The best blankets for wrapping up and relaxing in

The best blankets for wrapping up and relaxing in – from enveloping cashmere throws to distinct designs from fashion’s finest. Whether hibernating at home or cocooning against the elements, these good-enough-to-wear blankets will keep you warm and cosy.

Best blankets and throws

Marfa Stance x Gee’s Bend

Georgia Dant’s outerwear-focussed label Marfa Stance has united with the women of Gee’s Bend, a small community in Alabama, United States known for creating hand-stitched, geometric quilts since the early 20th century. Coinciding with ‘Souls Grown Deep Like the Rivers: Black Artists from the American South’ at London’s Royal Academy (17 March – 18 June 2023), 18 of these quilters have been selected to display and sell their work ‘to provide a blueprint for future income streams’ (the project was aided by non-profit Nest, which supports engagement with artisans from around the world). Products available include reversible quilts, framed mini quilts and wearable art pieces including a quilted Marfa Stance bomber and vest. The collaboration will be available online and in the Royal Academy shop, while the seven reversible quilts will be on view in The Academicians’ Room in The Keeper’s House, Burlington House.

Available from marfastance.com; royalacademy.org.uk

Johnstons of Elgin

Made in Scotland for over two centuries, historic mill Johnstons of Elgin is known for its wool and cashmere knitted using time-honoured techniques passed through generations. Its range of blankets and throws demonstrate this near-unsurpassed craft with an array of colourful designs in cashmere, merino and lambswool – each made in the brand’s Scottish factories and mills. Designs span herringbone, tartan and reversible colour-block, in various sizes – including miniature sizes for children – promising ‘warmth, softness and colour’. And, for a personalised touch, Johnstons of Elgin also offer a monogram service, allowing up to eight custom characters on all blankets and throws. 

Available from selfridges.com

Byredo ‘Team Colours’

A new edition of Byredo’s ‘Alphabeta’ blanket – recognisable for its alphabet print in the brand’s signature stencil font – celebrates the arrival of March Madness, a college basketball tournament in the United States whereby teams vie to be crowned national champions (Ben Gorham, Byredo’s founder and creative director, was a former basketball player). Titled ‘Team Colours’, the four new styles come in bold hues reminiscent of those which come on athletic uniforms and team flags; each is crafted from merino and cashmere with a signature ‘B’ patch in calfskin, tanned in Italy. ‘With the rhythmic visual effect of the alphabet pattern transformed through eye-catching shades, exacting savoir-faire comes redefined with an elated attitude,’ say the brand. JM

Available from byredo.com

Redduo

‘Loads of Lines’ is a limited-edition collection of blankets from Italian homeware brand Redduo that transforms discarded deadstock fabric into hand-painted works of art. Redduo founders Fabiola Di Virgilio and Andrea Rosso hit upon the idea of creating the fifty ‘art blankets’ during lockdown when wandering the streets of Veneto, which are famously populated by local artisans who have been mastering the art of clay and textile productions since the early 1900s. Hoping to preserve the local craftsmanship, and the generations of knowledge behind it, threatened by decreased business during Covid, Di Virgilio and Rosso commissioned three different tailors to rework discarded wool textiles into quilts. The duo then hand-painted them with eye-catching geometric patterns, making for a one-of-a-kind collection of textile artworks. Writer: Mary Cleary

Available from redmilk.space

Connolly

Enveloping made-in-Scotland blankets have always been a part of British heritage brand Connolly’s collections. The latest additions – arriving for winter 2022 – are designed by Connolly knitwear designer Lorraine Acornley, and arrive in a range of luxurious textures, from sustainably sourced cashmere to the brand’s ‘CB’ emblazoned blanket in a super-soft lambswool blend. ‘We make these blankets at a very special mill on the west coast of Scotland with over 150 years of experience in luxury weaving,’ says Acornley. ‘Each blanket goes through around 30 processes from start to finish, from warping, weaving, milling and finishing and a plethora of other stages and processes in between. The soft Scottish water makes the handle of these blankets exquisite. [They are] the Connolly heirlooms of tomorrow.’ JM

