OUR FOUNDER

Born in Huanchaco, Peru, Jose Vilca moved to Lima after finishing high-school to study fashion design at Mod’Art Peru. Upon graduating, he launched a brand called Dhosis in 2014, developed as his final thesis—recognized as one of the first Peruvian labels to explore an agender approach to design. 

This period became the foundation for Vilca García, founded in 2016, as a brand reflecting a more introspective and personal universe. In its early years, Vilca García produced collections including self-made machine-sewn pieces made with locally sourced fabrics, while also evolving through collaborations with fellow designers, makers, and artists to create clothing, footwear and jewelry.

In 2018, he founded HERIDA, a collective movement rooted in identity and queer expression, through art and activism. This initiative that lasted four years, allowed him to connect with his most performative side, while standing as an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and dissident communities. 

In 2021, during the stillness brought by the pandemic, Jose returned to his hometown. It was there that he began a personal exploration of hand knitting—his first encounter with the practice—which would later redefine the essence of Vilca García, guiding it towards a deeply artisanal path.

Alongside this, in 2022, he joined the social impact brand Chimuk, developed by the NGO Hands On Peru, as creative director. There, he led the redesign of its product line and worked closely with more than twenty women artisans, supporting a process that fostered both creative growth and personal empowerment within their community—an experience that undoubtedly served as a motivation for the development of his own creative vision.

Today, Jose Vilca devotes himself entirely to Vilca García, serving as both creative and executive director—driven by mindful, handmade craft, and always, grounded in community.