Arch4 | London-Based Niche Minimalist Cashmere Brand with Great Value
Recently, I bought an Arch4 cashmere sweater from Lane Crawford Outlet. The cashmere material is solid and soft, and the relaxed, minimalist fit. Arch4 is a niche and high value for money, which is comparable to the Doen , making it a hidden gem for cashmere enthusiasts. This post is dedicated to Arch4 and its key pieces; although Arch4 offers both men's and women's collections, only the women's line is widely available in China.
Founded in 2017, Arch4 is a British high-quality cashmere knitwear brand offering clothing for both men and women. The brand is based in Chelsea, London, and its range includes sweaters, cardigans, and scarves, all crafted from organic cashmere sourced from Mongolia. Arch4 emphasizes classic, minimalist design with attention to detail and texture to ensure high-quality products. For sustainability, Arch4 uses organic dyes and refined craftsmanship, committed to eco-friendly production. Their cashmere fibers are about 15 microns, giving the garments a soft texture that resists pilling.
Arch4 products are available on several global luxury e-commerce platforms, including NET-A-PORTER, FARFETCH, and SSENSE. In October, Arch4 began building its presence on Xiaohongshu, preparing to enter the Chinese market.
In China, Arch4 is available offline at Lane Crawford, where the brand seems to have a close partnership. Additionally, Catie Lo, a Shanghai-based boutique, carries Arch4. You can also check global stockists on the official website. For those who shop internationally, you can order from The Outnet at a 35% discount.
Arch4 describes its style as "Our design philosophy is chic, minimal and ever-so-slightly masculine; aesthetic, timeless, and effortless." The brand is minimalistic and relaxed, with a hint of masculinity—practical and durable.
Unlike men's cashmere brands like Kiton, BC, Fedeli, and Dreyden, Arch4 focuses on a gentle, soft cashmere feel. Other quiet luxury brands like Lisa Yang, Le Kasha also feature GOTS-certified organic textiles, forming what could be called the "minimalist cashmere trio." Due to their niche status, their prices remain relatively accessible.
Arch4 offers cashmere for both men and women, with around ten items per collection. The one I bought is from the Chunky Fit series, which is thick and loose. Overall, I love Arch4's cashmere dresses and cardigans in the women's line.
Women's Collection
This green ribbed cashmere dress is stunning. It flatters rounded busts and a defined neckline and collarbone area, as seen on the model in the image.
The sleeves are designed to look separate from the dress from the front, but they’re actually connected at the back. The entire dress is crafted with fully fashioned seams, meaning it’s shaped before stitching, giving it a complete look rather than a pieced-together one. The stretch-fit design highlights feminine curves beautifully, making this midi-length dress a potential choice for evening wear. It’s one of Arch4’s signature cashmere dresses, truly unique.
If worn by someone with a smaller bust, the look may resemble this style. The natural cashmere color is available on the official website, while green and red can only be found on sites like The Outnet. There’s also a top similar to this dress.
The following dress is similar, with a heart-shaped neckline instead of a square one, and connected sleeves for a slightly more refined look. This "spruce green" color is lovely, named on the website.
In the image below, the first dress has a detachable scarf added. Arch4’s cashmere dress selection is limited, with only 4-5 styles overall. The strapless dresses, like the ones above, are among the most expensive. For a more traditional option, there’s the Southvale turtleneck dress.
Given that cashmere buyers in China tend to be more conservative, Lane Crawford hasn’t introduced Arch4’s sexier cashmere pieces, focusing instead on basic cardigans, sweaters, and pants. I’m a bit tired of the same old cashmere styles here, and unique items like the midi dress above are increasingly appealing.
Arch4’s 13.5-micron baby goat cashmere series includes long cardigans, dresses, and a unique pair of pink cashmere pants (the only cashmere pants Arch4 offers). Wearing 13.5-micron cashmere pants must feel incredibly soft.
In this series, the high cost of baby cashmere means the sweaters aren’t too thick. The thickest, priciest piece is the gray cashmere sweater in the first row.
This rare gray-purple cashmere coat, priced over 1,600 for the long one, quickly sold out. Arch4 truly offers excellent value.
The most expensive coat, priced over $3,600, also sold out. The quality of cashmere is evident in the sheen in the photos, showing it’s a standout piece.
My favorite outerwear piece is this 100% cashmere bomber jacket, exclusively available on Net-a-Porter UK for $1,190. The design and color are perfect, and it looks incredibly well-made. Unfortunately, the UK Net-a-Porter platform is separate from the one in China, which doesn’t carry this item. Experienced overseas shoppers know to browse the UK site.
After looking at various items, the Arch4 Carlisle bomber jacket is my top choice. Unfortunately, UK Net-a-Porter doesn’t support UnionPay, so I’ll need to get a Visa card. I’ll figure it out soon.
This cardigan resembles the one I bought and is available on The Outnet (which supports UnionPay) for £413.
Men's Collection
This men’s cashmere vest is stylish, with the high-quality thickness expected from Arch4 items over $1,000. It’s also one of the brand’s most iconic menswear pieces.
The main men’s sweaters include these crew-neck and turtleneck cashmere options, which are sturdier than the zip-up cardigans.
These two cardigans are made from baby cashmere and are relatively thin. Currently, they’re the only two cardigans available from Arch4, both without buttons.
In general, Arch4’s men’s cashmere line is worth exploring for the cashmere vests and sweaters, while the cardigans could be a good choice if you don’t mind a lighter feel.
The Story of Cashmere
Arch4 sources most of its cashmere from Mongolia, though the exclusive Lane Crawford collection I purchased uses cashmere from Inner Mongolia. The official website features a blog post on the development of Mongolia’s cashmere industry:
In the 19th century, as trade between China and Russia increased, cashmere began circulating between the two nations, with China importing large quantities and herders profiting from selling raw cashmere. At that time, Mongolia lacked specific regulations, so the market was filled with lower-quality cashmere. By the mid-19th century, the cashmere industry had expanded through market forces, eventually becoming a key export and a symbol of Mongolia’s culture and economy. Today, Mongolia produces around one-third of the world’s raw cashmere and has started implementing environmentally-friendly policies for the industry. However, due to global warming, today’s cashmere fibers are, on average, one micron coarser than those produced two decades ago.
Arch4 selects the finest goat cashmere from Inner Mongolia, where the extreme temperature variations result in finer cashmere fibers. The goats here produce what’s known as baby cashmere (fibers under 14 microns in diameter), and Arch4’s cashmere is around 13.5 microns. This ultra-fine cashmere, classified as mid-to-high-end, is used in Arch4’s own “baby goat” collection and is also supplied to top luxury brands worldwide. Nearly all cashmere of this quality from both Inner and Outer Mongolia is monopolized by Western luxury brands.
Postscript
Arch4 is truly a hidden gem. I’ll definitely pay more attention to their pieces when visiting Lane Crawford, hoping they bring in more of Arch4’s larger coats, cashmere dresses, and men’s vests. For now, their selection is limited to women’s cashmere sweaters and cardigans.
By: pamperherself
