Our philosophy is always to search for the best quality. That is something our father taught us. It's one way to be different from your competitors. You can try to be cheaper, or you can try to be better.

When we started, there was lots of formalwear made with quality fabrics, but Loro Piana's innovation was to use these in casualwear, too.

My family have been wool merchants since the 19th century. My first job, aged 18, was buying fabric from my father to produce and sell ties. But I was also at university in Milan.

People from the country are very simple and loyal. I like that. I prefer to deal with the campesinos rather than the political people in Lima.