THE FRIDAY EDITION SEPTEMBER 29 2017

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PROPERTY SPECIAL

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THE SHARPENER

alpaca punch

cable-knit turtleneck (£395) have a 1940s quality about them. Norse Projects goes instead in a folky direction, with a substantial jumper (£180, pictured top far right) with ribbed collar and

cuffs, in a wool/alpaca mix with a hint of elastane to keep its chunky shape.

Alpaca comes in two types: the dense, almost crimped Huacaya and the more lustrous and straight Suri. Massimo Alba opts for baby Suri in its voluminous knits. I love the soft, washed Alba aesthetic; while undeniably luxurious, the pieces have an almost hippy element to them. A turtleneck jumper in a mouline plain stitch (£281) has an attractive, hazy appearance, while the J Claude (£270) is a traditional Shetland jumper given a 1960s twist, and the Reinold shawl-collar jacket (£371, pictured far left) looks exceptionally cool.

Missoni has produced amazing funnel-neck sweaters (£1,700) hand-knitted in a wool/mohair/alpaca blend with a dégradé stripe; one comes in bands of petrol blue, military green and plum, another in a brilliant mix of nori green, jade and chrysanthemum yellow. A coat (£3,895, pictured above far right) in a wool/yak/alpaca houndstooth loom

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pictured top far right) by The Gigi called Degas, in an alpaca/wool flannel mélange in tones of green and brown, while Canali uses a similar autumn-hued bouclé alpaca mix for a simple, casual zip jacket (£3,370). Alpaca is ideal for upgrading casualwear; prime examples are again found at Cucinelli, in a hooded parka (£3,580) in camel baby alpaca and a colour-block baby alpaca/wool/cashmere/silk cardigan (£1,380, main picture) with a cool 1950s collegiate feel.

Alpaca’s durability and excellent drape also make it eminently suitable for the signature knitted jackets (€475) at Inis Meáin, with their button fronts and turn-down collars. This season’s update (€540, pictured top far left) has a Nehru collar and a distinctive ribbed effect. I also like the retro appearance of its patterned and cabled Aran crewneck (€335) in baby alpaca and silk. There’s a similar feeling at Gieves & Hawkes, where a chocolate wool/alpaca cable-knit V-neck (£295, pictured far right) and an ecru alpaca

(£1,390) and bomber jackets (£1,060, pictured below) in wool/alpaca/mohair/silk bouclé take inspiration from 1960s silhouettes, as does a single-breasted overcoat (£1,470) in a wool/alpaca blend. They pass muster at smart occasions, yet their subtle texture and soft construction mean they also work as weekend throw-ons. The highlight at Chester Barrie is a Change coat (£2,950, pictured below right), its navy cashmere contrasting with a lush black alpaca lapel (made by Cerruti’s mill) – a statement piece that works with jeans and boots as deftly as it

does with cashmere knits.A champion of all-British fabric

production, E Tautz owner and creative director Patrick Grant was so convinced by the merits of alpaca that he decided to break with tradition

and use it for a smashing voluminous houndstooth overcoat (£1,190), as well

as for a grey/ochre fine-check alpaca/wool suit with double-breasted

jacket (£795) and pleated high-waist trousers (£395) in a boxy, vintage-feel cut. A vintage accent also characterises an unpadded suit (£1,150,

A fabric that’s extra light, versatile, strong yet utterly luxurious: it sounds like a menswear designer’s fantasy. But alpaca has, of course, been around for ages – it’s

just that its superlative qualities have not been fully appreciated until this season.

The springy, ultra-soft fibres from the underbellies and necks of a species of camelid living in the Andes make for some very special fabrics. When woven, alpaca takes on various textures, from soft and voluminous to coarse and cropped. And as lightweight fabrications and distinctive textures become defining characteristics of contemporary men’s style, it’s not surprising that alpaca is now being shepherded into a lead role.

Brunello Cucinelli, who built his empire on cashmere, has also put alpaca to work beautifully in his signature unstructured tailored outerwear, such as a glen-check short coat (£3,760) and roomy one-and-a-half breasted camel-colour coat (£3,890). Likewise at Canali, where deconstructed drapey overcoats

Strong yet soft, smart yet relaxed – it’s no wonder alpaca is leading the pack this season, says Tom Stubbs

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Clockwise from near left: Canali wool/alpaca/mohair/silk bomber jacket, £1,060. Massimo Alba baby-Suri-alpaca Reinold jacket, £371. Grenfell alpaca duffel coat, £1,395. Inis Meáin baby-alpaca/silk jacket, €540. Ermenegildo Zegna alpaca/wool bomber jacket, £2,380

