Naked Cashmere

Spring Into Action with Naked Cashmere

March 8, 2020 By denise Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This not a compensated or sponsored post. I was provided the product for review purposes only. All opinions expressed here are my own.

When I first started to learn about Naked Cashmere I was intrigued. I kept seeing it on Selena Gomez and thought those pieces look great and transition easily from Winter to Spring. Naked Cashmere carries its weight in promising recycled cashmere, introducing a 100-percent recycled cashmere spring collection “Cashmere Reborn.”

Featuring soft seven-gauge cashmere pullovers, dusters, dresses, tops and tanks, and matching sets (indicative of the Instagram-induced trend of influencers palming coffee mugs in their luxury loungewear), the collection hopes to be a sustainable, luxury choice for transitioning to warmer seasons.

The premium cashmere business was founded in 2016 by Bruce and Leslie Gifford as the direct-to-consumer channel of the Los Angeles-based firm 360 Sweater Company LLC. The duo has been in the industry for more than 20 years and found a way to offer the luxe fabric at affordable prices after a trip to Mongolia. They’ve done this by working directly with factories there, ultimately cutting out the middlemen and knocking down the price for us. Its pieces are 100 percent cashmere at just half the traditional retail price.

The recycling process for its fully recycled cashmere collection is complicated, involving the use of vacuums under the machines to collect fibers, with the bulk of recycled cashmere coming from “un-knitting or chopping up previously made sweaters.” Weight and length are everything in determining quality, so Naked Cashmere sorts by length and uses the longest fibers for Cashmere Reborn.

Take the Campbell sweater, for example: It costs $275 but would normally sell for $550. For a piece of quality cashmere that’s expected to last you a lifetime, that’s not all that bad. Comfy, warm, and celebrity-approved.

One of the pieces that I totally love is the MAKENA duster. This piece looks great dressed up for the office or with jeans. It has great versatility. It is the piece that you will be able to use in your closet all year around. It also comes in a variety of colors so there is something for everyone.

I love this brand. Do you own any Naked Cashmere pieces, what do you think of the brand?

Naked Retail Group

March 8, 2020 By denise Leave a Comment

Naked Retail Group, which is a multi-branded pop-up concept with three NY locations (two stores in Nolita and one store at the 11 Howard Hotel). The Naked Retail Group was looking to take advantage of the fact that more brands are looking for ways to get into the brick and mortar space.

Smaller brands, most of them without physical retail experience, can lease some of the footage inside one of these spaces, all in prime New York real estate, for a fraction of the cost. This is a great opportunity for brands to test the market. Instead of having to pay approximately $40,000 a month, they can get a space for $15,000.

This concept is ideal for luxury brands that are looking to lower the barrier to entry into physical retail. When a luxury brand has just a digital presence it is sometimes difficult for customers to decide on what to purchase. By having the choice of getting space from Naked Retail thy are allowing the customers to test the performance of the products. It helps new brands that can’t afford higher rent prices.

Besides the cost advantage, Naked Retail handles all the details of hiring and training the staff, designing the space, building any fixtures the brand might need and take care of the inventory. The brand can work in collaboration with Naked Retail but they don’t have to worry about the implementation.

Naked Retail Group will then share sales information, amount of customers that enter the store and any other feedback that the brand will need in order to grow.

Another great thing is that a customer may come to look in the space for one brand and discover a brand new one there. This is a big draw for lesser-known brands. It can also help a brand find out what types of shoppers are interacting with the brand and interested in the products.

I love this concept because you never know what hidden gems you will find next. It also helps keep the brick and mortar store concept alive. I know it is easier to shop on-line, but at times I miss the brick and mortar experience. This brings it back in a fun and exciting way.