Available from connollyengland.com

Magniberg

Cult Stockholm brand Magniberg has made the pursuit of luxury bed linen a legitimate sport. Now, co-founders Bengt Thornefors and Nina Norgren have introduced the ‘Lady Blanket’, a sumptuous mohair blanket in 13 variations of pink and blue, handwoven at a generations-old Finnish family-owned mill. So revered is this item, they onboarded photographer Casper Sejersen to create a 10-minute cinematic movie scored by August Rosenbaum to showcase it. Tilly Macalister-Smith

Available from selfridges.com

The Elder Statesman x Flamingo Estate 

The verdant rolling hills of California’s Flamingo Estate, now under the stewardship of owner Richard Christiansen, produce an abundance of nutritious, flavoursome foodie delights year round. While Christiansen has been working to ‘put the culture back in agriculture’ and build a community to support local farmers, he’s also been casting his net of best-in-class collaborators. The latest is with Cali cashmere experts The Elder Statesman on a 100 per cent cashmere blanket – ‘a technicolour heirloom is crafted to last a lifetime’. ‘From the pine forests of Italy and the Highlands of Scotland, the Cowichan sweater-makers of the Pacific Northwest, and the bustling craft markets in the mountains of Guatemala, The Elder Statesman assembles true masters of craft from around the world,’ Christiansen says of his latest choice partnership. TMS

Available from flamingoestate.com

Marina Moscone Casa

When New York-based designer Marina Moscone launched her homeware line Casa line this fall, she did so with all the sensibilities of her fashion line – exceptional Italian fabrics, flourishes of artisanal craftsmanship and discerning design which is made to last. Her made-in-Italy double-faced merino wool blankets are edged in contrasting blanket stitch and come in dual colours of ivory and pale GREY, or moss and midnight blue. ‘They are inspired by contemporary painter Suzan Frecon's striking arc-shaped work,’ says Moscone. Good enough to wear. TMS

Available from marinamoscone.com

A.P.C.

A.P.C.’s quilts, created by Jessica Ogden in collaboration with brand founder Jean Touitou, capture a feeling of ‘beauty in utility’ – a defining maxim of German artists Josef and Anni Albers, who inspired this collection (the name of each blanket pays ode to ‘the rich and singular universe’ of the pair). Their experimental, abstract work combined Bauhaus principles with a lifelong dedication to craft; as such, this collection – across both quilts and cushions – melds humble, homespun technique with bold geometric designs, proving a welcome addition to corners of the home requiring an injection of colour. JM

Available from apcstore.com

Begg x Co

Scottish knitwear label Begg x Co are masters of cashmere, showing off this prowess with a new series of blankets and throws for the home (though most would look equally luxurious wrapped around your person). Woven from sustainably-sourced fibres in the label’s historic Ayr mill, expect soft geometric designs and a feeling of texture throughout – whether honeycomb weaves or tumbled and washed finishes. JM

Available from selfridges.com

Attersee

Quality, simplicity and ease are the pillars on which Isabel Wilkinson Schor has built her new brand, Attersee. But don’t let the understated spirit lull you into thinking these pieces are easily imagined – every item is worked and reworked until it makes the cut to enter the collection. Case in point: the herringbone blanket. Woven from 100 per cent Alpaca wool and edged with tonal leather trim, this generously proportioned wrap – intended for the home or to be worn – is made by experts in Peru. Laura Hawkins

Available from shopattersee.com

Saunders

Jonathan Saunders’ recent expansion into homeware with his new line Saunders includes several exquisitely crafted blankets. Hand-knitted in Los Angeles using hand-dyed and recycled yarns, a fitting consequence of the highly-worked blankets is that they are made in limited runs. Named after his closest friends, these artful pieces will look as striking hung on a wall as draped on a bench or worn. LH

Available from saundersstudio.com

Claire Duport

Available at APOC Store, Claire Duport’s blankets and wall hangings have an abstract élan. The illustrator and textile artist's colourful designs will make an eclectic addition to any area of the home. LH

