A Sock is Born

I'm always late with milestones and almost missed celebrating this one. Pantherella is 80 this year. Pantherella was born in 1937. Well done Pantherella. Keep doing what you've been doing and here's looking forward to honouring your centenary in 2037, if I remember.

Pantherella — the socks and the company — have lasted because they have not wavered in their adherence to a production process that has been perfected over time, one that incorporates raw materials of the finest quality. We must be grateful that they have never been tempted to cut corners, thereby depriving us of a superb range of quality hosiery in wool, cotton, silk and cashmere.

Socks for a country house in 1937

In order to understand Pantherella's continuity of excellence, let's take a look at a couple of current pairs that would have been perfectly in keeping in 1937. Suppose you've been invited to a country house for a weekend in that year. Well you'd best pack a pair of silk evening dress socks.

The Asberley ribbed silk over-the-calf socks are made using Swiss 'tram' silk, a yarn formed from twisting strands together. Pantherella does them in black and champagne, as shown above. They say tram silk makes the weave shimmer. Without mentioning its exquisite softness, the temperature regulating and moisture absorbing qualities of silk make it an excellent base layer for the feet. Elastane to hold the shape? No way — Pantherella knits with the right amount of tension so it's not required. The Asberley have a fine gauge knit of 200 stitches per inch.

Socks for the skulking in the library

For skulking idly in the library on Sunday morning flicking your long fringe and nursing a hangover from the previous evening's dinner, you can go a little more rustic with Pantherella's Fulwell, a banded Fair Isle sock in merino wool. Again, because of the use of natural materials we have the inherent properties of wool, which are similar to silk as it happens.

We should find it very reassuring that we can, if we make the effort, enjoy the elegance and traditions of the past in the here and now. And it can all start with a pair of socks from Pantherella.