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To those from England (or those in the know)--what do you know about Berk Cashmere?

post #1 of 7
9/15/11 at 11:04am
Thread Starter 
They have a store in London...what is their quality like? Do they hoard a lot of old stock?

Also, if you have been to their store, what is their main client base? Japanese tourists? Swiss bankers?

Any info gratefully appreciated.
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post #2 of 7
9/15/11 at 11:22am
I'm going there next week! Will report back..

Edit: meant to also say that the vintage Berk Ballantynes I have are incomparable. Check out their website. If you email them with your size, they'll respond (promptly, no less!) with which colors are in stock.
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post #3 of 7
9/15/11 at 1:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by msameth View Post

I'm going there next week! Will report back..

Edit: meant to also say that the vintage Berk Ballantynes I have are incomparable. Check out their website. If you email them with your size, they'll respond (promptly, no less!) with which colors are in stock.


Yeah, their Customer service is superb.

I know many of their items are several years old though (meaning, they have been sitting in the store for many years)...I don't know--can you just let wool to sit there? Other than the case that the older stuff was quality to begin with.

And while you're there, can you ask them what they think of John Smedley these days?
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post #4 of 7
9/15/11 at 2:09pm
Berk has some very nice stuff though it can be a bit expensive. Also, I have trouble getting over the name.

"Where did you get that great sweater?"
"Berk!"
"Asshole!"

Consider Alan Paine who now makes there stuff in Madagascar, I believe, but still has decent quality. They have an on-line outlet store.

Speaking of that, there is a bit of text on their site that always makes me laugh.

Alan Paine manufactures top quality men’s cotton-cashmere sweaters, jumpers, slipover and cardigans are sold all over the world. Using 100% British Hinchliffe wool, each Alan Paine men’s cotton-cashmere garment will last in your wardrobe for many years.

Wut?

http://www.ap-shoponline.com/mens-cotton-cashmere/
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post #5 of 7
9/15/11 at 2:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by miran View Post

can you just let wool to sit there?

I think if properly stored (away from sunlight, excessive heat, predators and such) then there's nothing to fear. I recently ordered several new-old-stock McGeorge (which folded in the early 1990s, I believe) cashmere v-necks from O'Connell's of Buffalo. They were impeccable and completely indistinguishable from "new-new" merchandise.

Quote:
And while you're there, can you ask them what they think of John Smedley these days?

Sure.
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post #6 of 7
9/15/11 at 2:27pm
Thread Starter 
I just spent half this afternoon looking up cashmere. Where cashmere comes from, Quality, Made in China, etc.

I came across this (WRITTEN IN 2007):

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003498352_cashmere282.html

I showed it to a colleague, to share my horror.

He: "So what? Cashmere will soon become the way of chicken."

Me: "What the f&^% are you talking about?"

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post #7 of 7
9/15/11 at 3:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by miran View Post

I just spent half this afternoon looking up cashmere. Where cashmere comes from, Quality, Made in China, etc.
I came across this (WRITTEN IN 2007):
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003498352_cashmere282.html

That article is absolutely horrifying.

I never knew that about chicken, either.
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