In the early 1980s, Aida Barni — founder of the company and creative director of Annapurna — chose to approach the international fashion market with an exclusive pure cashmere knitwear collection, defined by strong intellectual sensibilities and carrying her own name.
The rigour of this decision, strengthened by the profound knowledge of her husband, Pier Luigi Galli — one of the world’s leading authorities on spun yarns — and combined with Aida’s deep insight into art, set the direction for collections created for men and women who shared her vision: independent, cultivated individuals inspired by a cultural awareness shaped by diverse influences and an intuitive sensibility for contemporary art.
Her passion for apparent simplicity, her openness to innovation, and her constant attention to quality continue today to define a dialogue between design and technique, flair and discipline.
The book cashmere
Recognising that most public information on cashmere was more myth than fact, the need arose to clarify the subject.
Thus, in 1986, Pier Luigi Galli, together with Claus A. Froh — a creative expert in image and communication — wrote the landmark book Cashmere.
Followed by two updated editions that expanded the research to include new topics such as shahtoosh, and published in Italian, English, German, French and Japanese, the book explores the history, characteristics and spinning processes of this prestigious fibre, becoming an international reference for technical schools, buyers and specialised professionals.
Although the name of this precious material evokes the Himalayan regions of Kashmir, Nepal or Tibet, the best cashmere fibre for knitting comes from Inner Mongolia, China. Goats living on the Mongolian Plateau, thanks to the climate, natural environment and breeding methods, produce down fibres of exceptional quality.
The persistent commitment to excellence has naturally led Aida Barni to select only the finest materials and to value accuracy over haste, and knowledge over improvisation. This choice, combined with respectful, expert and precise workmanship, defines every Aida Barni garment.
True quality begins with the yarn.
From the beginning, guided by Pier Luigi Galli’s technical expertise, the Aida Barni collections have exclusively used two-ply cashmere yarn: two threads twisted together to create a single, stronger and more balanced strand.
At the time, this decision went against the prevailing British tradition of using single-ply yarns, but time proved it right. What was once a countercurrent choice has now become a standard of quality in fine knitwear. A garment made with two-ply yarn is more even, subtly lustrous and softer.
For Aida Barni, “Made in Italy” means more than origin: it represents an ethical and transparent production process, free from exploitation, deeply respectful of people and regulations, with full control over materials and careful attention to the environment.
It also embodies a heritage of knowledge refined over decades, an expertise that cannot be replicated elsewhere in the world.
