Pearson had never studied fashion before, in her early 20s, she traveled to Brazil and Ecuador and met Ecuadorean knitters who were part of a cooperative started by the Peace Corps.
[1][2][3] At the time, her sweaters, for both men and women, were unlike anything else seen on the market, with their textures, boldness and use of South American Indian motifs, and she won a Special Coty Award in 1981.
[1][4] In 1987, The New York Times described Tijuca's sweaters as retaining a human element in their "thick, burly feel", and described how the original craftspeople had dyed the wool in cauldrons over open fires.
[1] While the cotton knits retained Pearson's signature bold graphics and textures on simple shapes such as cardigans, jackets, and mix-and-match skirts and pants, they were designed to be comfortable, have a long fashionable life and remain stylish for years rather than in the short term.
[1] Designs had names like "Laura's Backyard", "Falling Leaves" and "Barn Door", and were inspired by a wide range of sources, including the designer's own backyard at her home in Sag Harbor, New York.