Earthquake & Roxy Lama

Aylmer’s Nepal connection not shaken!

 

Laurent Robillard-Cardinal

Shockwaves from Nepal’s devastating earthquake have reached Aylmer. Roxy Lama’s store at 105, rue Principale, and in Montréal, deal directly with Nepalese suppliers for their unique garments, bags, and accessories.

“We go directly to Nepal, Bangkok, and Bali to buy many of our products. Our last order left Nepal the night before the earthquake,” reports Caroline Collins, who runs the Aylmer boutique. “We were supposed to leave for Nepal in August for our Fall collection, but we’ll wait and see. The best thing we can do for now is continue supporting the Nepalese at the economic level.” On the plus side, Canada has an agreement with Nepal where taxes on imports are waived.

Of Roxy Lama’s several suppliers in Nepal, only one hasn’t responded to emails so far. Those who responded report damages, but are alive.

 “Our bags come directly from Nepal. Textile workers weave our bags there by hand. They’re incredible people,” says Collins.

Connections between Nepal and Roxy Lama are strong; the name of the store originated in Nepal. “My brother (running the store in Montréal) has done plenty of trekking in Nepal, and during one trip he stopped in a village where a lady sold a local beverage called Raksi (Roxy). My brother loved the drink and often visited the vendor who eventually started calling him Roxy Lama, as in ‘Dalai Lama’. The name stuck, and when my brother opened his store in Montréal, he called it ‘Roxy Lama’,” said Collins.

With rebuilding efforts to kick off soon, the Roxy Lama team will be collecting funds for the landlocked country. “Instead of going through intermediaries, we can and will deliver the money directly to those in need,” said Collins.