Joy and nostalgia...

When it comes to giving us inspiration for our wardrobes, Matches are indeed pretty matchless.

Having a prowl around their site always cheers me up but their capsule collection with Los Angles based The Elder Statesman has put a huge smile on my face today.

We’re huge fans of tie die in my family. Those hippie roots run deep. But it’s pretty safe to say that none of us ever pictured it in cashmere. Oooooh the luxury

Having launched a series of custom-made cashmere blankets in 2007, the Los Angeles-based luxury lifestyle label, founded by surfing enthusiast Greg Chait, has expanded its offering with a vibrant ready-to-wear collection. The Elder Statesman pays homage to William Pitt, a 19th-century British politician known for eschewing popular opinion – as such, the label delivers unique designs with a soulful aesthetic and a deep artisanal understanding.

Now these cashmere pieces are taking to the next level of comfort and cozy.

‘We always have fun, and don’t take things too seriously.’ This playful, positive energy is one thing that has always set LA-based label The Elder Statesman apart from other luxury knitwear labels. Its limited-run collections combine globally sourced cashmere with unexpected, nostalgic references – think 1990s rave and Deadhead culture – resulting in timeless pieces that feel refreshingly anti-fashion. ‘I don’t feel we are completely submerged in “the industry” or a specific scene,’ Hunter adds. ‘We are inspired in our own world, and have the freedom to be boundless in our art and passion.’

The designs, exclusive to MATCHESFASHION, draw on ‘favourite archival pieces, translated for the home,’ such as the Flower Rays sweaters and cushions, while the sun ray is a recurring motif that can be traced back to 2015. Alongside the exclusives, there are tie-dye pieces created with Mordechai Rubinstein – Hunter’s good friend, photographer, and author of Dead Style – and a collaboration with artists from Brooklyn’s LAND gallery, a non-profit studio for adults with developmental disabilities, where their vibrant works are transformed into intarsia knitwear.

Have a snuggly Friday everyone.

Queen Marie

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