FLEECE OFFERINGS

VERONIQUE VERMUSSCHE HAD her first brush with cashmere during a trekking trip in the Himalayas. Stuck for hours in Lhasa’s airport between flights, the self-taught Belgian designer came across a wool shawl in a gift shop. Knitted by a Tibetan artisan, its fabric was so delicate and warming that it gave her goose bumps. It also gave her an idea: to create a line of chic, contemporary cashmere apparel made from the finest goat’s wool. Launched in 2016 with a collection of shawls, capes, and cardigans, that brand—Tuinch—is now one of Europe’s most exclusive luxury knitwear labels, showcased in designer shops from London to New York and Hong Kong.

Working with traditional artisans in India’s Kashmir Valley, Veronique says Tuinch is one of the few fashion labels to source its wool directly from Himalayan herders. That commitment has brought her back to the region often in the pursuit of the softest and purest cashmere and pashmina wool. I had read of her arrival on the fashion scene with great interest, so when Veronique invited my photographer husband David and I to join her on a summertime trip to northern India, we quickly