Although the Loro Piana family originally started as merchants of wool fabrics at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Italian clothing company Loro Piana has been specialising in luxury cashmere and wool products since 1924.  The brand has been turning out superlative garments built on knowledge acquired from six generations in the field, so it may not be surprising that Loro Piana is renowned for its craftsmanship and quality. But what might be more surprising is its commitment to innovation.  For example, in collaboration with local producers in Mongolia and northern China, Loro Piana developed baby cashmere, a soft downy fibre that is combed from the fleece of a kid before it is 12 months old, and can be collected only once in the goat’s life. Each kid will produce no more than 30g of this precious fibre.  But this innovation is not restricted merely to discovering superior natural products. The company’s Storm and Rain System technologies are advanced treatments for the surface of these luxury fabrics, effectively morphing high-quality designer garments into performance clothing.  The secret to Loro Piana’s Rain System treatment is a thin and feather light micromolecular and microporous absorbent membrane that is added to the back of those exclusive fabrics. The clever part is that while moisture from the outside is barred from passing inwards, vapour produced from sweating is wicked outwards, away from the body, keeping the wearer bone dry.  The Storm System takes this Rain technology and adds yet another layer to it – an exclusive hydrophobic membrane that is both waterproof and windproof. What you end up with, of course, is a garment that has style and extreme quality, one that can be worn from city meetings to travelling, battling spring’s inclement weather on the way.  And, most impressively, these pieces crucially do not sacrifice any of the inherent softness of the raw materials of cashmere or vicuña for this added performance ability.  Take the brand’s Houston reversible overcoat, priced at £3,780, for example. One side is baby cashmere treated with the Storm System coating for waterproofing and wind resistance, while the opposite is 100 percent silk impregnated with the water-repellent Rain System: a coat in which one is literally prepared for almost anything.  But should you wish to embrace a performance wardrobe item fully yet still enjoy a luxurious finish, Loro Piana also produces the £1,600 Regatta S sailing jacket, crafted using three layers of technical stretch fabric blending wool, nylon and silk. Once again the Storm System is integrated, but the jacket has a few clever details hidden up its sleeves. Well, all over, in fact. Water resistant zips adorn the front, while a useful hood is built into the collar. Neoprene, usually used to fashion wetsuits, is employed around the jacket base, and all the pockets both inside and out are laser-cut so they remain seamless.  Being able to adorn oneself in silk, vicuña or cashmere while caring not one jot about what the weather may bring, thanks to these technical innovations, is a rare stylistic place to be in. Braving the elements never felt so good.
The storied Italian house might be steeped in tradition, but its outerwear is at the forefront of technical innovation, discovers Jeremy White