AKRON, Ohio — Stella Powell was born into a farming family in Peru, then moved to Brazil and learned to transform her pride on pins and needles.
What you need to know
- Akron Downtown Association to host its fourth annual Akron Latin Festival on Saturday
- The festival invites Ohioans to sample traditional cuisine, watch cultural performances, break piñatas and many other activities that honor Hispanic heritage.
- Stella Powell and Matthew Powell are the co-founders of LiRo Apparel and will be sharing a piece of Peru with hundreds of people this weekend.
Stella Powell was born into a farming family in Peru, then moved to Brazil and learned to transform her pride on pins and needles.
Now she is weaving tradition and family culture into every garment and accessory she makes in her Akron home.
“Everything my mom and grandmother teach me helps me support my family,” Powell said. “And moving to Brazil makes me understand how big the world is and that, wherever you go, you will have a piece of your heart and your culture with you.”
Powell said she began making these items after giving birth to premature twins, Lily and Rose, which inspired the company’s name. Ropa LiRo. At the time, Powell and her husband lived in Massachusetts.
“My husband bought me a lot of wool to make something for the children, because the children were born very premature and I couldn’t touch them, I couldn’t change their clothes.” she said.
Powell said she was in and out of the hospital incubator, leaving her insufficient time to make the babies’ clothes. Within a few months she used the material to make more than 30 knitted hats for her loved ones in Massachusetts. In 2020, she priced these products and launched LiRo Apparel with her husband. The family is still adjusting to Ohio after moving two years ago to help a sick relative in Akron who later died.
Now, LiRo apparel makes its second appearance at the annual show Akron Latin Festivalfeaturing clothing items handmade from alpaca fibers from around the world, Powell said.
“I have this dress and this one is made with baby alpaca, it’s softer,” she said.
The items honor their South American roots and add a bit of Ohio flair, Powell said.
“We mixed a part of the United States, Ohio, with aguayo manta,” he said. “Made in the USA with Peruvian parts, here we are.”
Her husband and LiRo co-founder, Matthew Powell, said he has been collaborating with her since the beginning.
“We edit, correct and fix each other’s work a lot and help each other improve,” he said.
The couple said the journey hasn’t always been easy, but their little ones keep LiRo going.
“They make me breathe and I say, ‘You know what? They didn’t give up, they’re with me, so why would I give up?’” Powell said.
