Street Views from Lima

Our founder Kelly recently spent time in Lima to work directly with the knitters, our Peruvian teammates, and of course enjoy the dynamics of city life. Each morning, she’d lace up for a run along the Malecón, where desert cliffs drop dramatically into the Pacific. Despite having called Lima home for a number of years, there is something about the city that keeps you looking. Those quiet, early hours revealed the city’s details in a new light: mist settling on flowering trees, tile-lined sidewalks still cool from the night, and the hum of a city waking up slowly, beautifully. This post is a collection of Kelly's photographs from Lima's streets—the textures, contrasts, and colors that make Lima unforgettable, and my own appreciation for that which is uniquely Peruvian .

The tiles of Lima are something I most look forward to when I visit. I find myself constantly looking down—not out of boredom, but because the sidewalks themselves demanded attention. Lima’s walkways are a collage of colorful, geometric ceramic tiles—each block like a different design decision. Checkerboards in faded reds and creams, zigzags in navy and mustard, subtle pastels that catch the sun just right. There’s a tactile rhythm to the streets here—each tile a step in a story.

Lima isn’t just about what’s underfoot—it’s also about where you are. It’s rare to be in a place where desert cliffs tumble into the ocean, but Lima sits confidently at that edge. You can stand on a dusty bluff with sand on your sneakers and sea mist on your cheeks. It’s disorienting in the best way—a reminder that opposites coexist here: dryness and waves, concrete and flowers, old and new.

And then there are the trees. Not just green, but bursting with blossoms—lavender jacarandas and hot pink bougainvillea spilling over walls and fences. Their colors punctuate the city, softening the edges of brutalist architecture and sun-bleached buildings. Nature here isn’t a background element—it’s foreground, framing the streets, scenting the air, adding an unruly, beautiful layer to the city’s texture.

Every view in Lima feels layered. There’s always more than one thing happening at once. The urban grid overlaid with natural wonder. The cool tiles underfoot paired with the heat of the desert sun. It's a city of contrast and harmony—and for someone who notices pattern and palette, it’s a dream.