanal apparel. Laura shares her honest feedback on how she’s navigated one of the trickiest sectors of the industry, managing quality control, design limitations, and consumer demand to build a strong and growing brand.

For those of you who weren’t able to make it to the Peru Gift Show in Lima this April, I thought I would go ahead and share some snapshots. This is an annual show featuring artisan suppliers throughout Peru in categories such as reversed painted glass mirrors and home accessories, knitted alpaca and cotton toys and children’s items, gourd jewelry, Cusco striped blankets, embroidered bags and belts from Ayacucho, stoneware and ceramics, ornaments from a wide variety of materials, reclaimed wooden tabletop, and of course endless pillows and throws made using the finest alpaca.