Today we’d like to introduce you to Maru Aldea.
Hi Maru, can you introduce yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
1999, I moved to NYC to study design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. After graduating, I worked in the apparel industry for 15 years in New York and Baltimore. In NYC, I had frequented the flea markets quite a lot, was introduced to thrifting early in college by one of my favorite professors, and stoop sales were commonplace. In Baltimore, however, I found that vintage and secondhand were more of a way of life. At least, it has become a more significant part of my day-to-day life. Soon, my closet was around 70% vintage, and I bought more excellent pieces. While I lived away, I always returned home to Puerto Rico for Christmas. Around eleven years ago, I noticed new lifestyle stores like Luca and Love Is You And Me popping up in San Juan. There was a shift happening in retail and design. But so many people told me, ‘Do not come back – there is nothing for you here,’ they kept saying. Living in Puerto Rico is so hard. And that’s why I never did anything about it. Then, in 2017, out of the blue, I was caught in company layoffs. Four months later, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. After the hurricane, there was an influx of creative professionals. People were slowly moving back, launching innovative projects, and helping each other. But a lot more left the island. Puerto Rico has lost about 11.8% of its population over the last decade. I started doing pop-ups in San Juan in 2018 and officially moved back in the fall of 2018. This is when AIDA began. The site was up, and I was able to start over. There was a real sense of camaraderie and people opening doors to others. The Muns sisters had just opened their store in Old San Juan and offered me a corner of their store for three months. Everyone was helping each other out in whatever way they could. Lots of markets for creatives also started popping up on the island. In Puerto Rico, collaboration and community are very important.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The past five years have been very challenging. I was used to the corporate world; my life has completely changed. I am at my most creative now, but the difficulties of starting and self-funding your business are real, especially in Puerto Rico. The work inspires me, but it is naive to say it has been easy. The biggest hurdles have been the natural disasters that have affected the island and its economy and the COVID pandemic just over a year in business. That forced me to become adaptable and figure out how to stay afloat. I am thankful for the community and friends I have made that keep me grounded.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
AIDA is an online vintage boutique. We buy and sell vintage and recently started to design and make clothing from vintage and deadstock textiles. This is the part of our shop that I am most excited about. Our design philosophy is to design clothes that stand the test of time from a quality standpoint and are timeless items that can be passed down—a modern heirloom. There’s too much textile waste on this earth, and making new products with existing materials is a key differentiator. Instead of contributing to more clothing/textile excess, we are working towards curbing that impact. We take vintage tablecloths and create garments from them and have had people give us family heirlooms to transform into clothing to memorialize their loved ones. It makes me happy to be able to contribute towards positive memories while creating items that will last and connecting with our customers in this way.
What matters most to you?
Creating a positive impact in my community via my business matters most—educating people in alternative ways to consume fashion, curbing waste, and creating quality products that benefit those around me. I would also like to contribute towards a healthier apparel industry on the island with more jobs and opportunities and to continue growing the community of creatives who feel more at ease about returning to the island.
Contact Info:
- Website: holaaida.co
- Instagram: @holaaida
