Cashmere designs are not known for being groundbreaking - this most luxurious of fabrics traditionally has been restricted to scarves, twin sets and frumpy cardigans. But the knit appears to be enjoying a renaissance as a hip fabric du jour.
Not only is cashmere more readily available (high street stores from Uniqlo to Marks & Spencer all have their own dedicated ranges) but, increasingly, designers are discovering its versatility and using it to create cutting-edge designs.
Hong Kong-born designer Lisa Tsang launched Lisa T Cashmere in 2006, after working as a knitwear designer for Issey Miyake. After 10 years in the business, the Central St Martin's graduate, who had become increasingly fascinated by construction, decided she wanted to push knitwear design into new territory.
'I realised that couture is closely related to wovens so I knew it was possible to manipulate shapes and experiment. I wanted to be able to interpret cashmere in a different way so I sourced super fine quality to heavy gauges and began manipulating fabrics and structures on the body through techniques like draping,' she says.
Following several visits to vintage markets in London, Tsang created a collection inspired by the golden age of couture, with 1950s silhouettes infused with Japanese origami techniques. With raw cashmere sourced from the mainland and Mongolia, Tsang opted for yarn spun in Italy to ensure the best quality possible. Her designs were made at two mainland factories. One of her best-selling items is the bolero, which is handmade using 24 pieces of fabric.
'Other cashmere brands tend to create boring designs. Prices are high, so what you are buying should last forever. At the same time, designs should be pushed to a higher level.
'My style is classic with a twist. I like pieces that can be worn in several ways. For next winter we are working on a cowl neck jumper/cape which has a tab to make the sleeves shorter and holes for a belt, so it looks like a dress. Gloves come with a built-in Swarovksi ring on one of the fingers, so you don't need jewellery,' she says.