Colorfully Protected
SERIES START-UP SOUTH TYROL (9) – An Argentinian woman comes to South Tyrol and starts her own fashion label. This is the story of Carolina Zurita Mariani and her start-up Lilulu Kids, and what makes her UV clothing for children so special.
South Tyrol
Merano/La Plata – “Good morning,” echoes a woman’s voice from the first floor of an old building in Merano, down towards the front door. The greeting already reveals a Spanish accent. Upstairs, a lively young woman is waiting, clearly excited about the visit from SWZ: Carolina Zurita Mariani. She invites us into the living room, where she has already prepared quite a bit. Against one wall, she has placed a house-shaped children's coat rack. It's made of wood, built by her children's grandfather following her own design. Hanging on white hangers are Zurita Mariani’s colorful prints: UV-protective clothing for children, from her own brand Lilulu Kids. The fact that she founded this brand in South Tyrol, of all places, is due to love.
From Argentina to Austria, from Austria to South Tyrol
Zurita Mariani was born and raised in La Plata, a city with more than 750,000 inhabitants, located about 60 kilometers southwest of Buenos Aires. She later moved to the capital to study fashion design. However, she eventually wanted a break from home. “I wanted to learn a new language and experience a new culture,” Zurita Mariani explains. She fulfilled her plan by becoming an au pair. Almost 12,000 kilometers from home, she lived with a family in Vienna, took care of their children, and began learning German. She felt so comfortable that after a year as an au pair, she sought another job. She found one at a theater, where she worked as a costume and makeup assistant. She often dined with her Spanish-speaking colleagues at a particular restaurant where, coincidentally, the staff also spoke Spanish. The manager, however, was a South Tyrolean—Matthias Weiss, Zurita Mariani's future husband.
She was initially confused that someone who spoke German like an Austrian would claim, “I’m Italian.” South Tyrol’s history was one of the first things that fascinated Zurita Mariani before she even set foot there. The landscape completed the spell when she visited for the first time.
The Daughter Sparks the Idea
Years later, the couple moved to South Tyrol, the Argentinian quickly adapted to her new home. A strong support system was her husband’s family. “Everyone always speaks extra slowly when I’m around,” laughs Zurita Mariani. But nature also played a big role. “In South Tyrol, people love being outdoors a lot. I come from a big city, so it’s a bit different.”
Even at that time, the young woman felt the urge to become self-employed. “Deep inside, I knew I wanted to create something. But the spark of an idea was still missing.” That changed in 2020. Her daughter, Lilit, was then one year old, a little whirlwind who wanted to do everything herself. “Her first word was ‘sola,’ meaning ‘alone,’” smiles Zurita Mariani. This also applied to playing outside. To protect her child’s skin from the sun, the mother searched for UV-protective clothing, which is widespread in Argentina. “At the beach, you practically see all the children wearing it, and even many teenagers and adults use it,” explains Zurita Mariani. She quickly realized that no such manufacturer existed in South Tyrol. “I wanted something high-quality, practical, and durable,” she says.
Since she couldn’t find it on the market, she decided to create it herself: Lilulu Kids. “Lilu” is her affectionate nickname for her daughter, which became “Lilulu.” The idea behind it: to give children a happy and carefree childhood, supported by comfortable and light clothing. “We promote fun and a connection with nature,” the Argentinian sums up the mission of her brand. The design should also bring joy.
Each Piece Hand-Designed
Zurita Mariani takes out a folder, neatly organized with her designs. She points to the clothes rack: “I designed everything myself using differents techniques.” On the far left hangs a dark green one-piece printed with monkeys and bananas, which she hand-painted with watercolors. For the dark blue set with colorful chameleons, she used a stamp, and for a yellow jaguar-themed design, she applied wood paints. Almost all of her colorful pieces begin as physical sketches on paper. The only exception is the lion design, which was created entirely on a tablet. Some of her designs take as little as three days, while others can take almost two months. Once satisfied, she digitizes her design and refines it further.
She then makes the first prototype herself, while a tailor in Kastelbell produces a second one for her. The final printing is done in Piedmont, where a minimum order is 70 meters of fabric. The Argentinian is particularly proud that her products are 100% "Made in Italy." She also highlights that the fabrics offer a UV protection factor of 50+ (the highest UV certification according to EU standards) and allow freedom of movement. “The models are tailored to the needs of the target age group, starting with babies as young as four months and up to children aged twelve,” says Zurita Mariani. For babies, there are one-pieces, and for older children, there are sets consisting of a top and pants, along with matching accessories like hats and drawstring bags. Although initially designed for swimming, it soon became clear that the clothing was suitable for any outdoor activity—from cycling and hiking to playing on the playground.
Another core value of the brand is sustainability. On the one hand, using UV-protective clothing significantly reduces the need for sunscreen, which is often harmful to the environment when it washes off into water bodies. On the other hand, Zurita Mariani ensures that Lilulu products themselves are sustainable by using only recycled fibers and keeping the production process as localized as possible. She considers her brand a start-up because “the idea behind it is innovative and solves a problem.”
Focus on Slow Fashion
Zurita Mariani has been selling her UV clothing since May 2021. A week before the birth of her second child, Matteo, she launched her first collection. A few months later, she presented it at a “Selbergmocht” market. Since then, she has had a stall there about four times a year. Her products are also available at select Saturday markets in Merano, recently in a pop-up store in Schenna, and on her own online shop. This year, online sales accounted for 40% of her revenue, with an upward trend. So far, she has sold to families in Italy, Austria, and Germany, with about 150 families purchasing around 250 clothing items. The demand is growing annually.
“I think people are becoming increasingly aware of how important good UV protection is, especially for children’s skin.” Since she views Lilulu Kids as a slow-fashion label, Zurita Mariani is pursuing sustainable growth. “Reaching 500 to 600 families in the next two years would be nice,” she says. To achieve that, she will likely need external funding for the first time, as she has so far self-financed all her collections. This year, she is also applying for the start-up incubator at the NOI Techpark. “That would be another important milestone.”
Zurita Mariani’s sister, Juliana, who currently lives in Rome, helps with social media and copywriting. They discuss strategies via weekly video calls. Her husband assists with the administrative tasks, especially because of the language barrier.
To avoid homesickness, the family spends about a month each winter in Argentina. During the summer, Carolina's retired parents visit them in Merano. This is how Carolina Zurita Mariani has built the foundation for her life as an entrepreneur and mother in South Tyrol. “Balancing everything isn’t always easy,” she says, “but I wouldn’t give up my independence for anything.”
THE SERIES
In the coming weeks, SWZ will feature young businesses and their founders in the “Start-up South Tyrol” series, as it has done in previous years. All articles can be read on SWZonline and in the SWZ app.
