A MOMENT WITH JUANA BURGA
TEXT: LOGAN VERLAQUE IMAGE: CAROLINA PALMGREN
Julia meets Juana on the Lower East Side in NYC to talk style, beauty and living a more sustainable life.
Juana Burga peaks out of her front door barefooted and greets us with a kiss on the cheek (one kiss, not two). After making our way into her Lower east side abode, we are quickly in awe of her clean yet comfortable style that pays equal homage to her home country of Peru (a la colorful hand woven pillows and blankets) as it does to her fiancé’s Danish roots (picture Scandinavian crisp cupboards and glass covered coffee tables).
Burga was born in Lima, where her family still resides, but has called NYC her home for the past 6 years. After being scouted to model as a teen, Burga has walked runways from Milan to Paris, but more recently has been focusing on her career as an actress (The Unseen). Yet, it is her work as an Ambassador in Peru, working to protect and gain recognition for the local artisans, as well as with Parley’s Ocean School that really peaks our interest.
On how she maintains a less is more approach in an often times more is more (fashion) world
I always try to better myself when it comes to consuming whether it’s food; shopping, clothing, makeup and etc. The world we live in is constantly telling us we need to consume. If I just got the newest and hottest piece of fashion yesterday, today there’s a new advertisement up telling me that I need to get it. That I now need this even hotter piece instead. Therefore, it’s very easy to feel the necessity of getting things constantly and we don’t question ourselves whether we really need them. The questions being; if it’s good quality, if it’s organic/sustainable, who made the fabrics or where it comes from?
Through my work in the industry I’ve had an insight into how it all works, and I must say that living the “more is more” life actually shows more insecurity. Following a trend is easy. Finding your own identity within some timeless fashion is the hard part, but also the coolest part. With that said, “Less is more”, not only is good for the environment, but also in terms of self awareness.
I’ve worked a lot with artisans and I’ve really learned to appreciate the true art of clothes wherever the origin. I personally seek for these true art pieces and make sure to understand where the clothing comes from and what it stands for before I put it on. Everything I wear is a representation and a statement, and I always want to promote the most forward thinking concepts.
On what made her be more respectful of our earth
Where I grew up, I had limited resources, you had to learn how to get the most out of anything, re-use what you could and appreciate every bit of what was available. Through that, I have always been respectful to earth and to my surroundings. It’s something that my parents have taught me and my brothers since we were born “Don't take things for granted''.
The bed we made, is the bed we were going to sleep in, so we made that bed the best and most comfortable as we could!
As I got older, I started to see this idea on a bigger scale. I realized the damage we are doing. How messy we are making the bed for ourselves to sleep in. I try to contribute with everything I can, in whichever way I can to support the environment. Working in the fashion industry, which is the 2nd most polluted industry, I saw the damage as a challenge to better ourselves, and I wanted to use this platform to make a conscious approach. We can all work together to make things better, correct the mistakes we made because we were unaware. I want to encourage everyone to help make our bed cleaner so we can all sleep safe at night.
On how has her work as an activist (preserving oceans and producing clothing with sustainable fibers in Peru) has changed her
To be an ocean advocate and to support artisans has become the biggest passion in my life. It’s a passion that has translated into my own habits. I’m always interested in knowing where things are from, how they’re made, how they affect our surroundings, not just me, but the world we live in.
To be honest it doesn’t take a big effort to apply these values into your life. It actually feels great to be aware of what you consume and what you’re contributing with. Because again, what you choose to buy, essentially sends a message of what you represent. I have found a way that I believe is right, and that’s what I choose to represent when I shop for everyday products.
“Sustainability brings people together to make a bigger impact. It builds a community.”
On what she takes from her Peruvian heritage that lends itself to a less is more lifestyle
As a community we had to work together and help each other. As I got older and was able to move away, I saw the limitless opportunities around me, especially when I joined the fashion industry, I learned that I could use my status to bring awareness to my home country and empower my legacy. This is why I started Nuna Awaq (which means “Soul of the Artisans”). This cause supports artisans in my home country. I decided to do collaborations with sustainable brands, and thereby be able to empower the artisans, protecting the original Inca craft, giving them bigger and better opportunities in a modern world.
After seeing my positive influences coming to life within the artisanal craft, I started to involve myself with other charities. What spoke to me was the issues we incurred with our water, oceans and kids. I’m now heavily involved and passionate in making as much progress within those fields as I possibly can.
On her goals as an environmentalist and what we can do on a small scale as consumers to help
My hope for the future is that environmental issues become important to everyone. If we can make every human be aware, and implement ways of protecting the earth into their everyday lives. I believe we can all live in a more healthy environment for a longer period of time. A small and easy thing that everyone can do for the oceans, is to cut out single use plastic. If not all at once, at least certain items. Imagine everyone saying no to a straw. That’s easy, we don’t need to drink from a straw, we can simply just lift the cup and drink normally. A straw is not a necessity, just like many of other single use items. So I would tell consumers to first start questioning themselves on what’s a necessity for them. What they decide is not a necessity, cut it out.
In terms of clothing, try to find out a little background information on what you buy and decide whether it’s something you stand for. We tend to spend a lot of money on clothes, so I feel that the least we can do is try to understand what it is we’re spending our money on and thereby choose what you represent.
“A small and easy thing that everyone can do for the oceans, is to cut out single use plastic.”
