The two Italian heavyweights have teamed up to create an ultrafine new fabric that gives cashmere and vicuña a run for their money.
As far as fabrics go, you know the existing hierarchy: Cotton is good, wool is better, cashmere’s the best. That’s been the status quo—give or take some mohair and vicuña—for almost as long as looms have been spinning. But leave it to two storied Italian houses, tailoring brand Caruso and textile titan Loro Piana, to develop a new fabric contending for the title of world’s most exquisite textile. Their proprietary invention, called Gobigold, is crafted from the most exclusive pure camel hair.
Camel hair is by no means a new fabric. It’s been a choice material for topcoats since the early 20th century, prized for its softness and insulating properties. But there’s a reason why one doesn’t see camel suits. The fabric is particularly thick and heavy, which may be appealing in a coat but makes for a stiff, unbreathable suit. The master weavers at Loro Piana, however, have developed technology that allows them to craft a fabric from the finest camel-hair fibers sourced from camels in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. To give you a sense of this refining process, only 30 percent of camel hair is suitable for clothing, and Gobigold is made from the thinnest fibers of that 30 percent. This makes for an exceptionally soft, flexible, and lightweight fabric with a feel and drape akin to the very best cashmere or vicuña.
The pure camel-hair Gobigold is ideal for fall and winter suits, as it is notably insulating. But even better, the fashion houses have blended it with Super 170’s merino wool for a more versatile option, and come spring, there’s even a unique mix of Gobigold and Irish linen. Available in a variety of suits, coats, and sportswear cut with Caruso’s signature style—dapper tailoring balanced with an easy elegance—the Gobigold collection has us thinking that camel may be the new cashmere.
A New Suiting Staple: Caruso and Loro Piana’s Gobigold Collection