Ordinary Folks Can Now Get Cashmere’s Goat
Cashmere, because of its rarity and expense, always had been considered a privilege of the wealthy. It was possible, perhaps, to find a sale or to catch a close-out, but mostly, cashmere sweaters, scarves and such were pricey and exclusive.
But now, led most aggressively by Banana Republic, the fashion world is bringing forth a democratization of cashmere.
Banana Republic’s advertisements are tacked up on the sides of buses. The ads are not for a special purchase or a singular promotion but rather to publicize a large-scale addition to the company’s mix of cotton T-shirts, stretch chinos and other sportswear.
“We took the preciousness out of the cashmere,” says Banana Republic spokeswoman Cindy Capobianco. With silhouettes such as vests and twin sets, the idea is to transform the way that customers think about the ultra-soft fiber made of goat wool. “We wanted customers not to consider cashmere a huge investment piece, but a luxury they could afford,” she says.
Cashmere separates have been part of the company’s selection of merchandise for several years, after they were tested in the chain’s largest stores. But this is the first season that the company has launched a broad promotion of what it calls its “cashmere bar”--the in-store display of an extensive cashmere line. The pieces are not cheap, but they are far more accessible than the standard designer merchandise. And they provide much of the same tactile pleasure.
A short-sleeve cashmere T-shirt sells from $98, and prices rise to $295 for a cashmere throw. The goal is to rid consumers of the idea that cashmere is impossibly expensive.
Meanwhile, at the designer level, companies have been working to expand the uses of cashmere. Now there are cashmere swimsuits, sweat jackets and hot pants. Instead of cashmere being used only for the most formal or classic designs, there are examples of cashmere garments created in whimsical colors and sporty silhouettes. In designer Isaac Mizrahi’s final collection, his version of the twin set--in bright fuchsia or tangerine--with a thick muff of cashmere at the neck was reportedly one of his bestselling items in some time. Designer Hussein Chalayan has energized the Tse New York collection, which focuses on cashmere, with inventive uses of texture and sculptural elements. Marc Jacobs upended the notion of cashmere as something delicate and refined by using it to create hooded sweat jackets.
And the Celine collection, designed by Michael Kors, had one of those rare hot items that send consumers from store to store in an urgent hunt. Kors’ sporty turtleneck--with a generous collar, slim cut and three-quarter-length sleeves--sold for $695. The company has so far sold more than 1,000 of the three-ply cashmere sweaters in its U.S. stores alone. That figure doesn’t include sales made in specialty stores or abroad. For spring, Celine will follow up with a sheer cashmere voile turtleneck for $595.
The difference between a $700 cashmere sweater and one found at a department store for $80 can be complex. A garment’s quality is determined by everything from where the cashmere goats were raised--the fleece from those nurtured in the cold climates of the Himalayas is considered softer than that from Colorado, for instance--to the thickness of the final weave.
Manufacturing and merchandising forces also have an impact. Greater volume produces lower prices, as does less expensive labor--from Asia as opposed to Italy, for example. Sophisticated styling raises the price. And a marquee name on the label can push the price up significantly.
Perhaps most important, however, is that the high profile of Banana Republic cashmere underscores an often discounted truth: Designers no longer control the definition of luxury.
“It’s not about buying something from a fashion designer. You used to think that only if you buy something and it has this label in it, it’ll be quality,” Capobianco says. “I think that myth has been shattered.”
