As cute as the name sounds, “super baby alpaca” does not come from young cria roaming the Peruvian highlands while wearing colorful capes. The term, also known as royal alpaca, refers to the finest grade of alpaca fibers, harvested from the soft, downy undercoat of this species. Soft as cashmere but without any lanolin, this is a material favored by designers for its durability and plush hand feel. In Lauren Manoogian’s latest delivery, she weaves super soft baby alpaca into a collection of dreams: indulgently cozy knits perfect for fall’s most languid days.
While her garments come off as effortless, Lauren Manoogian herself is something of a scientist. Her attention to textile is obsessive and precise—a focus on micron weight and minute adjustments akin to an organic chemistry. This attention reaps reward in multitude. The unmatched loftiness Lauren Manoogian achieves far surpasses those with only a passive respect for the material.
Aside from her unflinching minimalism, a hallmark of a Lauren Manoogian sweater lies in its palette. Lauren Manoogian’s penchant for neutrals comes from both a practical and an ideological place. In Lauren Manoogian’s own words, “If you’re super-focused on color and brightness, you can’t have insane texture.” In line with her respect for base materials, Lauren Manoogian’s preference is to use undyed woolen yarns. By doing so, she relies on the alpaca and sheep from whom the fiber once grew—a soft, dynamic color presentation that shifts subtly from one inch to the next.