Alpaca is ideal for upgrading casualwear

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(020‑7290 3500; canali.com). Chester Barrie, 19 Savile Row, London W1 (020‑7439 6079; chesterbarrie.co.uk). Ermenegildo Zegna, 37‑38 New Bond St, London W1 (020‑7518 2700; zegna.com). E Tautz, 71 Duke St, London W1 (020‑7629 8809; etautz.com). Farfetch, farfetch.com. Frans Boone Store, frans boonestore.com. Gieves & Hawkes, 1 Savile Row, London W1 (020‑7434 2001; gievesand hawkes.com). The Gigi, see Farfetch. Grenfell, grenfell.com and see Harrods. Harrods, 87‑135 Brompton Rd, London SW1 (020‑7730 1234; harrods.com). Inis Meáin, inismeain.ie and see Frans Boone Store. Joseph, 2 Savile Row, London W1 (020‑7439 8444; joseph‑fashion.com). Massimo Alba, massimoalba.com and see Matchesfashion.com. Matchesfashion.com, 60‑64 Ledbury Rd, London W11 (020‑7221 0255; matchesfashion.com). Missoni, 193 Sloane St, London SW1 (020‑7823 1910; missoni.com). Norse Projects, norseprojects.com.

Tom Stubbs OUT & ABOUT weave is a stunning showpiece. Matching hats (£365) are a collaboration with Paris-based milliner Larose. Alpaca is deployed for some interesting jackets too: a bomber (£2,380, pictured left centre) in a geometrically patterned rust-coloured jacquard by Ermenegildo Zegna has contrasting-pattern sleeves with an unusually lustrous Casentino finish, a technique achieved by brushing the fabric to raise the top layer of fibres, then rubbing to soften the effect. It’s also seen in Zegna’s Casentino suit (£3,360) in beige alpaca and silk, while a coat (£4,350) in oxblood alpaca with quilted calfskin sleeves is a real showstopper.

The longer, double-faced alpaca top coats (£695) at Joseph have a more unshorn finish that verges on shaggy and drapes beautifully, while Grenfell’s shaggy alpaca duffel (£1,395, pictured bottom far left) – a glossy knit with an almost animal-pelt feel – is eminently strokeable, and its Newfoundland duffel (£995) has a remarkable dégradé-fade mix of multihued mohair and alpaca. For refined elegance, there’s also a loden-green belted coat (£995) in alpaca and wool with double-breasted lapels.

Light, hardwearing, wonderfully textured and luxurious in feel – is it any wonder that alpaca is ahead of the herd this season? ✦

LEADERS OF THE ALPACABrunello Cucinelli, 3 Burlington Gdns, London W1 (020‑7287 4347; brunellocucinelli.com). Canali, 126‑127 New Bond St, London W1 l The Ultra collection from French bottier JM Weston takes craftsmanship to

admirable new heights, with construction techniques such as hand‑pegged heels built in the same tradition as the Republican Guards boots the brand produces. Stylistic refinements are evident too, with a new rounded toe realised in a series of vivid calfskins with precision glaçage polishing on the tip (a very French touch). Subtle detailing – pearl‑grey embossed welting to the sole, a hand‑dyed sole arch, waxed flat laces – add further finesse. I rather liked a low calfskin boot (£755) and a wholecut Oxford (£755), available in black, blue and (in the case of the latter) burgundy, but my favourite is the two‑tone Oxford (£755, pictured above) in suede and calfskin.60 Jermyn St, London SW1 (020‑7629 9494; jmweston.com).

l The archives of Cerruti hold many significant men’s style milestones, played out in both inventive fabrics (the house has its own mill) and roomy cuts. Cerruti has mined those archives for its 50th‑anniversary collection, where the brand’s textiles and weaves combine with its signature masculine shapes for clothes that bridge the divide between sportswear and tailoring. A bomber jacket (£1,200) and double‑breasted overcoat (£1,250) come in grey houndstooth jacquard wool. Steely‑blue, crisp‑feeling parkas (£500) and a high‑break overcoat (£500) with fur collar are cut from denim. And homage is paid to Cerruti’s 1950s cinema heritage with a vintage‑style, camel‑coloured wool straight coat with fur shawl collar (£850), distinctive, low‑breaking charcoal striped wool double‑breasted suit (£2,000, both pictured left), collar bar and homburg.cerruti.com.

Clockwise from main picture: Brunello Cucinelli baby-alpaca/wool/cashmere/silk cardigan, £1,380. The Gigi alpaca/wool Degas suit, £1,150. Norse Projects wool/alpaca/elastane jumper, £180. Missoni wool/yak/alpaca coat, £3,895, and matching hat, £365. Gieves & Hawkes wool/alpaca V-neck, £295. Chester Barrie cashmere and alpaca-trim Change coat, £2,950

l I’m struck by the watch world’s array of moon‑phase displays this year. Aside from

being visually charming, I like the fact that they can help monitor the effect of the moon’s

cycle on sleep patterns. I’m especially taken with a particular white‑gold model (£15,600,

pictured right) from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Ultra Thin Moon collection, with

selenite‑grey dial, slim 9.9mm case, refined slender bezel and alligator strap.

13 Old Bond St, London W1 (020‑3402 1960; jaeger‑lecoultre.com).

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