The soft cashmere turtleneck that keeps the chill off my neck all winter.

On the oversized cashmere turtleneck that skims instead of clinging, covers the arms, and wraps the neck in a soft warm collar — quiet luxury, and no scarf required. Why a small South Carolina family made it this way, and why they're clearing it now.

By Margaret Ellison · Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Posted September 2026 · 6 min read

I am 63 years old, and the cold settles in my neck and shoulders now in a way it never used to. Every winter I would pile on a scarf just to sit comfortably in my own living room, and half the time it would slip, or bunch, or leave me fussing with it all day. My sweaters kept my arms warm and left my neck bare to every draft.

What I wanted was simple. One soft sweater warm enough at the neck that I could stop reaching for a scarf — something that covered me properly, skimmed over my middle instead of gripping it, and did not itch the moment it touched my skin.

Then a woman in my church group here in Mount Pleasant came in one cold Sunday in the softest pale-blue turtleneck, warm and entirely at ease, no scarf in sight. I finally asked her about it. She laughed and told me to read the Clarke family's letter first.

The Clarke family runs a small boutique here in South Carolina, family-run since 1986 — three generations, mother to daughter. The sweater is called the Liora, and their letter walks through the handful of things they refused to compromise on. I am going to let their words carry it, because they say it better than I could.

1A relaxed cut that skims

We cut the Liora generously oversized, so it drapes softly over you and skims your shape rather than gripping it. Soft, cozy, and flattering right where you want it — never tight, and never a shapeless sack.

2A sleeve that covers the arm

We gave it a full-length sleeve with room all around, down to a snug ribbed cuff at the wrist that keeps the warmth in. Your arms stay covered and comfortable, with nothing gripping them anywhere.

3A soft turtleneck that keeps you warm

We finished it with a tall, soft turtleneck collar that folds over and wraps the neck in warmth — soft against the skin, never scratchy or stiff. It keeps the chill off so well you can leave the scarf on its hook.

4Spun from soft cashmere, in seven colors

We spun the Liora from a soft, fine cashmere that feels like a warm hug and holds its shape wash after wash — none of the itch or the pilling you dread. It comes in seven colors, from quiet neutrals to a joyful pink, so there is one for every mood.

5Light to layer, warm on its own

We knit it light enough to slide under a coat without any bulk, yet warm enough to carry a whole cold day on its own. One soft sweater that works from a frosty morning to a cool evening, indoors and out.

6It fits the body you have

We make the Liora from a size S all the way to XL and cut it generously oversized on purpose. It is meant to fit the woman — not make the woman fit the sweater.

The Liora, against the sweaters you've been buying

Why they're clearing it now

They priced the Liora at $139.95 when it launched, and it sold at that price all season. But for America's 250th, the Clarke family wanted to give something back to the women who have kept their doors open since 1986 — so every one is going out at less than half of that.

I ordered mine that evening. It arrived a few days later in a kraft-paper parcel with a short handwritten note from the family. I have reached for it more than anything else in my closet since.

I do not usually write things like this. But I had spent years fussing with a scarf just to keep the chill off my neck indoors — and this one soft, warm sweater ended that. If that sounds like you, I hope you find your size before it clears.

— Margaret Ellison · Mount Pleasant, SC

This is a personal account from a Clarke Family customer. Margaret was not paid to write it. · The Clarke Family · Family Fashion · South Carolina, since 1986 · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.