Cashmere Sweater Hierarchy

[DorianGreen]

Shawl collar cardigans are a staple for me. Looks good with v-necks underneath, dress shirts. Can be casual or formal. Very cozy. This is a beautiful colour.

I have never heard of McGeorge. Feel free to share more about the brand and how you find the quality.

Actually it's a pretty known brand, a historical one: they made garments for Steve McQueen and Grace Kelly. After a difficult time (don't know exactly, but maybe it was even disappeared) it has been recently revived, and they are on the way to re-establish the old prestige. The knits are made in Scotland in the own factory.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/historic-cashmere-brand-recommence-trading-1465113

https://www.instagram.com/mcgeorgeofscotland/

 

[DorianGreen]

Here a beautiful vintage piece, in case anybody is interested (I'm not into vintage, unless it's NewOldStock). To buy on Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/it/listing/1047946280/maglione-grigio-vintage-j-d-mcgeorge

 

[msimon]

Filling the gap about shawl collar cardigans. Curiously had dismissed this style long time, only recently it has grown on me.

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It's a McGeorge Talisker cardigan in a wool/cashmere (90/10%) mix in a nice subdued yellow shade called Ananas . EU48 size, 53 cm pit to pit.

Liking the detailing in the shaping.

 

[Bespoke DJP]

Filling the gap about shawl collar cardigans. Curiously had dismissed this style long time, only recently it has grown on me.

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The recent fondness came with age my friend!

No worries; the same happened to me!


Cheers,

Dimitris

 

[happydayz1]

Speaking of shawl cardigans, I really like this alternative take in superfine lambswool by SEH Kelly. Won’t be to everyone’s taste but all their garments are of excellent craftsmanship.

 

[DorianGreen]

Speaking of shawl cardigans, I really like this alternative take in superfine lambswool by SEH Kelly. Won’t be to everyone’s taste but all their garments are of excellent craftsmanship.

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It looks carefully made.

Not my taste and style, but if you like it, enjoy it.

 

[double00]

Speaking of shawl cardigans, I really like this alternative take in superfine lambswool by SEH Kelly. Won’t be to everyone’s taste but all their garments are of excellent craftsmanship.

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the seamless shoulder / arm is truly beautiful

 

[elysiumfield]

Hi,

Thanks for a great informative thread. I have been lurking around for a while.

I’m wondering if anyone (maybe @Johnny80 ) knows vicuna produced by Piacenza is on par with that from brands like LP/Colombo? Piacenza has a much lower price point than the others, though still expensive.

Also, it has been mentioned that ultra fine cashmere fiber is too delicate for daily wear. What about the durability of kidwool 12.8 and gift of kings?

 

[DorianGreen]

Hi,

Thanks for a great informative thread. I have been lurking around for a while.

I’m wondering if anyone (maybe @Johnny80 ) knows vicuna produced by Piacenza is on par with that from brands like LP/Colombo? Piacenza has a much lower price point than the others, though still expensive.

Also, it has been mentioned that ultra fine cashmere fiber is too delicate for daily wear. What about the durability of kidwool 12.8 and gift of kings?

Welcome!

 

[DorianGreen]

Hi,

Thanks for a great informative thread. I have been lurking around for a while.

I’m wondering if anyone (maybe @Johnny80 ) knows vicuna produced by Piacenza is on par with that from brands like LP/Colombo? Piacenza has a much lower price point than the others, though still expensive.

Also, it has been mentioned that ultra fine cashmere fiber is too delicate for daily wear. What about the durability of kidwool 12.8 and gift of kings?

Having had Piacenza long time on my radar, but not having yet pulled the trigger.

As for daily wear, I would recommend not to wear a garment for two or even more days in a row, but always to give the fibres the time to rest, switching often your knits. This will improve noticeably the durability.

 

[elysiumfield]

Having had Piacenza long time on my radar, but not having yet pulled the trigger.

As for daily wear, I would recommend not to wear a garment for two or even more days in a row, but always to give the fibres the time to rest, switching often your knits. This will improve noticeably the durability.

