Hear the words “cashmere brand” and you are likely to think of a beige, cookie-cutter crew or V-neck. However, although Extreme Cashmere do a timeless camel colourway and ultra-touchable jumpers, its offering is anything but beige or cookie-cutter. “I always had the idea to make one beautiful sweater,” says Saskia Dijkstra, who founded the Amsterdam-based label in 2016 after spending years working in manufacturing, which brought her to Hong Kong.
“We made a few sweaters and, when the first sample arrived, my mum wanted it, my brother, my stepsons – everybody. They were all of different heights, ages and genders. So, it started with that sweater,” says Dijkstra, who started out devoting 90 per cent of her time to her work as an agent and 10 per cent to Extreme Cashmere.
Eventually, the latter took over. Now, Dijkstra and her team create and sell an array of colourful cashmere that is packed with personality and off-kilter charm. In theory, one could wear the brand’s cashmere from head to ankle – and, having touched the items in question, you will certainly want to.
In the brand’s canal-side offices – just as colourful as its cashmere – Dijkstra and her branding manager, Wies Verhoofstad, sat down with the Post to chat about the founder’s years in Hong Kong, the made in China label and building a close-knit team. : It was the energy. I just remember the first day I was standing by the Star Ferry, with blue skies – it was 1993, and I felt so good.
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