EXCELLENCE FROM EXTREMES
Italian fashion brand Loro Piana goes to extraordinary lengths in search of the finest cashmere
SYNONYMOUS WITH LUXURY, cashmere has long been the golden fleece of fashion designers. For Loro Piana, this means sourcing the world’s finest and rarest natural fibres to find the most exquisite of them all: baby cashmere. Found in the harsh extremes and rough landscapes of the Alashan mountain range in Inner Mongolia, the kids of the white Capra hircus, or cashmere goat, develop an under-fleece that’s finer than babies’ hair, incomparably softer than traditional adult cashmere, durable, resilient and also incredibly rare. The fibre is harvested only once in a lifetime from each kid, just before they reach 12 months old and in June when the protective layer sheds naturally. The tiny yields make baby cashmere exceptionally precious. The brand’s vision extends to separating adult and baby cashmere. Until 2005, goat herders would merge the two coats; it took 10 years for Loro Piana to convince the breeders of Inner Mongolia to set aside the baby cashmere and therefore obtain the highest grade, all in the pursuit of excellence. Celebrating a decade of baby cashmere, Loro Piana presents Baby Cashmere Jubilee, a ready-to-wear capsule collection that spotlights this extraordinarily soft and rare fibre. The all-white collection includes three womenswear garments that reflect the purity of the material and honour its origins. It features two turtleneck sweaters in different designs, one of which is adorned with cable knit on the body and sleeves, and the other with a fisherman’s rib-stitch body and criss-cross cable-knit sleeves. Adding another degree of luxury is the baby cashmere bomber, lined with mink and accented with mother-of-pearl buttons and a detachable chinchilla collar. Baby cashmere is also featured across the house’s autumn/winter 2018 collections in a series of hues and patterns for both menswear and womenswear, from strong geometric looks in graphic wear to more classic and traditional styles with a contemporary twist. A highlight from the collections is the graphic wear cape. Created with baby cashmere in a contrasting deep blue and warm red striped design, fastened with a leather toggle, it lends itself to the autumnal trend for sweeping, dramatic capes and is a luxurious outerwear option.