Zegna vs Loro Piana: which sweater to buy, and when
Both land in the luxury tier: the Zegna Cashmere Crewneck Sweater at $950, the Loro Piana Baby Cashmere Crewneck Sweater at $1,750, $800 apart. Here is how they stack up, head to head.
| Zegna | Loro Piana | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $950 | $1,750 |
| Material | Superfine cashmere, Oasi cashmere or superfine merino, fine-mid gauge. | Baby cashmere (superfine cashmere and vicuña across the line), fine gauge, knit in Italy. |
| Fit | Refined clean fit, true to size. | Refined clean fit, true to size. |
| Quality | Luxury — superfine cashmere from in-house mills, impeccable finishing; pills less than lower grades. | Luxury — finest-grade fibre, extraordinary hand, impeccable make; the ultra-fine knit is delicate. |
| Best for | Quiet-luxury outfits, superfine cashmere, and refined understated knitwear. | The finest cashmere fibre, quiet-luxury dressing, and a top-tier investment knit. |
| Care | Hand-wash or gentle wool cycle and lay flat; de-pill gently with a cashmere comb. | Hand-wash cold with care or specialist clean and lay flat; handle gently and de-pill with a cashmere comb. |
Both are refined, true-to-size Italian cashmere crewnecks with impeccable make; the question is how far up the fiber ladder you want to climb. Zegna's $950 sweater is superfine or Oasi cashmere from the brand's own mills; Loro Piana's $1,750 is baby cashmere from fiber the house sources itself. That is an $800 gap for the last increment of fineness.
- The case for Zegna
- At $800 less you get genuine superfine cashmere with traceable provenance from Zegna's in-house mills, impeccable finishing, the same refined true-to-size fit, and a fiber grade that pills less than cheaper cashmere.
- The case for Loro Piana
- Baby cashmere at the ceiling of fiber quality, fine-gauge and knit in Italy, with a hand and lightness its owners describe as unmatched.
VerdictThe pick
Buy the Zegna: $950 already buys superfine cashmere with real mill provenance and impeccable make, and it is the more practical knit — even at this grade cashmere pills, and the Loro Piana's ultra-fine gauge is explicitly the more delicate of the two. Step up to the baby cashmere crewneck only if the extraordinary hand is the entire point and careful hand-washing or specialist cleaning is a routine you will actually keep. The $800 gap buys fiber fineness, not better construction or a different look — both are understated, clean crewnecks. For most buyers the Zegna is the ceiling worth paying for.
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