Gilgit Hand Knit Cashmere Sweater

Gilgit is an ancient city north of Kashmir on the fabled Silk Road which allowed Scotsman Joseph Dawson to bring cashmere to the West. Dawson’s method of processing the long staple cashmere yarns from the fleece in combination with pure soft Scottish waters continues to make cashmere processed in Scotland the gold standard and coveted by connoisseurs the world over. Dawson’s original company has evolved into a portfolio of companies; the Kinross based company of Todd & Duncan from which Thistle & Broom bespoke sweaters are knit has been processing cashmere for over 140 years.

At the ancient polo fields at Gilgit there is an equally old stone tablet incised with the following (here translated) which provides testament to the passion for the game which has no equal:

"Let other people play other things - the king of game is still the game of kings"

The precise origin of polo is lost to the ages but many scholars agree that polo originated among the tribes of Persia before the rule of Darius (521-485 BC) the creator of the Achaemenid Dynasty.

Bearing the name of a place witness to such history required that our cashmere sweater be perfect in every way. Hand knit in just two stitches of Todd & Duncan 6-ply cashmere yarns our exclusive Gilgit sweater lends a chalk width stripe rib down the body. Knit so that the stitches decrease at the waist not only decreases bulk but lends a subtle enhancement to the human form of both men and women alike. A bit slouchy, (if preferred we can do fitted we’ll just need some measurements), with a raised polo neck we’re confident that this will become your absolute favourite cashmere sweater. We’ve chosen our new palette of Todd & Duncan cashmere yarns for 2008/2009 to perfectly enhance most skin tones and coordinate with our namesake Thistle & Broom Tweed and from A. Elliot Fine Fabrics. Made to order, please allow six weeks for delivery of your bespoke treasure.

Your purchase will help repatriate Scotland’s treasures to the National Museum of Scotland.