Winter is flexing its icicle-ish fingers and it’s time to muster the Exploded Thomson, Black Watch, reversible thistle, and put on the Full Stag. Winter means consulting D.C.
Born in the Punjab, India, Didar Singh “DC” Chalana founded Edinburgh Cashmere, one of the biggest retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers of 100% pure lambswool and 100% pure cashmere in the UK and Europe. The Edinburgh Cashmere brand includes Edinburgh Lambswool, Clans Cashmere, and the men’s fashion house, DC Milan. He has recently set up a healthy fast-food company, DC Tasty.
His designs have appeared in Vogue, Grazia, GQ, and Tatler. DC oversees every aspect of his production from designing through to completion in his own factory, as well as dealing directly with sustainable cashmere and lambswool farms, ensuring luxury quality and value. His specialty is up to the minute designs Monogram and Jacquard featuring his DC monogram logo. He also created one of the world’s most famous designs, the DC Classic Check. “I started my wholesale business when I was fifteen supplying products to the local market in Punjab.
“I always was and still am a keen learner. I was never really motivated by money or how much profit I made. My primary focus was always to learn and gain experience as much as I could. I used to visit shopping malls instead of going to school to know what products people were buying and what was in demand.
“My uncle in Nagaland. He helped me start my first shoe wholesale business. I would buy the products that came from China and transport them directly to the clients in Punjab. Then Delhi. I started the business with very little cash in my pocket. I moved into jeans, T-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, and then knitwear – mini-capes, scarves, and stoles.”
Working with some of the oldest woolen mills and factories in Scotland, some of which come with a heritage spanning over 200 years, DC’s iconic Edinburgh Cashmere brand was the first-ever company to make cashmere clan scarves.
“Our use of long-hair cashmere ensures the very softest of products and provides great durability too,” says the 38-year-old entrepreneur. “We offer over 500 tartans and 135 clan tartans.
“We value our customers enormously and want to ensure that they receive the very best products and all-round experience with us, so we pay close attention to the manufacturing process of each and every garment and have them made from the very best materials available and woven with the greatest of precision.”
Scotland is home to the largest number of cashmere shops in the world. DC continues to oversee every aspect of production across his brands based in his flagship store on Young Street, Edinburgh. | Images courtesy of Edinburgh Cashmere
