We had the good fortune of connecting with Ainara Calahorra Romillo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ainara, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I am sure that one of the most important factors that have contributed to our success is that our customers want to be part of the solution. We have been educating our customers about what is Slow Fashion through transparency because that is part of our core values. We want to reconnect the public and customers with the creation process, the product, and the maker. MuXu clients know where, how, when, and by whom the products are made. For MuXu, the educational part and the support to the community have been essential. In return, the people that are choosing us as their Slow Fashion brand tell us how much appreciate the work well done, the attention to detail, the clean finishes… For us is like giving people back the excitement about handmade, good quality, one-of-the-kind products. This new approach to buying something makes you feel happy and have peace of mind with your purchases.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It has been a real personal and professional process: starting over at 40 years old, being in a different country, being a woman, and leaving behind a profession that was part of my identity.

During my student life, I had several “motley” jobs, I got my master’s degree, and after my Ph.D. in Psychology. I worked for 17 years as such, with people in great need, in complex situations, and consequently getting rewarding experiences. I witnessed the great capacity for change in humans. However, at some point in my career, I stopped feeling good and fulfilled with what I was doing. I had to be honest with myself to be able to give others what they needed from me. So, it was the seed for the beginning of MuXu: determination, honesty, and hard-working.

But why start a Slow Fashion company? Fast Fashion has an upsetting impact on the planet creating an overwhelming amount of waste, and pressure on the consumer to buy an unnecessary number of items every season that end up in landfills. It brings mass-producing at the lowest cost, which means that that cost is being paid by someone and something else, like people with a lack of job regulations, or terrible pollution.

We rescue fabrics: gorgeous swatches, deadstock rolls of fabric, scraps, or vintage pieces from ending in landfills, and we transform them into one-of-a-kind pieces that tell a story. We hand cut and sew from start to finish, to give you garments that last longer because of the attention to detail and the care we put in every stitch. We even started printing our original watercolors in some garments as wearable art.

About what role has risks in my life/career the answer is that I want a life that is lived. If you want to have experiences and change what you do not want for yourself (or others), you must take risks aligned with your purpose or vision. Just living is taking risks. I have done uncomfortable things, like being part of my university theater company while being shy, studying abroad without knowing the language (in Portugal), having jobs where the safety of others was in part depending on me, moving to another country, starting over at age of 40, being the founder of a business, learning new skills from zero… I mean, we are here, in the world, to have a lived life. That is my option, in life and career. Behind all that risk are fears, sacrifices, and challenges, and that is ok.

One of the most complicated challenges has been to switch careers. I am self-motivated and enthusiastic about what I do, I have been a psychologist for almost 20 years, and I loved it and worked so much that it was part of myself, my identity. But, as I mentioned before, we have to be honest with ourselves and when it is time to change, we have to face it. It was a real process and once I decided that it was time to start something different, it was a planned change. And I did it. I am proud of that process of grieving for what I was leaving, to be able to embrace what I started. And yes, in the forties it is also possible to start from scratch and still give the best of yourself with enthusiasm. MuXu is giving us a new way to live more sustainably, caring about our future, and the future of the planet, a path of creativity, and producing unique items that other people are using and enjoying.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since we are not originally from San Diego, we receive visits from family and friends very often. One of the common comments after visiting San Diego is the variety of natural landscapes and neighborhoods. You can visit a typical small mountain town when going to Julian, or the absolute contrast visiting the desert going to Borrego Spring for instance (on the same day). We have several hikes, some of them 10 minutes to the city like Mission Trails. About neighborhoods, the same, great variation provides a unique enrichment to the city. South Park has a special place in my heart because reminds me of the neighborhoods where I used to be when I grow up, where you have everything within walking distance (cafes, stores, groceries, etc.), and the people recognize you in the streets and speak with you.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
During the pandemic, I received a sewing machine for my birthday. I had no idea about sewing, so as I do in any other areas, I started to look for resources. I started to learn how to sew at San Diego College Continuing Education (SDCCE) in the Clothing and Textile Program. Then, I enrolled in business/entrepreneur-oriented programs, Sewn Products Business or organizations such as SBDC, with the purpose of making the steps in the correct order. I am so grateful for all the teachers and mentors, especially Shirley Pierson and Tammie Pontsler. I had an internship at Sew Loka with Claudia, learning how to manage a small business as a true maker. Now, with Carla, Taylor’s Love, I am improving my tailoring skills, because creativity is a never-ending journey… We are part of Sustainability is Sexy, they opened their arms to learn more and connect with the great community of sustainable small businesses that we have in San Diego (special thanks to Liz). We found amazing people along the way: we participated in podcasts, maker markets, and other events every year where we meet vendors and customers, who really follow our “mantra”, better together, we can support each other and grow.

Website: https://www.muxucreations.com/

Instagram: @muxu.creations

Facebook: @muxu.creations

Other: Pinterest: muxucreations

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