Walk into TSE Cashmere in Lake Forest, and the recession seems like nothing more than a bad dream. Virtually everything in the shop is made from cashmere or silk, luxurious items that carry three- and four-figure price tags. And, according to store manager Kathy Dewar, business has never been better.
”Our business just keeps on growing,” she said. ”People who like, wear and know cashmere consider our products to be reasonably priced. Not only are they well made and well designed, they`re also durable.”
Cashmere House Inc., TSE Cashmere`s California-based parent company, has long produced private-label merchandise for upscale retailers such as Henri Bendel, Saks Fifth Avenue, I. Magnin and Nordstrom, in addition to operating in-store boutiques at posh spots such as Oak Street`s Ultimo Ltd. In November 1989, the first company-owned retail outlets opened in San Francisco and Palo Alto. The Lake Forest and Costa Mesa, Calif., stores debuted a year later.
Cashmere House controls every aspect of the production process. Because more than three-quarters of the world`s supply of cashmere fiber comes from China, the company operates a cashmere spinning and knitting factory near the Tian Shan Mountain Range in China`s Xinjiang Province as a joint venture with the Chinese government.
TSE Cashmere`s current product line runs the gamut from gloves ($85) to blankets ($1,600). In between, there are sweaters, jogging suits, muti-piece ensembles, pajamas, nightshirts, hooded bathrobes and fringed outer jackets. Women`s wear makes up the bulk of the inventory, but there`s also a good selection of menswear and childrenswear.
Dressed in one of TSE Cashmere`s hooded sweatshirts and a pair of jeans, Dewar offers insight into the company`s philosophy. ”Cashmere is a luxury item,” she said, ”but that doesn`t mean that it has to be saved for special occasions. Properly cared for, cashmere products will last at least as long as their non-cashmere counterparts.”
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TSE Cashmere, 252 Market Square, Lake Forest, is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except until 7 p.m. Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Phone 708-295-9005.
