If you’ve ever browsed Loro Piana’s collection, you’ve likely experienced sticker shock.
A simple cashmere sweater for more than $2,500? A wool suit for over $7,000? You’re not alone in wondering, “Why is Loro Piana so expensive?”
In this article, we’ll offer you insider insights and specific examples that explain the true cost of this ultra-luxury brand and what makes Loro Piana so expensive.
By the end, you’ll understand the brand’s true cost and why you pay a small fortune whenever you purchase from Loro Piana.
World’s Finest Fibres
Loro Piana’s high prices are primarily driven by the brand’s decision to use the world’s most exclusive natural fibres, such as:
Baby Cashmere – Pinnacle of Softness
- Sourced exclusively from Hircus goat kids in Inner Mongolia.
- Harvested only once when the baby goat is 3-12 months old.
- Yields just 30-70 grams per baby goat.
- A single Baby Cashmere sweater requires fleece from 19-20 goat kids.
Price example
Baby Cashmere crewneck sweater >$2,000
Vicuña – Andes’ Golden Fleece
- Vicuñas live in the Peruvian Andes and are the wild relatives of common llamas.
- These animals can only be shorn every two years, and each vicuña produces just 250 grams of usable wool.
- Loro Piana established a 2,000-hectare nature reserve in Peru for vicuña conservation.
Price example
Vicuña overcoat >$20,000
The Gift of Kings® – Redefining Merino Wool
- Ultra-fine Merino wool with fibres as thin as 12 microns, sourced from select farms in Australia and New Zealand.
- Loro Piana pays up to 25% above market price for the finest fleeces.
- Only 2,000 kg of this wool is produced globally each year.
Price example
The Gift of Kings® suit >$7,000
Artisanal Craftsmanship
Loro Piana’s production process is as meticulous as its material sourcing:
- Knitting a single Baby Cashmere sweater takes up to 8 hours.
- Each Loro Piana garment passes through an average of 15 skilled artisans.
- The brand employs over 5,000 craftspeople across Italy.
- A single Loro Piana suit undergoes 300 quality checks before completion.
Innovative Technologies – Modern Luxury
Loro Piana invests heavily in research and development:
Storm System®
- A patented treatment designed to make the brand’s luxury fabrics water and wind-resistant.
- The Storm System technology took Loro Piana 5 years and €2 million investment to develop.
- Loro Piana’s Storm feature and treatment increase the price of final garments by 20-30%.
Price example
Storm System® Cashmere Coat – $6,300
Cocooning
- Innovative double-face fabric construction designed to provides increase warmth without loading or bulking the garment.
- Loro Piana’s Cocooning technology requires specialised machinery and skilled technicians.
Price example
Cocooning crew neck – $2,245
Conscious Luxury – Sustainable and Ethical Fashion
Loro Piana’s commitment to ethical fashion manufacturing from sustainable sources and raw materials adds to the overall garments’ costs.
- The company has an annual investment of €1 million in the Dr Franco Loro Piana Reserve.
- “Loro Piana Method” was implemented across 3,000 cashmere herders in Inner Mongolia.
- Investment in technology to use solar power in Italian factories reduced CO2 emissions by 1,500 tonnes annually but increased the production cost.
- Rigorous animal welfare standards and checks, including no live-plucking of goats.
Extra Price for Exclusivity and Rarity
Loro Piana’s limited production contributes to its high prices:
- Only 1,000 Vicuña garments are produced annually.
- The Baby Cashmere collection is limited to 2,000 pieces per year.
- Exclusive distribution through 160 Loro Piana boutiques worldwide.
Loro Piana Comparative Pricing
| Garment | Loro Piana | Brunello Cucinelli | Ermenegildo Zegna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashmere Sweater | Over $2,500 (Baby Cashmere) | Max $2,000 | Max $1,300 |
| Wool Suit | Over $7,000 (The Gift of Kings®) | Max $5,500 | Max $4,500 |
| Vicuña Coat | Over $35,000 | Max $30,000 | Not offered |
Conclusion
Loro Piana’s prices reflect a perfect storm of factors: the rarest materials, unparalleled craftsmanship, innovative technologies, sustainable practices, and deliberate exclusivity.
While a $2,550 sweater or a $34,000 coat may seem exorbitant, for Loro Piana’s clientele, these pieces represent the pinnacle of luxury – where every detail, from the sourcing of the fibre to the final stitch, is executed with absolute perfection.
In the world of ultra-luxury fashion, Loro Piana stands apart not just for its high prices but for the tangible quality and rarity that justify those prices.
For those who can afford it, a Loro Piana garment isn’t just clothing – it’s an investment in the extraordinary.
Styling Beyond Loro Piana
Knowing that Loro Piana is a luxury clothing brand and considering having the Italian brand in your wardrobe is just a small step towards dressing like a confident and successful gentleman.
Perfect men’s styling starts with your unique body type and colour palette and only then, with the occasion, location, season, and time of the day – and this is a men’s styling secret that only expert image consultants know.
And if you want to learn, we’re here to help; start by knowing your body type and unique colour palette so you can select clothes for your body shape in colours that match your skin, eyes, and hair.
You must also know which fashion brands to shop from and, more importantly, how to style these garments, footwear, and accessories to create a look of subtle luxury and success.
After learning to choose fashion from heritage fashion brands according to your body shape and colour palette, you’ll have to master styling by occasion, location, season, and even time of day.
If you feel overwhelmed, worry no more – we’re here to help you in three easy and free steps:
1. Find Your Body Type
Different garments flatter different physiques, so knowing your body type is the first step in dressing like a confident man – free body shape quiz for men.
Once you know your unique body type, take the second free quiz to discover your unique colour palette.
2. Find Your Unique Color Palette
Remember, fashion comes in various colours, but not every hue complements your natural colour. Take our free seasonal colour quiz for men to find the most suitable colours for you.
3. Find Your Ideal Fashion Style
By now, you should already know your body type and unique colour palette, so the next step is to discover your ideal personal fashion style.
The fastest and simplest way is to take our free fashion style quiz for men; it includes your ideal style, multiple outfit ideas, the most relevant fashion brands for your unique look, and much more.
4. Professional Image Consultancy with The VOU
Last but not least is mastering how to style according to occasion, location, season, and time of the day; this is where our professional styling services for men, created by our expert image consultants and fashion stylists, come in.
Our paid styling packages are the most comprehensive and detailed on the market. Each is backed up by expert stylists who will guide you step by step in creating a personal wardrobe that communicates affluence, elegance, and endless accomplishments.
Remember, owning luxury clothes isn’t enough; to look stylish, confident, and successful, you must know your body type and colour palette and how to style according to the occasion, location, season, and time of day.
Contact us today and save headaches, time, and money; the first styling assessment is on us!
It’s time to show the world the confident and successful you, a gentleman of exquisite fashion taste.