Fashion / Style

Here comes the sun: Barrie unveils its new cashmere collection

Whether you call the northern hemisphere home, or are jetting there for the holiday season, there's no denying the comforts that a cosy jumper brings this time of year. And when we think of knitwear, we look no further than the softest cashmeres from Barrie to ease the chill.

There’s nothing quite like the feel of high-quality cashmere against your skin, and Coco Chanel would attest to that. Playful patterns, warm colours and soft to the touch, Barrie knitwear's capsule collection, Sun Faded, summons all the feelings of summer even when the temperatures start to fall.

Acquired by Chanel in 2012, Barrie has supplied some of the most prestigious fashion houses with their artisanal knitwear, before launching its first solo collection in 2014. wKnitwear virtuosity at its finest – from sweaters to dresses and turtlenecks and trousers - Barrie provided the opportunity to wear a rare art form few brands have the ability to produce.

Under the guidance of artistic director Augustin Dol-Maillot this season’s capsule collection brought that signature blend of traditional and modern to the table. After revisiting five designs from its B Label collection, reinterpreted with an ultra-innovative colouring process, the result is the ultimate ‘faded by the sun’ aesthetic we didn’t know we needed ’til now. Sweaters in an array of organic colours, expertly muted as if faded by the summer sun – throwing on this collection will revive the summer feeling we spend the whole year chasing.

And it’s not just this collection that makes Barrie unique, it’s the extensive process behind each piece that makes them individual works of art. With yarn all the way from the plateaus of Mongolia to the largely female work force hand-knitting each design to perfection in Scotland, and the demanding natural softening process behind each garment – each step towards the finished product is precisely thought out and executed, ( “We treat our cashmere naturally, like a rose. You water it, look after it and it just gets better and better”).