I have got a couple of items from Piacenza last year and am quite content with them.

It was a discussion about cashmere fibers toward 12 and lower 13 micron I was referring to. That knits made of these are much more delicate than the usual ones. Since Kidwool 12.8 is in the same micron range, I am wondering if the same comment apply here as well, or wool with this low micron is more durable.

 

[DorianGreen]

I have got a couple of items from Piacenza last year and am quite content with them.

It was a discussion about cashmere fibers toward 12 and lower 13 micron I was referring to. That knits made of these are much more delicate than the usual ones. Since Kidwool 12.8 is in the same micron range, I am wondering if the same comment apply here as well, or wool with this low micron is more durable.

Wool, no matter the thickness, is less delicate and supposedly more durable than cashmere. This said, there are vintage cashmere garments in mint condition, but the most experts agree that the "old" cashmere was better quality.

 

[Johnny80]

Hi,

Thanks for a great informative thread. I have been lurking around for a while.

I’m wondering if anyone (maybe @Johnny80 ) knows vicuna produced by Piacenza is on par with that from brands like LP/Colombo? Piacenza has a much lower price point than the others, though still expensive.

Also, it has been mentioned that ultra fine cashmere fiber is too delicate for daily wear. What about the durability of kidwool 12.8 and gift of kings?

From my point of view , Colombo, LP and Zegna are the few that have "monopole" on Vicuna, and Colombo and Kiton are one of few that has, for now, monopole on Yangir cashmere
While Piacenza is indeed making garments in their fratelli mill, the yarn are coming from LP
Colombo is solo in everything for now.
But even if the yarn has the same quality, the artisans that creates the shape are on LP side, and of course to Colombo. But being vicuna i dont expect Piacenza to have huge price difference at retail price.
Kidwool 12.8µ while i find it more dense and more durable than gift of kings 12µ, is a delicate but very comfortable garment to wear.
But if you ask me, from my experience, if you like that kidwool/the gift of kings/12milmil12 feel of soft and lightness , you should go for the new Colombo "Cashmere 4.0" , same three properties as the kidwool(soft , comfortable and very light), but the threads are more dense, and the weight to warm ratio is also better

 

[Johnny80]

I have got a couple of items from Piacenza last year and am quite content with them.

It was a discussion about cashmere fibers toward 12 and lower 13 micron I was referring to. That knits made of these are much more delicate than the usual ones. Since Kidwool 12.8 is in the same micron range, I am wondering if the same comment apply here as well, or wool with this low micron is more durable.

everything depends...if the 1ply is made from the top tier quality yarn and carefully crafted, then the thickness it doesnt matter. An 6ply kid cashmere will be as strong as an normal 6ply cashmere with an 15.5µ. The difference is just the softness and the rarity of the yarn
The kid cashmere softness doesnt require over-process to be obtain since you already get that from the raw fibre itself. Mid and low tier italians and assians makers, use a mid tier yarn and over-process, over wash to obtain that feeling you get already from raw material of the 13µ cashmere. Scotlands houses they dont do that, they believe in the more "raw feeling" of the cashmere that with time, of course it will begin to be softer but not on the level of the kid/baby cashmere

 

[DorianGreen]

everything depends...if the 1ply is made from the top tier quality yarn and carefully crafted, then the thickness it doesnt matter. An 6ply kid cashmere will be as strong as an normal 6ply cashmere with an 15.5µ. The difference is just the softness and the rarity of the yarn
The kid cashmere softness doesnt requaire over-process to be obtain since you already get that from the raw fibre itself. Mid and low tier italians and assians makers, use a mid tier yarn and over-process, over wash to obtain that feeling you get already from raw material of the 13µ cashmere. Scotlands houses they dont do that, they believe in the more "raw feeling" of the cashmere that with time, of course it will begin to be softer but not on the level of the kid/baby cashmere

Actually I prefer that more raw/less soft feeling on Scottish cashmere, as well as the usual higher tightness, found in Ballantyne's old knit, for example.