It would be easy to merely shoehorn it into the realms of winter closets, but find the right cut and a quality cashmere knit more than proves it has a role to play in your year-round rotation.
Long-lasting, incredibly soft, lightweight and warmer than traditional sheep’s wool, cashmere can only be collected once a year - in the spring when the animals naturally start shedding their coats - imbuing it with the appeal of anything incredibly rare and highly sought-after. Considered the highest quality as it has the longest fiber (making it more resilient), all our cashmere is Mongolian, with the majority sourced from goats raised on over 1,000 acres of sustainably-farmed land that grants it an organic certification.
Most of our core cashmere pieces are knitted in either 5gg (mid-heavyweight) or 7gg (midweight) as these are the most versatile, trans-seasonal weights. For our signature “lofty” styles, we knit 'off-gauge', a technique that creates a more breathable, open stitch, draped aesthetic and a softer hand feel that doesn’t add weight or bulk.
To help you invest well, we’ve curated the four women’s cashmere styles that are essential additions to your closet, effortlessly complementing your everyday favorites - from classic denim to statement prints and an array of colors.
TRAN-SEASONAL KNITTED VEST
A quality cashmere knit shaped to a sleeveless silhouette finds the sweet spot, keeping you warm when layered up and cool enough when styled alone.
Style these pieces solo in milder months to combat your office’s air-conditioned climate or a volatile forecast. Our Merino Cashmere Relaxed V Neck Vest proves you don’t have to turn to a more muted color palette when it comes to selecting investment knitwear. In green, this luxury knitwear piece speaks to summer’s penchant for brighter, bolder colors and emphasizes statement prints like our Bloom one when styled alongside shirts or blouses. Combining cashmere with insulating merino wool, it grants the finished style greater warmth, as well as a more defined structure and better durability than a pure cashmere piece.
Reflecting more traditional fall styling, there are soft creams, deep navy, and earthy tones for you to choose between, too. Navy and intense olive find a home on our Merino Cashmere Silk Lace Stitch Vest + Snood and Merino Cashmere Relaxed Vest + Snood, which can be emphasized with white shirting, denim and scattered prints alike. Detach the snood when it’s warmer or when you’re styling it over a long-sleeved shirt, and add it back in when temperatures get cooler.
COZY CARDIGANS
The cardigan as we know it was brought into our collective sartorial consciousness thanks to Coco Chanel who favored the button-down style over traditional sweaters that messed up her hair whenever she pulled them on. The style gained popularity in the 30s and the rest, as they say, is history. Combine the practicality of a cardigan with the soft hand feel of cashmere, and the result is near perfection. Cashmere cardigans have a home in both polished and more pared-back ensembles, complementing easy at-home styling as well as more elevated looks with ease. Keep things simple with our Luxe Cashmere Relaxed Cardigan. It creates an elevated everyday look with a luxe touch and is the perfect partner to everything from wide-leg pants to light-wash denim.
CLASSIC SWEATERS
The first item that comes to mind when we hear the word “knit”, the original, a closet classic. Little has changed over the years when it comes to the construction of cashmere sweaters; they’re trendless, timeless, forever staples.
Our Merino Cashmere Crochet Trim V Neck Sweater, though, revolutionizes the game. It forgoes a long-sleeved silhouette and round neckline for a short, pouf-sleeve one and deep V neck. Designed to line up underneath the lightweight style, our Lace Trim V Neck Layering Tank is trimmed with lace at its V-neckline to complement the knitted style and add an extra layer of warmth.
SOFT SPORTS-LUXE HOODIES
A soft cashmere hoody puts the “luxe” in “sports-luxe”.
A reimagining of one of our timeless originals that heroes new shades every season, our Cashmere Relaxed Fit Box Zip Hoody is the ultimate symbol of fashion’s more relaxed attitude to dressing. Featuring a zipped fastening through the front that allows you to switch between a closed and open, cardigan-style finish, it can be teamed with your favorite pair of jeans or casual sweatpants for an elevated off-duty look. Alternatively, take a leaf out of our Founder and CEO Clare Hornby’s book by sporting it layered under a sharply-tailored blazer for a decidedly modern take on suiting. Adopting a more traditional hoody design but swapping sweatshirting for a lightweight, semi-sheer knit, our Merino Stretch Layering Hoody has a neat, form-fitting silhouette that adds just the right amount of warmth now and is the perfect accompaniment to bulk-free layering in cooler months.
CARING FOR YOUR CASHMERE
Cashmere is coveted for its extreme softness and luxurious hand feel but as it’s a fine natural fibre pilling can occur and is to be expected on really soft, natural yarns. To try to limit this as much as possible, we work closely with our mills and manufacturers to create the perfect washing and finishing techniques that ensure softness but minimise pilling and guarantee longevity at the same time. Prolong the life of your luxury cashmere investments by removing any piling with our Cashmere Comb.
Most knitwear can be washed, occasionally a very delicate piece may have to be dry-cleaned. When in doubt, follow the instructions on the care label as this will guide you on the best way of looking after your garment. Cashmere pieces should be hand washed at no more than 30°C using a non-biological liquid detergent or specialist wool detergent. Wash the garment on its own and do not rub or wring it out. If using a machine hand-wash programme, select a spin at no more than 400rpm and put the garment in a net bag. Do not use fabric conditioner - we know it makes the garment softer and smell fabulous - but this can create extra pilling during wear. Before storing for longer periods, ensure the pieces are clean and free from any stains that could attract moths and cause damage over time. When storing, lay flat away from natural light and moisture, preferably in airtight bags.