# Lavish Cashmere Collaborations Michael Van Der Ham Reconstructs the Classic Material By Katie Pagnotta | Published 2012-11-06 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/michael-van-der-ham-brora References: [alexloves](http://alexloves.com/2012/10/michael-van-der-ham-for-brora/) & [brora](http://www.brora.co.uk/) Dutch born designer Michael Van Der Ham has struck again. This time the young designer is [collaborating with Scottish](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-wren) [cashmere label](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/loro-piana-x-harrods) Brora. Van Der Ham’s youthful and refreshing aesthetic can resuscitate a fabric like cashmere and make it appeal to a younger audience, even though it is at a higher price point. Cashmere is a lavish fabric that too often is left plain and untreated, but this designer adds color, texture, pattern and an overall panache to the collaboration. He is unafraid to combine colors such as navy, sea foam green, orange and so forth and more importantly, he does it well. Van Der Ham has an eye for combinations that would not make sense to the common eye and uses them incorporated with different patterns and material treatments that makes something as ordinary as a [cashmere cardigan](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reformation-cardigan) seem exquisite. Michal Van Der Ham and Brora is an ingenious pairing and only an inclination of the future of the next generation of male designers. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.8/10 - Popularity: 36% | Activity: 41% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 10% men, 90% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Hip Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/hipfashion) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Luxury Fabric Collaborations:** Designers are collaborating with high-end fabric brands to create unique products that appeal to younger audiences and elevate the perceived value of the material. - **Youthful Cashmere Designs:** Designers are using color, texture, and pattern to give cashmere a refreshed and youthful appeal for a new generation of consumers. - **Unconventional Color and Pattern Combinations:** Designers are mixing and matching colors and patterns in unconventional ways, pushing the boundaries of traditional fashion norms and creating unique designs that stand out. ### Where This Applies - **Luxury Fashion:** Luxury fashion brands can collaborate with designers to create unique products that appeal to younger audiences and stand out in the market. - **Textiles:** Textile companies can partner with designers to create new fabric treatments and designs that elevate the perceived value of their materials. - **Fashion Design Education:** Fashion schools and programs can incorporate unconventional color and pattern combinations into their curriculum to encourage students to push the boundaries and create unique designs. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Versatile Cashmere Menswear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/california-cashmere-collection.md) - [Luxurious Cashmere Sweater Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tony-melillo.md) - [Elevated Essential Knitwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ravella.md) - [Understated Men's Knitwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/herdsman-sweater-collection.md) - [Hand- Knitted Joint Apparel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beams-x-macmahon-knitting-mills.md) - [Camel Hair-Made Sustainable Materials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cameluxe.md) - [Sustainable Cashmere Apparel Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reformations-cashmere-collection.md) - [Collaborative Hand-Knit Streetwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/macmahon-knitting-mills-and-beams.md) - [Cashmere-Centric Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/loro-piana-x-harrods.md)