the woman behind the brand
Meet Robin Briggs
THE STORY OF ALTHYREA'S FOUNDER ROBIN BRIGGS IS ONE OF SLOWING DOWN
Designer, nature lover and wildlife photographer, Robin started her journey with a passion for hand-weaving and textile print design. As a young woman, she attended the Paris American Academy / Ecole Des Beaux Arts and while living in the world’s fashion capital, she experienced the glamour of couture runways of such industry giants as Balmain and Givenchy and visited the design studio of Thierry Mugler.
the journey
Her professional journey took her back to the USA, where she settled in New York ultimately becoming a Men’s Design Director at Ralph Lauren. She always preferred style over fashion; practical, simple, high-quality clothes. However, for over 25 years, she’s immersed herself in this fast-paced environment but became increasingly concerned about the direction it was heading in. Living in the hustle and bustle of New York’s Soho shopping district, Robin became disenchanted and unsettled by the global hazards of fast fashion and the consumerism it evokes in people.
her dreams
As a result, in 2010, Robin enrolled in Columbia University’s Environmental Research and Education program with the dream of getting into Corporate Social Responsibility and making a difference. This plan, however, did not come to fruition, but in turn, it offered Robin an opportunity to realize a long-time dream of hers: to start a slow-fashion clothing business.
The present
After many years, she made the great leap across the continental divide and left New York City to live in West Vancouver, where she lives today, with her family, surrounded by the raw, wild beauty of the BC coast.
There, her business plans took shape, and the world of ALTHYREA became a reality.