Ballantyne 1921 is a name that has been connected to precious yarns since 1800, the century in which the Scot Henry Ballantyne became a success in the trade of tweed and tartan workmanship which, in their softer versions, began to be worn even by the nobility. D. Ballantyne Brothers & Co. Ltd was born in 1920, when parallel businesses carried out by the sons of the original founder were combined under a single name.
The name Ballantyne grew in fame and operated with a precise goal: to create high-end Scottish Cashmere knitwear, positioning itself among the finest producers worldwide and be sold in the best stores. The use of artfully created Intarsia grew, with handmade knitwear and sophisticated workmanship that remained unmatched worldwide.
Looking back at the past with a new impulse, following a concept able to connect a world famous heritage with a new vision and a renewed perspective: this is what Ballantyne does, also with the appointment of Fabio Gatto as Creative Director, who has thirty years of comprehensive experience in the fashion industry and a unique insight into the world of fabrics. A desire for research and continuous discovery characterizes this brand, which has become an icon of the product itself: naming Ballantyne today means bringing to mind the excellence of cashmere, the purity of colors, the quality of a design and a weave synonymous with great savoir-faire.
The collection boasts items which are a beautiful mix of tradition and innovation, in accordance with current market demands for the world of cashmere. All started with this noble material worked in laboratories with expert manual skills, able to instantly conjure up images of colorful diamond shapes and delicate intarsia workmanship. The workmanship of each piece of knitwear shows a high standard of craftsmanship. In fact, more than two days are necessary to create the frontal intarsia using a frame by hand. This is how all the colors are worked as well as each yarn. The hope is to return to ancient knowledge, unearth techniques inevitably lost with the expansion of more technological industrial companies.
It is a world already appreciated by numerous icons whose styles have showcased the world of Ballantyne in the past: the colorful twin-set much loved by Jackie Kennedy, sweaters adored by Steve McQueen, Emma Thompson and Eva Herzigova.
Finaest.com chose Ballantyne because, as Henry James wrote, "It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition". And a brand like Ballantyne certainly does not lack history, ready to reinterpret its own rules with new versions designed to pay homage to a lasting tradition.
