Desert gold: Caruso turns camel yarn into tailoring treasure

While most of the world’s tailoring brands are investing in cutting-edge technologies to innovate their suiting selections, Caruso has teamed up with fibre experts Loro Piana to harness one of the oldest natural yarn sources: the Camelus bactrianus, otherwise known as the two-humped camel. These Gobi Desert nomads, who helped define the Silk Road, in the process earning them the moniker ‘ships of the desert’, have long been recognised for the golden hues and thermostatic properties of their coats, attuned to their Mongolian environs.
The Italian brand’s resulting ‘Gobigold’ yarn brings new lustre to the term ‘camel coat’, originally worn by polo players between chukkas. With thanks to Loro Piana’s spinning expertise, the rare fibre, which is sometimes mixed with Super 170’s merino wool, has been used to weave cashmere-soft flannel suiting, jumpers and coats for A/W16. As for the animals themselves, they are free to roam in the wild, but are regularly fed and sheared by the textile giant.
Originally featured in the October 2016 issue of Wallpaper* (*211)
With thanks to Loro Piana’s spinning expertise, the rare fibre has been used to weave cashmere-soft flannel suiting, jumpers and coats for A/W16. Pictured left: Jacket (part of a suit), £1,580; tie, £80, both by Caruso. Pictured right: Jumper, £720; trousers (part of a suit), £1,580, both by Caruso
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Caruso website
Photography: Chad Picard
Fashion: Jason Hughes
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
At this secret NYC hangout, the drinks are strong and the vibes are stronger
For People's bar, Workstead serves up a good time
By Anna Fixsen
-
‘Fall Guy’ director David Leitch takes us inside his breathtaking Los Angeles home
For movie power couple David Leitch and Kelly McCormick, interior designer Vanessa Alexander crafts a home with the ultimate Hollywood ending
By Anna Fixsen
-
Real or imaginary? Step inside the alternate world of Jeff Wall's photographs
Jeff Wall's major show at MAAT in Portugal dives into four decades of the photographer's career
By Emily Steer