Whilst cashmere clothing has always had a striking appeal to the discerning, over the past few years the legendarily soft textile has risen to become a fashion sensation.
Thanks in part to the rise of stealth wealth and other trends that make far more subtle and impactful statements than the previously ostentatious fashions that previously took hold, cashmere has become the centre of the fashion world, aided by the fact it can be worn in pretty much any way.
It has also meant that the luxurious and rare material has ended up in several places you might not expect, including in the interiors of luxury cars.
Whilst leather seats have long been the luxurious accoutrement of choice for the luxury motorist, there is an increasing interest amongst companies such as Bentley, Range Rover, Aston Martin and Ferrari in using cashmere and other luxury wools as part of the interior.
This is not entirely new, as silk and cashmere have been part of luxury interiors in the past, given that both have an almost timeless reputation for being soft and luxurious materials, but it has taken a while for cashmere to return to the car dashboard.
Part of it has been a matter of practicality; cashmere is a soft material that is sturdier than one may think, but given that even a luxury car suffers a lot of wear and tear, it would inevitably become damaged far sooner than a leather interior would.
It is also far more difficult to clean in a car than cashmere garments would be, which is often the reason why luxury manufacturers would be more circumspect and instead offer materials such as “cashmere leather”.
This is not cashmere, but instead is beige-coloured leather, which defeats the object. However, as cashmere enjoys another season as the centre of attention, expect to see the material in even more places you may not expect.
