Modern cashmere brands put fresh spin on the quiet luxury staple

Cashmere is getting an update from emerging brands as younger customers buy in, but competition is putting pressure on production.

Cashmere, a longtime luxury staple, is seeing renewed interest from young, affluent customers as the “stealth wealth” trend continues to dominate. Emerging brands specialising in the fabric but with fresh takes — modern styles, inclusive sizing and wide product ranges — are positioned for a windfall.

It’s a competitive space. Challenger labels including Extreme Cashmere and Naked Cashmere, which differentiated themselves from traditional brands with genderless styles and claims of ethical sourcing, are now seeing newer upstarts enter the space, including celebrity cashmere brands such as Gigi Hadid’s Guest in Residence or Brad Pitt’s God’s True Cashmere. They’re looking to win market share from incumbents like Loro Piana or Brunello Cucinelli, which have strong brand DNA and a history of dealing in cashmere goods.

“People are buying quality instead of quantity and are looking for high-quality staple pieces, which is a positive development for us,” says Extreme Cashmere founder Saskia Dijkstra, who launched her cashmere label from Amsterdam in 2016 after identifying a gap in the market for more modern, youthful styles such as cashmere hot pants and strappy tops. Pieces retail from around €150 to €995, which is much cheaper than traditional cashmere brands like Loro Piana, making it more accessible for young, fashion-forward consumers. “Extreme Cashmere started with a dream to make the perfect sweater and the product is still always the main focus; it’s never about selling a trend.” 

London-based cashmere label Arch4 launched in 2017, with a focus on high-quality baby goat cashmere. Its parent company Sunrise also supplies Loro Piana, the only other brand in the market selling baby goat cashmere. It launched on Net-a-Porter in 2019 and over the course of the pandemic, began selling around 120 pieces per week, says founder and creative director Lynn Wei. 

“We think of ourselves as the younger version of Loro Piana,” Wei says. “We make fun, interesting textures. We make fun shapes, cool outfits, styling them really nicely.” In cashmere there’s either very high-end and expensive or more affordable with lower quality, she says. “We found the gap and that's why we fit [in the market]. We make sure the quality is the Loro Piana standard, but we don't charge £15,000 for a piece.”

Title: "Modern cashmere brands put fresh spin on the quiet luxury staple"

Author: BY LUCY MAGUIRE

Source: Vogue

Vogue Publication Date: May 10, 2023

URL: www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/modern-cashmere-brands-put-fresh-spin-on-the-quiet-luxury-staple