The Gift of Kings®

The Gift of Kings® Or the presentation of excellence in a wool thread Once reserved exclusively for European Royal Houses, today the most noble wool in the world is taken to an exceptional level of refinement, thanks to the collaboration between Loro Piana and the best visionary breeders in Australia and New Zealand. Tradition and Excellence Wool is the oldest and best-known material in the world, and the one from merino sheep has no rival to this day. Valued by the Phoenicians and brought to Spain by the Moors, it is said that it was so appreciated by the Spanish kings that they did not allow it to be exported - under penalty of death. The herd of merino sheep was raised in the royal palace of El Escorial, 45 km of Madrid and the sheep were offered to the royal houses of France, Great Britain and Holland. This is how The Gift of Kings was born. And after 300 years, Loro Piana dedicates this savoir faire exclusively to its customers, taking this incredible pure material to an exceptional level of refinement. With the lifting of export restrictions, merino sheep spread around the globe - especially in Australia and New Zealand, where they reached almost one hundred million. However, only a few million produced wool under 21 microns, and until the 1980s, fewer and fewer farmers were dedicated to growing them. The Record Bale Loro Piana's journey to the finest wool in the world began in 1975 in the majestic natural paradise of Australia and New Zealand, where Pierre Luigi Loro Piana sought to meet local breeders devoted, like himself, to sublime qualities and motivated them to promotes wool in a superlative way with an annual award: The Record Bale. The award was initiated in 1997 by the founder of Loro Piana and for twenty years the competition has recognized the efforts of the most selective wool breeders in the world. The center of the competition is, naturally, Australia and New Zealand, and its purpose is to inspire and encourage these dedicated breeders to continue the search for the highest standards in breeding Merino sheep to produce an extra fine wool of exceptional quality .The Record Bale is awarded to the two finest bales of wool produced in the previous year and the choice is not easy at all. Five million cubic meters of wool are produced annually in the two countries, from which 150 million linear meters of fine fabric are subsequently obtained. From this quantity, Loro Piana selects only 200 kg of wool, equally distributed between Australia and New Zealand, from which only 150 linear meters of fabric will be obtained. While the first winning bale had a diameter of 13.3 microns, the World Bale Record was established in 2016 with an immaculate bale with a fineness of 10.4 microns, a record that has not been equaled since then. The micron refers to the diameter of a single wool fiber and a micron is one thousandth of a millimeter in terms of size. A small number of microns shows us how fine, rare and precious the wool is. Imagine that the finest cashmere has a diameter of 13.5 microns, while Vicuna, the most exclusive, rare and precious fiber, measures 12.5 microns. Gift of Kings is even finer than these exclusive fabrics, measuring 12 microns in diameter. Its extraordinary quality lets the skin breathe and allows the body to maintain its natural temperature, making it suitable for any season and any climate. An exceptional savoir faire dedicated to those who, like Loro Piana, are passionate about true excellence and seek the sensation and comfort offered of what nature has to offer. The winners of The Record Bale this year are the family farm at Pyrenees Park, owners Mrs. Pamela and Mr. Robert Sandlant from Australia, with a result of 10.6 microns. Moreover, they are the holders of the World record of 10.4 microns. The second winner of the year is the Visulea farm, owners Mrs. Yvonne and Mr. Barrie Payne From New Zealand, with the same result, 10.6 microns. A Gift of Nature Record Bale is an extra limited edition of this exceptional material, Merino wool, which requires special care of the animals that produce it: a preserved natural environment and experienced breeders dedicated to this selective breed. Along with the exceptional natural conditions, their farms are magical places, located in lands where nature dictates the rules, near rivers and rocky hills. Here, each sheep is watched carefully and its wool is valued and cared for with love. Both in Australia and in New Zealand, animals are shorn in the spring, respecting their natural cycle. The extra wool obtained in this way is a gift of nature, which only the exceptional conditions of the places where they live can influence. Every year Loro Piana purchases this extraordinary pure material and transforms it into the most exclusive fabric in the world, resistant, durable and ultra easy. A royal treat for those who, like Loro Piana, are passionate about true excellence and appreciate the superb feeling of wearing the best that nature can offer us. 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The customers who chose over time to wear a completely customized, handmade suit, created especially for them in Italy, they are part of the international club that does not need official recognition The Record Bale. They are automatically enrolled for the following year, in a circuit that rarely opens for new clients. Starting from 2020, Viggo will enter this exclusive club. We received with honor the invitation to participate in the awarding event The Record Bale 2019 and we will soon make this sophisticated material, available only in a few locations, available to collectors, to enthusiasts of excellence who want a suit made of the finest fabric in the world selected by Loro Piana and unique in Romania at Viggo. Available from 2020 exclusively in Viggo Flagship StoreBd. Lascar Mastargiu no. 2 Tel. +4 0745 295 295