Cashmere – Fashion’s Latest Must-Have

Feb 3, 2012 by cherylparkerlondon

Fashions come and fashions go at breakneck pace, but cashmere’s ascent into the fashion spotlight has been nothing if not slow burning. A darling of Britain’s rich elite for more decades than anyone could care to count, it has long been a low-key wardrobe staple of the best dressed people on the planet, without ever being the centre of any major fashion focus.

All that changed in 2011, however, when the fashion spotlight began to shine brightly on what has long been a well kept secret among the world’s style elite.

Suddenly, luxury cashmere retailers began to see their wares splashed over the pages of the world’s fashion press, and stylish shoppers everywhere began to appreciate the subtle charms of this most luxurious of fabrics.

It is perhaps not hard to see where this sudden passion for cashmere has come from. For several years now, the recession-hit has seen fashion hungry buyers fighting for bargains at super-cheap stores, where prices are so low that nobody cares if an item of clothing tears at the seams after being worn just a couple of times, or loses its shape or colour in the first wash.

But all this fashion frugality can take its toll, and it is perhaps no wonder that stylish guys and gals are now hankering after wardrobe items with a little more style and a lot more staying power. Cashmere is synonymous with luxury, it looks and feels fantastic and there can be few of us who can honestly say we wouldn’t jump at the chance to welcome a little cashmere into our lives. The high price tag has been a sticking point for many, but those for whom making a cashmere purchase is a major investment have been stretching their budgets to allow room for a little luxury – cut back on the quick-fix high street buys for just a few weeks, and it can be surprisingly easy to afford a little cashmere luxury. Scarves, gloves, sweaters, cardigans and dresses have all been big cashmere sellers in 2011, and that success looks set to grow even further in 2012 as luxury cashmere boutiques up their game with new ranges to tempt in new converts to cashmere. Once you have tried cashmere, it is true to say that no inferior material will ever feel the same again.