LORO PIANA AND CARUSO PARTNER TO LAUNCH GOBIGOLD

by Stephen Garner

loro-pianaItalian luxury brand Raffaele Caruso SpA has teamed up with Loro Piana to develop a new group of suits and knits under its own dedicated label Gobigold. The new line uses precious camel hair from the Gobi Desert developed exclusively by Loro Piana for Caruso.

The suit fabrics will be presented in two varieties: A 100 percent pure camel quarter-milled “tropical,” weighing 300 grams, in chalk stripes and Prince of Wales design, and a 55 percent camel-45 percent Super 170s wool “flannel,” weighing 260 grams, in solid colors.

“This will become the connoisseur’s choice, rather than the ubiquitous cashmere,” said Umberto Angeloni, chairman, chief executive officer and majority shareholder of Raffaele Caruso SpA. “The old concept of the heavy and traditional camel coat is over; these suits are feather-light and supple.”

The worsted fabrics were initially meant for the fall season, but they are now worked into weights for four seasons. “This is a long-term project,” observed Angeloni of the collections, which encompass suits, sportswear, knits and accessories.