15 brands to buy a quality shawl collar cardigan – #CDL78

Cover credit: Colhays A/W 2020 lookbook

Knitting season has arrived.

They can be divided into two large families: sweaters and cardigans.

And among the cardigans, there is one that we really like: the thick cardigan with a shawl collar.

Warm and imposing, it has its place in a winter wardrobe.

Every season, people ask me where we can find them, in addition to our models. While there weren't many 4 or 5 years ago, the offer has recently developed around this specific product.

Here is my list of brands.

Entry level (less than €200)

A good cardigan, in a material that holds up (wool), costs a certain price.

Under €100, you will find things but we do not recommend them.

However, between €120 and €200, you will find perfectly decent woolen models.

At the concession level:

• These are not very thick cardigans
• The wools are not of the highest quality
• The place of manufacture is not always indicated

1.Peregrine Clothing

The English brand that I presented to you in my last brand review offers pretty textured cardigans made in England for around €150.

This cardigan is embossed and speckled.

2. Jamieson's of Shetland

The Scottish brand, which knits in Scotland, offers a nice variety of shawl collar cardigans between €180 and €230.

You will find plain models as well as others with a fair isle pattern like the model presented by Jérôme in our selection of cardigans .

For my part, I show you this sober heather gray cardigan which has wooden buttons (it looks like) and elbow patches at shoulder level

3. Charles Tyrwhitt

I think you probably won't have thought about it. The brand specializes in shirts.

Charles Tyrwhitt regularly offers 100% wool shawl collar cardigans around €120/150.

I don't think you should expect European tailoring at this price.

A pretty wine color.

4. Boggi Milano

Another brand that we don't necessarily expect: Boggi is a brand more focused on the tailoring style . However, I see a shawl collar cardigan in wool and alpaca for €175.

The brand also offers a 100% cashmere shawl collar cardigan for €500.

5. Kent Wang

I presented the brand to you at the beginning of the year in nuggets . Here's a little reminder.

Kent Wang offers a wide selection of shawl collar cardigans under €200.

For several months , you can create a personalized cardigan , with a choice of:

• The color among 40 (!!) available
• Length of sleeves and bust

You are spoiled for choice.

The reason why I put this brand last is that the brand is American, with no European or French distributor to my knowledge.

Bringing a product to our region is probably not easy.

Mid-range (between €200 and €400)

We arrive here at the heart of the subject and the offer.

With this budget, you will find cardigans in beautiful materials, rather thick and with mainly European tailoring.

1. Inverallan

The Scottish brand offers pretty cardigans knitted in Scotland on EndClothing in particular, under €300.

We were told that part of the brand's manufacturing was done in Scotland, another in India.

On these cardigan models, I dare to believe that it is rather in Scotland.

I like this greige color model (between gray and beige), with raglan and cable sleeves.

2. L’Exception Paris

The French e-shop's own brand l'Exception offers several shawl collar cardigans around €200:

• Made from merino wool and knitted in Italy
• Made from alpaca and knitted in Peru

A burgundy merino cardigan that tends more towards red than the Charles Tyrwhitt model shown above, which tends towards purple.

3. Paname Collections

The French brand offers two wool shawl collar cardigans, with Italian tailoring.

4. Hircus

The French brand offers pretty cashmere shawl collar cardigans.

Knitting is carried out in Inner Mongolia (China).

Here, a nice dark green

5. Knitting Paris

The young Parisian brand offers a thick ecru cardigan with a shawl collar, hand-knitted in Peru.

Selected by Michel, this model is made of cotton. Keep in mind that it is less warm and thermo-regulating than wool.

Here, a soothing off-white

High-end (400€ and more)

The great thrill of the shawl collar cardigan.

By going above €400, you will have:

• Better than beautiful materials, exceptional materials
• Very thick weights
• Models with an advanced style proposition, which cannot be found elsewhere

1. Colhay’s

The Scottish brand offers majestic shawl collar cardigans:

• 1.2kg of Todd&Tuncan merino wool, a spinner that we introduced you to here
• Italian horn buttons
• Knitting in Hawick, Scotland

The product sales page is exemplary in terms of the information provided.

A cardigan that exudes quality. Note the raglan sleeves, without seam at the shoulder.

2. Begg x Co

Thick cardigans, in very high-end cashmere, knitted in Scotland.

This luxury comes at a price: more than €1000.

A very, very beautiful yellow

3. RRL

RRL cardigans are very beautiful.

And very expensive too: between 700 and 1500€.

The RRL clothes that I saw were actually made in China. I don't know if this is the case for all their products, all their stitches.

This wool, linen and silk cardigan is superb. This is a typical example of clothing that you cannot “find elsewhere for less”.

4. Johnstons of Elgin

The Scottish brand founded in 1797 regularly offers shawl collar cardigans in luxurious fibers, with Scottish tailoring.

Christophe had the opportunity to present one to you in nuggets .

Here, an Americana-inspired pattern

5. Inis Meáin

Although I don't see any in the current collection, the Scottish brand regularly offers beautiful shawl collar cardigans.

We had the opportunity to talk to you about Inis Meáin in detail during the collaboration we had with them:

• Written presentation
• Video tour of the island of Inis Meáin

The pure elegance of a beautiful shawl collar, with exceptional materials