The Luxe Joys of Secondhand Cashmere
That Great Banana Republic Cashmere campaign, WaPo, Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist, TSE, the '90s cashmere boom, and a few deliciously soft links.
Last week, Rachel Tashjian of The Washington Post wrote an article investigating the quality of cheap cashmere from Naadam, Quince, and Uniqlo, which cost roughly $60 to $99. The price is indeed inexpensive, but at what cost? There are quality issues, like “frosting,” in which Tashjian explains that the color strips, and, of course, there’s the much-detested pilling. And although many of these cheap cashmere companies claim to cut out the middleman, who knows what happens on the ground? Plus, production ethics doesn’t only touch cheap cashmere: Tashjian pointed out issues with zillion-digit giants like Loro Piana, which, according to Bloomberg, didn’t pay its farmers who gathered the cashmere for its sweaters.
So why not buy cashmere secondhand? After I wrote a piece on the erotic allure of the V-neck, I purchased a used cashmere sweater from Etsy. (I was inspired by a still of Claudia Schiffer in Black and White (1999). I want to believe her turquoise V-neck was cashmere!) My sweater was a verdant romaine green and had an epic virginal softness. Wearing it felt like I’d been tickled by the nimble fingers of angels. The vintage garment, in perfect condition, only put me back a total of $41
There are tons of vintage and secondhand cashmere options on the internet. You’ll find them all over on eBay, The RealReal, or Poshmark for under $150 or $100 or $50. I’ve found stellar pieces, like a nubby TSE cashmere mock neck for $85, and a searing Gatorade blue Banana Republic ribbed turtleneck for $42. (There’s a whole lot more below, too). The search brings me back to the Great Banana Republic Cashmere Push of 1998, in which Gap Inc. had an entire campaign dedicated to the fine fiber. (Giddy up: At the time, Banana Republic plunged $4.7 million