How we’ve all gone crazy for cashmere

wealth and comfort, is a wool obtained from cashmere goats, finer and softer than sheep’s wool.

Originating in India, it was Napoleon who first introduced the fabric to Europe in the 1800s when his wife arrived in Paris wearing it.

It takes the wool of two to 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.’

‘Ideal present for wives’