The Luxury
of Cashmere
The Luxury of Cashmere
Since its earliest documented usage in the 14th century Persia, cashmere has been synonymous with luxury. Its unique combination of softness and ultralight warmth is without equal—it is eight times warmer than sheep’s wool, and has a distinctively silky touch that’s sought after around the world. At Lafayette 148, our signature cashmere is top dyed, meaning each fiber is dyed before it is spun, giving the yarns a beautifully saturated, dimensional color that’s entirely unique.
Since its earliest documented usage in the 14th century Persia, cashmere has been synonymous with luxury. Its unique combination of softness and ultralight warmth is without equal—it is eight times warmer than sheep’s wool, and has a distinctively silky touch that’s sought after around the world. At Lafayette 148, our signature cashmere is top dyed, meaning each fiber is dyed before it is spun, giving the yarns a beautifully saturated, dimensional color that’s entirely unique.
The story of our cashmere begins with a special breed of goats native to the Mongolian Himalayas, where a centuries-old tradition of wool gathering ensures a harvest of exceptionally downy, long-staple fibers. To survive the harsh winters of the high plains, the goats have developed an ultra-soft undercoat, which is prized for its exceptional warmth, silkiness and light weight. Rather than shearing the coat, these hairs are gently brushed from the soft, inner fleece and then carefully chosen for their fineness and length—only the most superior among them go on to be milled and made into Lafayette 148 designs.
The signature cashmere yarn used in our sweaters and knits is sourced from a single mill, Lora & Festa, through a relationship that has been forged over decades. Based in Italy for more than five generations, our partners pride themselves on being stewards of this precious natural resource. From hand-harvesting the wool, to hand-finishing the yarn and carefully cultivating the health of the herds and herders they work with so intimately, they are devoted to safeguarding the integrity of this rare fiber, and ensuring that it remains plentiful for generations to come.
The signature cashmere yarn used in our sweaters and knits is sourced from a single mill, Lora & Festa, through a relationship that has been forged over decades. Based in Italy for more than five generations, our partners pride themselves on being stewards of this precious natural resource. From hand-harvesting the wool, to hand-finishing the yarn and carefully cultivating the health of the herds and herders they work with so intimately, they are devoted to safeguarding the integrity of this rare fiber, and ensuring that it remains plentiful for generations to come.
At Lafayette 148, sourcing the best yarns is simply the start. With our own design studio and production facility, nothing escapes our oversight. To keep the cashmere yarns smooth and pliable, we built a temperature-controlled storage area, custom-designed to mimic the cold, arid Mongolian climate. We flew in a team of experts from Italy, who spent three years training our team to operate our fleet of ultra-modern German knitting machines. We put great care into choosing the right yarn and the perfect stitch for each piece. We even specially treat the water used to rinse the cashmere, so as not to disrupt the fiber’s natural pH balance. Only a very few designers go to these lengths, but each step along the way helps to create a truly superior cashmere garment.
Part of our heritage since the beginning, our Cashmere Collection is built on a philosophy of timelessness over trend. Sweaters, scarves and coats are cast in an enduring palette of soft, neutral shades. Our designers work carefully to strike a delicate balance between loft and durability, softness and shape—so that the pieces we create today remain luxurious for years to come.
Part of our heritage since the beginning, our Cashmere Collection is built on a philosophy of timelessness over trend. Sweaters, scarves and coats are cast in an enduring palette of soft, neutral shades. Our designers work carefully to strike a delicate balance between loft and durability, softness and shape—so that the pieces we create today remain luxurious for years to come.
