# Where to buy Cashmere in London?



## adrian07 (Aug 3, 2007)

Want to buy a fine quality Cashmere sweater, preferably UK made. Where should I go and what brands to look for? I want the absolute best, cost is not a factor.

I'm perfectly ignorant when it comes to cashmere, so any tips will be appreciated.


----------



## ToryBoy (Oct 13, 2008)

You want Scottish cashmere.

Go to Harrods, they may still have Turnbull & Asser or Ballantyne sweaters on sale. Last year I picked up a T&A sweater for £99 and Ballantyne were on sale too.

They did have T&A sweater on sale for £149 after Boxing Day and whatever they cannot sell them, they are reduced for the extra 10% off weekend, which just passed.

I have both T&A and Ballantyne cashmere sweaters (and a Ballantyne cashmere scarf) and swear by them. They retail for just under £300

T&A -

Ballantyne - 
The pattern designs cost more.

T&A have a shop on Jermyn Street and Ballantyne have a shop on New Bond Street. I would try Harrods first though because they stock both (even though they may not be on sale).

https://www.degeandskinner.co.uk/shopassistant/pages_new/newcoll08/sweaters.htm - I do not know what their cashmere is.


----------



## chrstc (Jun 11, 2007)

Hello,
The best place for cashmere in London is Berk in the Burlington Arcade in my opinion and the client list speaks for itself too. You have to go and visit them if only to stare at the incredible range of colours- pictures just don't do the shop justice. Berk's own-label cashmere is made by John Laing (as is the T&A cashmere described by Tory Boy above) and they sell a much better range of traditional Ballantyne cashmere than you can get in the Ballantyne shop. The staff there really know what they are selling too which is a big plus. The other problem with Ballantyne is that much of their cashmere is now made in their Italian factory and not the traditional factory in Innerleithen. Berk only sell the Scottish-made Ballantyne so that takes some of the detective work out of the equation too (new Ballantyne labels in their own shop are confusing but, in the end, if the word "Scotland" doesn't appear on that main tag then the garment is made in the Italian factory instead). There are always some pieces on sale/special offer too though they are never mentioned on the website.

www.berkcashmere.co.uk

As for the Dege and Skinner cashmere- I actually own one of those sweaters bought last year in the sale. They are excellent and are made by Hawick Knitwear (not Hawick Cashmere which is a separate company). They are two ply sweaters as well which is very unusual at that price. Well worth it in my opinion. Another good option for Hawick Knitwear cashmere and also some old Murray Allan is this excellent eBay store:

https://search.stores.ebay.co.uk/Ka...rtsZ0QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ81486108QQsofpZ0

If you are prepared to wait then you could also try T&A again in the summer sales when cashmere jumpers are frequently reduced to as little as £49 for the single ply V and crew necks.

Hope this helps,

Chris.


----------



## sleats (Oct 27, 2008)

Johnstons of Elgin, only maker of Cashmere from raw product to the finished designed goods are the maker of most cashmere that you see from Pringle, to Hacket to Burberry so in short Johnstons. Anything else is either their stuff with a chunky mark up or more likely cheap import.


----------



## chrstc (Jun 11, 2007)

sleats said:


> Anything else is either their stuff with a chunky mark up or more likely cheap import.


Johnstons are a great "cashmere house" but this statement is extraordinarily inaccurate. There are still plenty of other Scottish cashmere producers around- Ballantyne, Lockie, Hawick Knitwear, Hawick Cashmere, Barrie, John Laing etc etc.

Chris.


----------



## TheGuyIsBack (Nov 6, 2008)

Apparantly Scottish cashmere is the best out there so there is plenty of choice in the UK.


----------



## sleats (Oct 27, 2008)

chrstc said:


> Johnstons are a great "cashmere house" but this statement is extraordinarily inaccurate. There are still plenty of other Scottish cashmere producers around- Ballantyne, Lockie, Hawick Knitwear, Hawick Cashmere, Barrie, John Laing etc etc.
> 
> Chris.


Its a generalisation indeed not pure fact!


----------



## RJman (Nov 11, 2003)

Is Barrie still around? Laing keeps calling in the receivers; Ballantyne is an oddity stuck between classic stuff and high fashion, Italian/Romanian production and Scottish production, and now it has spun off its manufacturing arm in Scotland the way that Chester Barrie did with Cheshire Clothing (now Cheshire Bespoke) seven years ago.

Surprised to read Pringle is made by Johnstons. Hm.

In point of fact there are fewer and fewer Scottish cashmere houses, by the year, and their production is by no means easy to find. Berk may have the best cashmere in London, although the prices are very high. Johnstons is good although the quality doesn't always seem as good as some of the best of the older stuff. Hawick is nice if you can find it; Lockie may make for Henry Poole's knitwear... Try the Harrods sale for probably the best prices on Scottish cashmere. If you pay attention, you'll notice that certain Scottish makers get picked up for a season or two by the big American department stores following their attempts at relaunch and then often get dropped -- their prices may be too high, or their name not as well marketed as a Loro Piana with its omnipresent cloth ads or Brunello Cucinelli and its licensed non-cashmere clothing and cashmere-lined gimmicks. 

If there is no country of origin label on it, assume it was not made in the UK, and maybe not in the EU, if you care about such things.

We are in the Kali Yaga of quality clothing. Buy it now, because it is either going to disappear or become even more stratospherically expensive.


