Leather selection is undoubtedly one of the key deliberations in creating a luxury product. Tod’s knows this intimately. After all, the brand is renowned for crafting some of the most comfortable footwear in the industry. In fact, Tod’s refers to this intersection of material quality and craftsmanship excellence as “Artisanal Intelligence”. Indeed it is an ethos that sees Tod’s continuously aiming for the best. And that has led it to the Pashmy project.

The name easily rolls off the tongue and if it sounds familiar, Pashmy is inspired by the pashmina. The soft, lightweight silkiness of the pashmina is what drives the Tod’s Pashmy project—the highest expression of the brand’s leather expertise.

It begins with the meticulous selection of leathers by Tod’s master artisans. The deep knowledge they possess of the material is essential to ensure that the Pashmy is strong while possessing pashmina-like qualities. The right leather for the Pashmy can be thinned to an incredible 0.5mm without losing its structural integrity and consistency—something that doesn’t happen often. During tanning, Pashmy is double-dyed for that uniform and brilliant depth of colour as though it is fabric and not leather. It is also treated with a natural, non-spray waterproof and stain-resistant finish that’s embedded into the leather’s fibres so that they last.

At a glance, Pashmy isn’t easily distinguishable; the feel is where the craftsmanship is immediately noticeable. Tod’s has applied Pashmy on a number of its iconic creations, ranging from footwear like its T Vintage sneakers, to outerwear, such as shirt jackets and bomber jackets that are incredibly light and soft to the touch. Now, that’s luxury.