Soft, fluid silhouettes with a second skin comfort is what Loro Piana stands for.
Vicuña — known to produce extremely high-grade fleece, was said to be “worth more than gold”. Today, Loro Piana is one of the biggest suppliers of vicuña, the miniature cousin of the llama. But back in ‘60s, the supply for vicuña was dwindling as there were less than 5,000 of its population left in the Andes. It also started to slowly became less relevant to a younger generation of luxury consumers until the late Sergio Loro Piana and his brother Pier Luigi, saw the opportunity in the material. They inherited their father’s love for the fiber, and invested their time and resources with the Peruvian authorities concentrating on various initiatives like nature reserves in the mid ‘80s.
Fast forward to today: The brand, who in 2013 sold 80% of its stake to French multinational luxury goods conglomerate LVMH for US$2 billion, now raises vicuña in their very own 2,000 hectare nature reserve in Peru.
Established in 1924, this Italian clothing company have also tirelessly sought to be the premium producers of wool. In 1975, upon the advice of his father Franco Loro Piana, Pier Luigi, the deputy chairman of the luxury firm, kept a few lengths of Tasmanian cloth made with Merino wool. The billionaire businessman later travelled to Australia and New Zealand to meet with new farmers to forge new partnerships to safeguard the production of Merino wool, encouraging the farmers to breed selectively.
Loro Piana’s thriving luxury yarn and textile arm is one of the world’s largest—producing more than 10 million feet of fabric every year such as wool, baby cashmere, cotton, vicuña and linen. They have also been actively championing sustainable efforts in their business preferring selective breeding of goats so as to obtain the finest fiber for their cashmere. This cashmere is superlative as it is biodegradable and can be absorbed into the soil within a year.
Nowadays, the brand is not only revered for its exceptional fabrics — they have also created a buzz amongst the elite with their ready-to-wear collections. For the Spring/Summer 2020 season, Loro Piana channels an effortless yet sophisticated look in their collections. Separates such as an oversized cape, buttonless jackets paired with matching trousers, cosy knits by way of a cream coloured skirt-and-cardigan combo as well utilitarian safari jackets are some of the key highlights.
The idea here is simple. Modern classics made with impeccable quality boasts not just versatility; it transcends generations. A crisp white shirt dress paired with flat leather sandals will look just as sensational on a woman in her 50s as it would on her 20-year old daughter. Relaxed pantsuits with flared trousers and a blazer with a removable sash are en pointe for brunch on a yacht. Cinch the blazer with a leather belt and you’re ready to kick sass at a board meeting.
It’s hard to fully describe the sensation of a Loro Piana cashmere on your skin or the snuggly comfort of its premium wool because the truth is, you need to wear it to comprehend the exquisiteness of its fabrication.
But one thing’s for sure — if you have the spending power to splurge on a Loro Piana garment, don’t think twice.
Images courtesy of Loro Piana, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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