Hi, I am someone who really loves cashemere, but lately I find a little too hard to find good quality cashmere, that lasts trough the years and stays well compact (I don't know how to say it in english but I just hate wool that looses little balls of material). I think Malo used to be great quality, but it's not like that anymore. Do you know a brand you could suggest? As I will be in London quite soon, I would be happy if someone could suggest me a shop where that sells a good cashmere. What about Brora Cashmere? Do some of you knit cashmere? I do, and I personally suggest Cardiff Cashmere, a brand I can easily found in Italy, but that could be hard to find anywhere else. Thanks, Elsa
Good Cashmere
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I've a Pringle of Scotland sweater that's aged pretty well thus far. TSE is good, too, as Faust mentioned.
Also, Lucien Pellat-Finet is reputedly quite good, but extremely expensive. I've yet to even see one of their garments in a shop, so I can only speak to their reputation.
Also, Lucien Pellat-Finet is reputedly quite good, but extremely expensive. I've yet to even see one of their garments in a shop, so I can only speak to their reputation.
fashionista-ta
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I hear that Loro Piana makes J Crew's cashmere ...
susie_bubble
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Brora cashmere is lovely....Pringle is good too.
fashionista-ta said:
noway... cos some of their cashmere is really bad.. 
i'm really bad about cashmere though.. as long as it's not already falling apart, doesn't itch, and fits well, i'll probably take it... although loro piana is def a great investment. strangely, i have this juicy couture cashmere sweater that's held up extreeemely well that i wear on long plane trips cos its so comfortable and keeps me warm... random. i like tse for basics though...
pigleto972001
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most of my cashmere is from banana republic, and the quality is not what it used to be...most of the new sweaters are definitely more itchy and rough than before. i think j. crew is made by lora piano and their newer stuff is softer. would love to try more expensive stuff by tse and lora proper.
Thanks everybody for sharing your opinions. It's really strange because you had good experiences with TSE, but I had just one experience with this brand and it was not good at all. So maybe it's really like gambling everytime you buy a cashmere, you can't be sure about the quality. I had two Piellat Finet, one is outstanding quality, the other is good, but my mother bought them for me years ago only because she thought the price was in francs and not in euros. When she realised the mistake it was too late: I had already worn the sweaters! Me myself I will never buy Piellat Finet because the prices are just crazy. I have never tried Loro Piana or Pringles, thanks for the tip. Susie Bubble, what do you mean when you say that Brora cashmere is lovely? Are you talking about the design or the fabric (the quality of it)?
softgrey
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ya-same production i believe...fashionista-ta said:
i like j crew and banana cashmere for basics...
some of the tse i have is from back when i think hussein chalayan was designing, so it's definitely a lot cooler than what they seem to be doing now...
but the quality is still the same...
they have also started doing woven cashmere...
ie-pants and skirts and they are softer and warmer than you can imagine....
just beautiful....
....barney's co-op and private label can sometimes be good for basics...
and christopher fischer can have good stuff...anything from basic to really trendy...they also make the private label stuff for a lot of major dept stores like saks and barneys...
brokenenglish
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Where can you get TSE cashmere?
Hello Elsa
In your question, you mentioned the issue of quality and sweaters that pill and fuzz (that's the english expression for it). I have had sweaters by TSE and N.Peal, and some were terrific and others complete garbage.I would suggest the problem isn't a brand, but the ply of the cashmere itself.
A good cashmere sweater should be at least 4-ply, which makes a good, long lasting, soft cashmere sweater. The higher the ply, the softer, warmer, thicker (but never heavy like wool) the sweater. 8 ply and higher is wonderful; it is also extremely expensive, and usually used only by luxury brands. The higher the ply, the higher the quality, softness and durability, and, of course, price. I have seen cashmere go up to 12-ply- in a locked showcase at the store. I did not dare ask about the price.
Another consideration is country of origin. Cashmere used to only come from Mongolia; back then cashmere was extremely expensive-you could never find it at mid-range department stores or discount outlets. Eventually farmers figured out how to raise the goats in China (and also, if I am correct, parts of India); but the climate and diet is different, so the goats grow a different quality wool. (Think of fur- a Canadian beaver fur will be very different from a South American beaver fur- the climate makes the animal's fur/hair grow differently).
The laws on the labelling are unclear- if the label says "Made in China", it could be Mongolian cashmere that was only knitted in China, or it could be knitted in China from Chinese cashmere. As far as I know, no country requires the label to tell you where the fabric/yarn was made- only the content.
I believe Loro Piana, Filatura di Crosa, Cariaggi and Noro Cash are all excellent cashemere mills; they are all in Italy so if you are determined you could simply buy the cashmere from them (many people do, at warehouse sales, then re-sell them on EBay) and either knit, learn to knit, or pay someone to knit the sweater you want for you.
In your question, you mentioned the issue of quality and sweaters that pill and fuzz (that's the english expression for it). I have had sweaters by TSE and N.Peal, and some were terrific and others complete garbage.I would suggest the problem isn't a brand, but the ply of the cashmere itself.
A good cashmere sweater should be at least 4-ply, which makes a good, long lasting, soft cashmere sweater. The higher the ply, the softer, warmer, thicker (but never heavy like wool) the sweater. 8 ply and higher is wonderful; it is also extremely expensive, and usually used only by luxury brands. The higher the ply, the higher the quality, softness and durability, and, of course, price. I have seen cashmere go up to 12-ply- in a locked showcase at the store. I did not dare ask about the price.
Another consideration is country of origin. Cashmere used to only come from Mongolia; back then cashmere was extremely expensive-you could never find it at mid-range department stores or discount outlets. Eventually farmers figured out how to raise the goats in China (and also, if I am correct, parts of India); but the climate and diet is different, so the goats grow a different quality wool. (Think of fur- a Canadian beaver fur will be very different from a South American beaver fur- the climate makes the animal's fur/hair grow differently).
The laws on the labelling are unclear- if the label says "Made in China", it could be Mongolian cashmere that was only knitted in China, or it could be knitted in China from Chinese cashmere. As far as I know, no country requires the label to tell you where the fabric/yarn was made- only the content.
I believe Loro Piana, Filatura di Crosa, Cariaggi and Noro Cash are all excellent cashemere mills; they are all in Italy so if you are determined you could simply buy the cashmere from them (many people do, at warehouse sales, then re-sell them on EBay) and either knit, learn to knit, or pay someone to knit the sweater you want for you.
brokenenglish
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softgrey said:i know saks in nyc has a big tse dept...
Thank you, I will try the Saks here in Boston.
Guessgirl96
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I would also love some nice cashmere sweaters, I have none...
What are good brands in the $400-$500 range?
What are good brands in the $400-$500 range?
