The Basics That Are Far From Basic - Elite Traveler

The Basics That Are Far From Basic

Every wardrobe is built on much-loved essentials, so here’s what you should add to yours, whoever/wherever you are.

  • Linda Farrow sunglasses

    The London-based brand makes seriously special sunglasses at fairly reasonable prices, some adorned with diamonds, others made from buffalo horn and sterling silver. So it’s unsurprising that it has some extremely committed fans. Out ahead by some margin is the client who ordered 200 examples of the same pair. “We had to question it,” says Simon Jablon, Linda Farrow’s CEO. “It turned out they were being purchased for a sheikh who wanted a pair waiting at every residence, with extras kept in all his cars, yachts, and planes.”

  • The Elder Statesman blanket

    There’s a reason why this LA-based label is a favorite with both the front row and the Hollywood set. It produces the very best-quality knitwear — hand-spun yarns which are then hand-loomed — all designed with a unique aesthetic. Its stripes and tie-dyes are especially coveted; think boardroom quality with a boardwalk vibe. Or, as the brand’s founder Greg Chait puts it, “We combine impeccable craftsmanship with light-hearted soul.”

    But it’s not just the sweaters that are sent to multiple addresses, especially across the US and the Caribbean. The business started out selling the kind of blankets and throws that dreams are made of. The current striped examples — yes, more stripes — are nothing less than wall-worthy works of art.

  • Zegna Vellus Aureum T-shirt

    Zegna’s jersey is spun from pure wool fleece so fine — just 12 to 13 microns in diameter — that it’s about six times thinner than a strand of human hair. It’s the culmination of a fiber obsession the house has nurtured since 1963: the search for a wool that blends the sheen of silk with the softness of cashmere. Faintly absurd and gloriously indulgent, T-shirts don’t come more refined than this. Zegna offers them in several colors — and clients buy the lot — but these subtle shades are an understated choice.

  • Chanel classic ballet flats

    Matthieu Blazy, Chanel’s new-ish creative director (he joined in 2025 from Bottega Veneta), consistently conjures up some of the most coveted and fashion-forward footwear in the business. But when it comes to duplicate orders to multiple addresses, it’s the basics that hold sway. Not that there’s anything basic about Chanel’s ballet flats, which were launched by Blazy’s antecedent Karl Lagerfeld in 1984, taking inspiration from the two-tone pumps created by Coco Chanel in 1957. Current options include a ruby-red pair worthy of Dorothy herself.

  • Malo ‘Silvio’ cashmere sweater

    Under-the-radar Malo has been spinning and knitting high-quality cashmere in Tuscany since the early 1970s, but the brand has been rejuvenated since the recent appointment of Michelle Kessler Sanders as CEO. Its ‘Silvio’ sweater — so named because former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi reportedly bought them by the dozen — epitomizes the brand’s low-key, luxurious design aesthetic. The classic sweatshirt is elevated in 12-gauge cashmere with a supremely soft, mottled yarn that adds welcome texture, and easy raglan sleeves. It’s what Sunday mornings were designed for — which is why you, like Berlusconi, will want multiples in every home.

  • Loro Piana microfiber vest

    The vest — love it or hate it — is an indispensable companion to the frequent traveler. Loro Piana has taken its signature bomber and simply removed the sleeves. It’s generous in the body and features handy side-slip pockets at the waist. The real selling point, however, is the two high-performing textiles in one. The outer is made from Wind Stretch Storm System microfiber (developed in collaboration with a Japanese mill that weaves racing sailcloth) and the lining is Wish Wool — an indulgent worsted fabric made from Super 160s yarn. It shrugs off the wind and weather yet feels improbably soft. Plus, it folds down to practically nothing in a carry-on and looks expensive in that understated way Loro Piana is so good at. 

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