Rise of the $2,000 designer sweater

Designer sweaters that creep towards $2,000 in price are becoming equally commonplace as four-figure handbags and high-heels. Brands including Christopher Kane, The Row, and Bottega Veneta say that their sweater designs – which are primarily unassuming with simple shapes and colors – boast the kind of quality to justify their price tag.

An unadorned, cream-colored cotton cardigan by Bottega Veneta is currently on offer for $2,200, and similarly pared-down, cashmere-silk look by Donna Karan is being sold for $1,995.

Embellished novelty designs are also ranking high in the sweater category. Mr Kane’s cropped cashmere design with sequin embroidery is priced at $1,510, while another floral piece, by American designer Jason Wu, can be found for $1,995.

If a ‘most expensive sweater’ superlative existed, however, this season’s winner would likely be a $4,490 hand-knitted style by The Row, which is made from an Italian cashmere-wool blend.

The cable knit sweater, which made its much-lauded debut on the label’s fall 2013 runway, costs more than two times the price many of Prada’s classic handbag styles, and nearly four times that of a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Read more >>