----------



## adrian07 (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks! I think I will go with Johnstons. I love how 'inhouse' they are.

Can someone telly me what is the meaning/difference between 1 ply and 2 ply? Also what is the meaning of woven and knit?

Best


----------



## TheGuyIsBack (Nov 6, 2008)

RJman said:


> Is Barrie still around? Laing keeps calling in the receivers; Ballantyne is an oddity stuck between classic stuff and high fashion, Italian/Romanian production and Scottish production, and now it has spun off its manufacturing arm in Scotland the way that Chester Barrie did with Cheshire Clothing (now Cheshire Bespoke) seven years ago.
> 
> Surprised to read Pringle is made by Johnstons. Hm.
> 
> ...


So when did you learn Sanskrit?


----------



## Holdfast (Oct 30, 2005)

sleats said:


> Johnstons of Elgin.. are the maker of... Pringle


Really? Did not know that.


----------



## Cavaliere (Oct 25, 2006)

Nobody has mentioned N. Peal, which is also to be found at the Burlington Arcade. I am particularly fond of its waistcoats - fashioned in the same style as a suit waistcoat, incidentally.

Early last year I managed to find the most dandy, Edwardian style double-breasted cashmere waistcoats. And they were heavily discounted! I bought three: pale grey, pale blue and pale pink. I'd never seen one before; or since.


----------



## Khnelben (Feb 18, 2005)

*Also ...*

you can go to Cordings - right on Picadilly.

Hackett has Scottish sweaters.

The House of Scotland on Regent street also has a selection.

Andrey


----------



## chrstc (Jun 11, 2007)

adrian07 said:


> Thanks! I think I will go with Johnstons. I love how 'inhouse' they are.
> 
> Can someone telly me what is the meaning/difference between 1 ply and 2 ply? Also what is the meaning of woven and knit?
> 
> Best


Hi again,
There are several good cashmere FAQs out there. Try these for starters:

https://www.simplycashmere.co.uk/cashmeretruths

Johnstons are definitely a great choice- I have several cashmere accessories made by them that have lasted very well. Some London sources of Johnstons that I know of include:

https://www.highlandstore.com/ -a strange sop obviously aimed at tourists but with a selection of Johnstons sweaters. Best to email thme to see if there is anything that might be of interest first, though. They're based opposite the British Museum.

John Lewis on Oxford Street and Fenwick on Bond Street are also clearing out the Johnstons sweaters that they stocked in the run up to Christmas. Basic sweaters (including some interesting-looking cable knit V necks in Lewis) reduced to around £100.

Brora cashmere is also made by Johnstons and I think, though am not certain, that N.Peal is too.

Finally it'd be worth keeping an eye out in your local TK Maxx too as there was a lot of Laing, Johnstons and Ballantyne cashmere there before Christmas. Might still be some stragglers hanging around if you're lucky!

Hope this helps,
Chris.


----------



## bengal-stripe (May 10, 2003)

adrian07 said:


> Also what is the meaning of woven and knit?


Woven - using a loom, makes cloth or fabric. Thread goes lengthwise (warp) and crosswise (weft)., crossing over each other every time;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weft

The width of the fabric is determined by the width of the loom. The fabric is then cut and sewn to make a jacket or an overcoat.

Knitted - using knitting needles (or machinery replicating them). One strand of wool is manipulated to form a mesh.










Knitwear stretches, fabric does not (or only little).


----------



## Carlton-Browne (Jun 4, 2007)

It may be worth your while getting on the Johnston's mailing list. They had a one day sale in Westminster before Christmas which I was fairly pleased with and I assume that they have other events throughout the year. I assume you can do this via their website.


----------



## WoolSilkCotton (Nov 15, 2005)

Try the Highland Store across the street from the British Museum. They carry a beautiful selection of cashmere from Scotland, including Johnston's. Prices are surprisingly reasonable. They also have a website https://www.highlandstore.com/
But definitely stop in the store if you're in London! Seeing all the colors, tartans, and getting to feel all that cashmere and wool...I loved browsing there.


----------



## misterdonuts (Feb 15, 2008)

RJman said:


> Surprised to read Pringle is made by Johnstons. Hm.





Holdfast said:


> Really? Did not know that.


No, Johnstons do not make for Pringle.


----------



## ToryBoy (Oct 13, 2008)

*got to Harrods asap*

HARRODS.

TURNBULL & ASSER SWEATERS FOR £145 OR 3 FOR £300.


----------



## adrian07 (Aug 3, 2007)

Thank you all! You gave me a crash course so complete I'll start giving advice to others now :icon_smile_big:

You are the best


----------



## misterdonuts (Feb 15, 2008)

Sorry boys, I jumped the gun on my previous post. Since Pringle shut their factory in Scotland, Johnstons do supply their Scotch products.


----------



## David Cox (May 12, 2010)

although this thread has not been active for a time I have posted links on the thread https://askandyaboutclothes.com/com...-Cashmere-sources&highlight=scottish+knitwear which maybe be of interest.


----------



## Literide (Nov 11, 2004)

adrian07 said:


> Want to buy a fine quality Cashmere sweater, preferably UK made. Where should I go and what brands to look for? I want the absolute best, cost is not a factor.
> 
> I'm perfectly ignorant when it comes to cashmere, so any tips will be appreciated.


Archie Brown, Hamilton Bermuda


----------

