Saskia Dijkstra, founder of playful Amsterdam-based knitwear label Extreme Cashmere, is evangelical about garment care. With the right technique – which surprisingly means regular spins in the washing machine – she believes a cashmere jumper can last, if not for life, then for several decades to come.
Wallpaper* got to experience this first hand on a visit to Extreme Cashmere HQ in Amsterdam’s canal district, where employees bring their sweaters in each day to be washed on the premises, and they are then left to dry flat across the floor in a kaleidoscopic collage (the brand is known for its vivid colour palette and all-cashmere wardrobe, which spans from classic sweaters, jumpers and cardigans to party dresses, body suits and opera gloves).
Extreme Cashmere x Miele cashmere ‘spa’ in Paris
Opening today (5 March 2025) to coincide with Paris Fashion Week A/W 2025, Extreme Cashmere has united with German home appliance brand Miele – known for its washing machines, which are considered the Rolls-Royce of the genre – to create a ‘spa’ for your cashmere sweaters, allowing them to be washed, pressed, combed and folded until they are good as new. Located on 36 Rue Chevert, the installation is ‘a counterweight to cycles of fast consumption’, with guests receiving a custom laundry bag that they can use to send a beloved Extreme Cashmere sweater for a complimentary refresh.
‘The objective of the spa is to show that we should not be afraid of washing our sweaters,’ Dijkstra tells Wallpaper*. ‘We’ve created a luxurious spa for cashmere sweaters to show that taking care of yourself should extend to taking care of your sweaters.’
As for what to expect from the space, Dijkstra – who has previously hosted pop-ups in London, St Moritz and Los Angeles – says attendees can expect ‘[something] like an art exhibition, that shows you every aspect of garment care. The visitor will walk through the Extreme Cashmere world, enveloped by the scents, sounds, and touch of cashmere and cashmere care.’ As such, multiple stations will showcase the various steps, which Dijkstra describes as ‘meditative’.
Partnering with Miele was a no brainer for Dijkstra, who has long extolled the importance of a reliable washing machine when it comes to extending the life cycle of your clothing. ‘Since day one, I have only guaranteed this level of garment care in a Miele washing machine, simply because it is the best,’ she says. ‘I’ve had a Miele in the family for generations, and having tested quite a few, the Miele remains the very best for garment care. So this collaboration is a dream come true for us.’
More than just practicality, Dijkstra says that washing your sweaters is a ‘ritual of self-care that goes beyond the cosmetic’. ‘I grew up with sweaters that were passed on through generations, and that is something I want to preserve for this generation and beyond. Cashmere care can be as meditative and relaxing as an actual spa – if you do it right.’
Extreme Cashmere x Miele Cashmere Spa is open from 5–8 March 2025.
36 rue Chevert, Paris 75007.
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