Why Loro Piana’s Scarf Bag Is the Ultimate Two-for-One
It would be wrong to assume that two-for-one deals are solely the domain of fast-fashion chains. Throughout their storied pasts, several haute brands have dabbled in dual-purpose accessories—from Bulgari’s mesmerizing Serpenti watch bracelet to Chanel’s 2.55 bag, an emblematic tote designed with a secret pocket inside the front flap intended, according to sartorial lore, for discreetly storing love letters.
Loro Piana, the embodiment of “if you know, you know” refinement, has entered the realm of fashion multitasking with an ingenious double-ringed calfskin handle that instantly turns scarves into elegant but easygoing shoulder bags. The magic happens as often as you like: Simply swap out the various foulards and allow for endless possibilities of personal expression. It’s a fitting creation from a label known for its core values of tradition and innovation.
Though it’s recognized these days primarily for its knitwear and outerwear made from the most precious cashmere and vicuña, one of Loro Piana’s first offerings was, in fact, scarves. The new Library of Prints Scarf Collection counts eight lines, each alluding to a chapter in the company’s colorful story. The Maestri di Lino, for example, illustrates the process of transforming humble linen into sumptuous yarns and fabrics; the Animal Kingdom salutes the menagerie of vicuñas, goats, and sheep that are sourced to produce the label’s signature textiles; and the Botanico, with its blossoming petals in soft tones of beige, pink, and light blue, is inspired by a hothouse of florals that have emerged as perennial motifs.
Now owned by LVMH, Loro Piana is the go-to of the deep-pocketed leisure class that divides its time among the world’s swankiest ports of call—and of celebrities who speak softly but carry a big stick by eschewing fleeting logo-laden trends. The company’s discreet attitude is exactly the opposite of that of its competitors, who generally flaunt aggressive marketing tactics. (Ironically, this furtive approach has become the subject of viral memes by @gstaadguy and other chroniclers of the vagaries of the ultrawealthy.)
Founded as a textiles supplier in 1924 by Pietro Loro Piana in northern Piedmont, an area known for its expertise in wool and weaving, the company eventually became a trusted source for the world’s most prestigious tailors and fashion houses, including Nino Cerruti, Giorgio Armani, and Versace. In the early 1980s, Pietro’s grandsons Sergio and Pier Luigi Loro Piana pivoted from producing and selling fabrics to becoming a full-fledged luxury house, crafting garments, accessories, and home goods. Expanding into ready-to-wear collections further solidified Loro Piana’s status within the fashion world.
“Not every brand is supposed to be for everybody,” said the company’s former chairman, Antoine Arnault, in Loro Piana: Master of Fibres, a whopping monograph released last year to celebrate the label’s centenary, “but the day people feel they want something that will endure, that they can transmit to their children or to those they love…then they come to Loro Piana.”
Indeed. And it’s not just the stealth-wealth aspect that is so appealing. With sustainability blipping ever louder on the fashion radar, pieces that are made to last are the only way to go. Simple yet impeccable designs like the multiuse, ever adaptable scarf bag are perfectly positioned to pave the way for quiet luxury’s generational transfer.
Lead image clockwise from top left: the Loro Piana family in Portofino, Italy, early 2000s; Pompeo Batoni’s Portrait of a Woman, 1785; Sophia Loren in 1965; Johannes Zorn’s botanical engraving Afbeelding der Artseny-Gewassen, 1796; the foulard handle, available in Chocolate Licorice and Whisper White, and a scarf from the Botanico line; skilled workers at the company’s wool factory, circa 1920s.
