l y n n e
the cashmere guernsey
Made from 100% Scottish cashmere. Knitted on Guernsey.
The marriage between two of L Y N N E ‘s biggest textile loves. This is the first time in commercial production that these pieces have been knitted together. A collaboration that L Y N N E is fiercely proud of, it combines her past two decades of cashmere experience with over 60 years of knitwear knowledge from her textile mentor Arthur Eldridge, owner of Guernsey Woollens.
The Guernsey is famous worldwide, with its roots in the 16th century, when hand knitting was at its peak. Traditionally knitted by women for sailors, coastal workers and fishermen, these pieces were used to protect the wearer from harsh weather come hail, rain or shine. By the 1800s, a typical pattern was set in place, still used as a template today, and each element of the garment's’ construction is significant - from the original diamond-shaped armpit to aid movement, to the ribbing on the sleeve used to mirror rope.
Knitters were said to customise for certain individuals, so that if a jumper was to be separated from its wearer, they could be identified and reunited. L Y N N E ‘s nod to this customisation comes in merging Scottish cashmere with the artisans who knit here on Guernsey.
Typically a kilogramme in weight, the cashmere Guernsey is the ultimate in luxury. With 12 ply of the finest Scottish cashmere sourced at Todd & Duncan on the banks of Loch Leven, the yarn is transported to Guernsey, where it is expertly knitted into the traditional jumper before heading back to Scotland to be finished in our geographically soft Scottish water in the heart of Hawick. On its return to Guernsey, the labels and ends are sewn in, ready to head off to its next generation of seafarer.
the FAIR ISLE
Made from 100% Scottish cashmere. Knitted on Fair Isle.
Provenance is the heartbeat of any artisan creation. For centuries Fair Isle, the rugged island north of Scotland between Orkney and Shetland, has been synonymous with the pattern it so famously coined. Knitting is a way of life for islanders. It is a technique handed down from one generation of artisan to the next, intrinsic to island life. Today a handful of knitters produce all of Fair Isle’s woollen output.
Like its Guernsey counterpart, the Fair Isle follows a similar trajectory to the story of its inception. At its height of production in the 1800s, these jumpers were traditionally hand knitted by the women on island for fisherman and coastal workers and worn by the individuals on island from the 20th century.
The jumpers were traded with passing ships as way of currency. It was in this trading that the world got to see a real knitwear gem, in L Y N N E ‘s opinion the jewel in our textile crown. The Fair Isle has been immortalised in literature, portraiture and photography ever since its inception but more strikingly, the pattern has taken on a life of its own, transcending the island and capturing the hearts of designers and knitters the world over who have all created their own versions of the iconic pattern.
L Y N N E has collaborated with islander Marie Bruhat to create the first of three pieces made from 100% Scottish cashmere and knitted exclusively on Fair Isle. This 10 ply jumper follows traditional motifs that have been produced on island for hundreds of years.
the hooded yacht wrap
Made from 100% Scottish cashmere. Knitted in Hawick. Built for boating.
The first time L Y N N E ever jumped, feet first, off a yacht into the icy North Sea, she was 15 years old. That summer, she was selected by a charity aimed at giving underprivileged teens the opportunity to learn new skills by offering a place in that year’s Tall Ships Race from St Malo to Lerwick. Aboard Alba Venturer, L Y N N E learned to sail and also fell hook, line and sinker for cold water swimming in the frigid waters surrounding the British Isles.
Later in life and still lusting after the icy rush of cold water swimming, L Y N N E perfected the art of post-swim outfits to warm up in. Garments made from Scottish cashmere became the go-to, layering two of the best selling items from her inaugural collection: the cashmere hoodie and the wrap cardigan. And so the hooded yacht wrap was born - a lightweight and ludicrously soft-to-the-touch post-swim companion, which you can obviously choose to wear any way you wish, and all without having to face a loony dook first!
Today, L Y N N E personally supports the charity that changed her life, sponsoring a young person to take part in this year’s Tall Ship Race. The hooded yacht wrap is a celebration of that formative trip that transformed her life.
The shepherd’s plaid blanket
Made from 100% lambswool. Woven in Selkirk.
The shepherd’s plaid is steeped in Scottish folklore. Historically woven in the Scottish Borders, this interwoven check pattern, using two different colourways, was worn by shepherds tending to their flock. Used as a piece of utilitarian workwear, this large rectangular piece of fabric would be wrapped around the shepherd’s body during lambing. They would use the material to shield themselves from the elements while outside farming, collecting lambs who had strayed in the fields and placing them inside the plaids to carry them back to the farm.
During the Scottish Enlightenment, Sir Walter Scott hijacked this piece of utilitarian workwear and repackaged it as formal highlandwear to the landed gentry. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were so enamoured by the romanticised image of Scotland that the Balmoral effect was officially born. Nowadays you typically see plaids worn in traditional wedding settings over a kilt. However the humble plaid harbours many more uses. Cuddle underneath it on the sofa or thrown over your shoulders when out in all seasons, it really is the hardest working textile you could own - those shepherds certainly understood.
As the first garment L Y N N E worked with in her role as brand guardian of one of Scotland’s oldest artisan tartan mills, the plaid is a very personal piece to her. Often gifted to her friends and family who are moving in together, celebrating a house move or are getting married, plaids can come in a plethora of colours. These are L Y N N E ‘s favourites for this season.
The cashmere joggers
Made from 100% Scottish cashmere. Knitted in Hawick. The ultimate luxury in boating loungewear.
The joggers were introduced to twin with the collection of sweaters. Whether worn with the Fair Isle or the Guernsey, either combination makes for the perfect pairing. However, it’s the yacht wrap and joggers that are L Y N N E ‘s power couple. It is her very personal nod to a set of muses who put Scottish cashmere on the map, inspiring generations for almost a century.
Otto Weisz came to Scotland from Vienna with his parents as a child. During the 1930s he invented the cashmere twin set - two pieces of cashmere worn together, typically a cardigan over a t-shirt, putting Scottish cashmere on the world stage. His most famous admirer was Grace Kelly. In 2013, while L Y N N E was working as a fashion journalist, she was able to work closely with a collection honouring the pair. Central Saint Martins students had been given the opportunity to create a capsule based around Grace Kelly’s personal cashmere collection that is still housed in Monaco today.
It was said during this project, that any time Grace Kelly wanted to commemorate something good happening to her, she’d buy herself a piece of cashmere. It’s a sentiment that has stayed with L Y N N E.
The yacht wrap and joggers are L Y N N E ‘s very own spin on Weisz’s iconic twin-set, honouring both Grace and Otto in the process.
