By Hannah Van Sickle

Choosing to raise Suri alpacas—and fashioning a business from their (literal) byproducts—is a distant decision that continues to shape Alicia Adams and her family. Their 2006 move from Munich to Millbrook, was a calculated whim: the upstate village bridged the gap between Germany and Mexico, where Adams was raised; proximity to New York City proved icing on the already appealing cake. Fast forward 16 years, and Adams’ roots in Dutchess County remain deep despite an evolving landscape. “I don’t recognize everyone anymore,” she says, citing an influx of people venturing to Millbrook over the past two years—a period in which she has spread her wings, too.

Since launching the flagship location of Alicia Adams Alpaca on Franklin Street, business has bloomed. What began as a limited line—boasting a classic throw, gifted to Prince George upon his birth in July 2013 by the Obamas—has grown over a dozen years to include apparel and gifts for women, men and children, woven from all-natural and sustainable alpaca wool, which ranks among the rarest and most luxurious materials in the world.

“We shear 200 alpacas each spring and get about eight pounds of wool per animal,” Adams explains of a whopping 1,600 pounds of raw material, not all of which is processed. Fibers are measured in microns, and those with baby alpaca qualities (which can come from an animal up to eight years of age) are selected for Adams’ textiles. For Adams, September marks an especially auspicious milestone: National Hispanic Heritage Month. She is proud to be at the helm of a Latin American family-owned and run business that celebrates the “gold of the Andes,” crafted utilizing the incredible handiwork of indigenous artisans who continue the pre-Incan tradition of working alpaca fibers.

“I grew up skiing in Switzerland and Austria,” Adams says, pointing to the rugged landscapes of California and Colorado as beckoning. Her designs are now being sold in a pair of West Coast locations—both nods to Adams’ global upbringing. The Malibu Lifestyle Store, located on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway, boasts the classic throw (now available in 96 colors and counting!) plus myriad other ways to wrap oneself in the luxury of alpaca fiber-based products ranging from capes and knitwear to home textiles. The Aspen Lifestyle Store—replete with blankets and throws, accents and pillows—features the Scandia Home line, with everything for the bed, bath, and beyond (including perennial favorites like 100 percent Egyptian cotton towels, sheets, and coverlets—even duvets!).

Meanwhile, community serves as the common thread connecting these seemingly disparate locations. “We are lucky enough to be able to live in all of these places and give our kids this opportunity for diversity,” Adams says of the same exposure to different locales and mentalities that informed her own upbringing. “It’s definitely been very positive,” she says, and supporting communities like Millbrook keep the family connected to daily life here—regardless of whether or not they are in residence.

There’s a magnetism about the Adams’ 80-acre farm that will forever feel like home. As denizens of the Hudson Valley settle into the cool-weather rhythms of the region, Adams shares her favorite part—next to family and farm. “I love seeing the locals and reconnecting with everyone,” she says. “Being in Millbrook is always super rewarding; we’ve lived here for so long, the village feels like home.”