Why we’re going crazy for cashmere

IT is a classic whose fortunes have dipped in recent years.

But now cashmere is back – with demand for cardigans, scarves and hats soaring this Christmas, John Lewis has said.

The department store, which stocks cashmere in 71 colours, said shoppers were prepared to buy it as a treat, because it proved to be of long-lasting quality.

It also said husbands and boyfriends had been snapping up its range as an ideal present for wives and girlfriends.

The chain sells cashmere scarves for £ 55, with its jumpers priced at £99. Its most expensive item in the range is a black shearling cashmere jacket costing £499.

It says it stocks one of the widest ranges of goods made from the material on the high street. Cashmere, originating in India, is synonymous with luxury, wealth and comfort. It is obtained from cashmere goats, whose coats are finer and softer than sheep’s wool.

It was Napoleon who introduced the fabric to Europe in the 1800s when his wife arrived in Paris wearing it.

It takes the wool of three goats to make just one cashmere scarf, meaning it has a premium price tag.

But as well as looking good, it’s also guaranteed to keep you cosy. Cashmere is said to be eight times better at keeping you warm than ordinary wool, but it is also far more lightweight, meaning it can be worn in autumn through to spring.

John Lewis chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield said: ‘Overall the mood among consumers is cautious but there is money to be taken. A good example was cashmere.’