Loro Piana is known for making “uncompromising quality its mission.” The brand sources the finest raw materials in the world and then makes all of its products in its factories in Italy. Its baby cashmere pieces—be it an elegant sweater or a cozy blanket—are winter staples. But for its latest creative collaboration, Loro Piana puts the spotlight on another rare fiber—the rarest of them all, actually—vicuña.
The brand teamed up with journalist and author Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis on a beautiful capsule inspired by her signature style.
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The pastel-hued sweaters are crafted using fleece from the vicuña's chest, which is much lighter in color than the rest of its body, so only a few ounces of it can be harvested at a time. That makes every piece one-of-a-kind since there are variations in the fiber’s natural color, resulting in slight variations in the final pastel hues. To make the sweaters even more exclusive, each one comes with a certificate of origin documenting the product’s full journey from its origin in South America to the store.
“When Loro Piana asked me to style their most precious collection, the iconic Vicuña, I was intrigued for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the brand though very exclusive is focused on its materials, not just the latest trends. The ultimate luxury here, is the preservation of the Vicuna herds in Peru and the meticulous handling and production, which is a labor of love and craftsmanship at the highest level,” said Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis. “Plus Engadin valley [where the campaign was shot] is a place I love as is styling and storytelling so there was so much common thread between my ideas and Loro Piana’s vision.”
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Known as the “fiber of gods,” vicuña fleece could only be worn by kings and the highest-ranking society members in South America in the past. Because the Vicunas in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia are also listed as a threatened species, no more than nine ounces can be obtained from each animal every two years. Loro Piana has been committed to safeguarding these animals—in 2008, it created the first private nature reserve in Peru. In 2018, it launched the Proyecto Acqua, which aims to preserve the habitat of the vicuñas through the conservation of natural water reserves with the help of local communities.
The Vicuña collection is now available in all Loro Piana flagship stores and online starting February 10.
