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Alanui: The Italian Luxury Brand That Turned the Cardigan Into a Modern Heirloom

In a luxury world obsessed with speed, trends, and constant reinvention, Alanui moves like a melody — slow, steady, and unforgettable. With roots in Italy and a soul shaped by the deserts of America, Alanui is the brand that turned the cardigan into couture, the poncho into poetry, and knitwear into a global language of freedom, travel, and craftsmanship.

Founded by siblings Nicolò and Carlotta Oddi in 2016, Alanui (which means “large path” in Hawaiian) is a brand built on storytelling, slow fashion, and cultural reverence — a rare philosophy in today’s hyper-consumptive industry.

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The Story Begins: From One Cardigan to a Global Vision

Alanui didn’t begin with a mood board or a seasonal brief. It began with a gift — a cashmere jacquard cardigan Nicolò Oddi gave to his sister Carlotta for a trip to Hawaii. The cardigan wasn’t just warm; it felt like armor, comfort, and companion rolled into one.

That single piece became the blueprint for the brand:

• One size
• No gender
• No season
• Endless possibility

The brand name, Alanui, was chosen not just for its exotic resonance, but for its meaning: a path, a journey, a pilgrimage.

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The Philosophy: One Icon, Infinite Interpretations

Unlike most fashion houses that chase collections, Alanui revolves around a singular silhouette — the oversized jacquard cardigan — reimagined in dozens of ways, season after season.

This approach allows the brand to focus on:

• Artistry over novelty
• Depth over quantity
• Meaningful evolution over seasonal reinvention

Alanui proves that when a piece is crafted with soul, it doesn’t need to change — only expand.

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The Aesthetic: Nomadic, Nostalgic, and Crafted Like Couture

Alanui pieces are instantly recognizable:

• Bold jacquard patterns
• Fringed hems
• Earthy yet vivid palettes
• Native American, Navajo, and Americana-inspired motifs
• Hand-stitched details and embroidery

But while the designs may evoke the American West, the spirit is thoroughly Italian — think:

• Refined finishing
• Hand-braided trims
• Six-hour knitting processes
• 980 grams of Cariaggi cashmere per cardigan

Each piece is as soft as it is sturdy. It’s built to roam, last, and collect memories.

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Not a Trend — A Companion

Alanui does not follow fashion calendars. Its pieces are:

• Seasonless
• Genderless
• Timeless
• Meant to be layered, treasured, passed down

The cardigan is not a fashion item. It’s a traveler’s blanket, a digital nomad’s uniform, a creative’s armor. You don’t wear Alanui to impress others — you wear it to feel present in yourself.

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Fabric as Faith: The Cashmere Obsession

Alanui’s signature yarn is ultra-fine Cariaggi cashmere, sourced from one of Italy’s most prestigious mills.

Each cardigan:

• Uses nearly 1 kilogram of cashmere
• Takes over 11 hours to craft
• Involves four separate artisanal processes
• Is finished with hand-applied fringe or macramé trim

Some styles are hand-painted, beaded, or tie-dyed, ensuring no two pieces are exactly alike. This makes Alanui not just clothing — but collectible textile art.

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Alanui and Cultural Respect

Though Alanui draws heavily from indigenous and native patterns, the brand avoids cultural appropriation pitfalls by:

• Deep research into historical symbols
• Collaborating with artisans and craftspeople globally
• Reframing traditional symbols in a personal narrative context, not mass-market imitation

Rather than stealing culture, Alanui honors the spirit of storytelling, craftsmanship, and identity embedded in global design languages.

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Expanding the Alanui Universe: Beyond the Cardigan

While the cardigan remains central, Alanui has grown into a fully formed lifestyle brand, including:

Apparel

• Track pants, wide-leg trousers, graphic tees, and fleece pullovers — all sharing Alanui’s luxe, relaxed soul.

Footwear

• Fringed suede boots, shearling-lined mules, slip-on sneakers — made to travel light but luxuriously.

Homeware

• Blankets, rugs, cushions, and throws made with the same yarns and motifs as their apparel.

Kidswear

• Alanui Kids extends the brand’s ethos to mini-explorers, with downsized cardigans and accessories.

Alanui is no longer a niche knitwear label — it’s an entire lifestyle proposition, wrapped in warmth, wanderlust, and world-class finishing.

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Alanui’s Place in the Luxury Landscape

Let’s compare Alanui to other luxury knitwear brands:

Brand	Signature Focus	Aesthetic	Sustainability	Positioning
Alanui	Iconic cardigan	Boho-luxury nomad	Conscious, artisanal	Artistic, wanderer
Loro Piana	Ultra-luxury basics	Ultra-minimalist	Highly sustainable	Quiet wealth
The Elder Statesman	Tie-dyed cashmere	West Coast eclectic	Handmade in LA	Playful boho
Missoni	Zigzag knits	Colorful, eccentric	Eco-aware	Legacy fashion
Gabriela Hearst	Luxe wool + knits	Intellectual minimal	Fully traceable	Responsible opulence

Alanui occupies a middle space — less traditional than Loro Piana, more refined than The Elder Statesman. It offers bohemian luxury with couture quality.

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The Creative Direction: From Oddi to Ongoing Legacy

While Carlotta Oddi left to start her own label (Andreadamo), the essence of Alanui — nomadic elegance — continues under Nicolò’s direction, with a growing in-house design team.

Recent collections have explored:

• Japanese landscapes
• Vintage racing iconography
• Psychedelic 1970s California
• Scandinavian forests

Yet, through every theme, the cardigan remains the canvas. The evolution is always rooted in the same DNA.

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Alanui’s Customers: The Modern Global Creative

Alanui speaks to a new type of luxury buyer:

• Digital nomads
• Conscious millennials
• Music industry insiders
• Wellness and art world influencers
• Collectors of slow fashion

They are:

• Less interested in brands, more in emotion
• More focused on craft, story, and touch
• Willing to pay for integrity, not hype

To them, Alanui is not fashion. It’s philosophy in fibers.

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Alanui and Sustainability: Small Footprint, Deep Impact

Alanui believes in:

• Low-volume production
• Durable materials that last a lifetime
• Vertical supply chains within Italy
• Avoidance of synthetic blends
• Limited runs to reduce waste

In other words, they don’t just sell less — they make better.

Every piece invites you to own less and love it longer.

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The Future of Alanui: Legacy Without Compromise

Alanui’s next steps are likely to include:

• Artisan collaborations from Peru, Japan, and Morocco
• Archival capsule reissues
• A full Alanui Home division
• More presence in sustainable fashion forums
• Pop-up cultural hubs — part gallery, part showroom

But what won’t change?

• The cardigan remains the icon.
• Italy remains the origin.
• Storytelling remains the method.
• The journey is still the destination.

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Final Thought: Alanui Isn’t Just Worn — It’s Lived In

In a culture obsessed with the new, Alanui reminds us that real style isn’t found — it’s grown. With every wear, every trip, every memory, an Alanui piece becomes more yours — softening, fraying, evolving alongside you.

It’s not fashion you discard.
It’s fashion you inherit.

To wear Alanui is to say:

“I’m not in a hurry — I’m on a journey.”

FAQs for the luxury knitwear brand “Alanui”

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