Available from apoc-store.com

Lauren Mangoogian

Handmade in Tulu, the Brooklyn-based brand's tactile blanket is inspired by traditional Turkish carpets, complete with a worn-in feel caused by repeated wear. The fringes of the style – which are also seen across a Tulu jumper – are hand-cut, before undergoing an artisanal washing process. LH

Available from laurenmanoogian.com

JW Anderson

Wishing for some wearable art? A series of woven and hand-knit limited-edition blankets, designed in collaboration between JW Anderson and Kenya-born British potter and artist Magdalene Anyango Namakhiya Odundo DBE and New York-born ceramicist and performance artist Shawanda Corbett, are available to pre-order through the British brand’s website. Bold and expressive, the pieces reproduce six different artistic works, bringing a sense of curatorial comfort to the home. LH

Available from jwanderson.com

Loewe

The stripe detail of this luxurious leather-trim Loewe blanket will stand out on any sofa. The style provides the ultimate comfort factor, constructed from wool, cashmere and silk blend and is sure to provide hours of hibernation. LH

Available from mytheresa.com

Norlha

For those keen to curl up against the chill, we advocate investing in a blanket by Norlha. The luxury label is the Tibetan Plateau’s first yak atelier, where it crafts yak down or ‘khullu’ – impeccably soft, durable and warm – into clothing and homeware items. This blanket has been dyed a distinctive dandelion yellow, sure to bring a shot of colour into the home. LH

Available from norlha.com

Byredo

The simplest way for conquering the A-Z of interior design? Byredo's ‘Alphabeta’ blanket is crafted from the snuggliest wool and cashmere and lettered with the multi-hyphenate label's graphic stencil. A simple way to feel even more serene? A generous spritz of a Byredo room spray. LH

Available from byredo.com

Puro Hotels

Wish you were venturing to a remote hotel for the festive season? Luckily for us, Puro Hotels has the at-home enveloping answer. The Norway-born Warsaw-based hotelier has teamed up with Polish designer Maria Jeglińska-Adamczewska and fellow Norwegian Røros Tweed, on a range of graphic three-colour woollen blankets, in shades of raspberry and clementine. Wrap yourself up and start dreaming of room service. LH

Available from purohotel.pl

Oyuna

As the nights draw in we’re desiring cosy swathes of cashmere even more. For those in favour of organic hues, we recommend cashmere specialist Oyuna’s blankets, throws and bedspreads, which will keep you warm all winter. LH

Available from oyuna.com

Tekla

‘We’re creating pieces that are going to exist for a long time,’ says Tekla founder Charlie Hedin, of the homeware brand’s timeless bedding, towels and quilts. The latest blankets range – lensed here by photographer Laura Coulson – is available in a host of colourful checks and stripes. ‘We really sell feelings,’ Hedin adds. What a mood booster. LH

Available from matchesfashion.com

Erdem

Iridescent rose motifs, Arts and Crafts florals, delicate Impressionistic blooms: the naturalistic prints in Erdem’s collections are an immediate mood booster. And now the brand’s fans can wrap themselves in its signature floral motif this winter, with the release of its first jacquard blanket. Crafted in Scotland, the cashmere and wool style is the first in Erdem’s evolving homeware range and features a tactile whip-stitch detail. It'll bring any interior into full bloom. LH

Available from erdem.com

Acne Studios

Make the most of the snuggly combination of soft alpaca, wool and mohair and invest in this check Acne Studios blanket in an uplifting orange and fuchsia check. LH

Available from acnestudios.com

Christopher Kane

Christopher Kane’s ‘More Joy’ merch line is an Instagram hit. For a hit of at-home happiness, snuggle up in this serotonin-boosting slogan style. LH

Available from christopherkane.com

Brunello Cucinelli

Cosy up in Brunello Cucinelli’s finest cashmere – the Italian brand’s throws are the ultimate in laid-back luxury. Staying in isn't without sophistication, and the delicate Monili detailing of this design adds a dash of sparkle to downtime. LH

Available from brunellocucinelli.com

Hermès

Set your sights on the Scottish Highlands, and virtually escape to its snow-topped peaks while snuggled in this Hermès tartan blanket.

Available from hermes.com