GOD’S TRUE CASHMERE

Many brands begin with a dream of sorts – an ambition, hope or ‘mission’ – but God’s True Cashmere was born of one that borders on premonition. The dream in question led holistic healer and jewellery designer Sat Hari (who’s also the founder of LA label Amrit Jewelry) on a quest to create the shirt of her – and her co-founder’s – dreams.

An L.A. brand worn by the likes of The Row’s Mary-Kate Olsen, God’s True Cashmere has now launched an exclusive capsule collection on the Atrium on 2 at Selfridges London. Timed perfectly for Christmas, the collection includes keep-forever gifts – think recycled-cashmere blankets and beanie hats – alongside those signature cashmere shirts. They’re joined by a small colony of bee brooches crafted from gold and diamond – an Amrit x God’s True Cashmere collaboration. Read on to hear more from the designer about conscious design, sharing the love and the dream that started it all.

How did God’s True Cashmere start?

It started with a dream I had on a Tuesday night about Brad [Pitt] wanting soft green cashmere in his life! A few days later, I told him about the dream. He replied that it was strange because he had told his stylist on Tuesday that he wanted more green cashmere; he needed more softness in his life. So, I decided to find him a green cashmere shirt. After searching other brands and realising it didn’t exist, I decided to make him one. Even that was an adventure – almost a treasure hunt – that led to a beautiful shirt for him and inspiration for me to start a brand. He loved his so much and believed in it and wanted to join me. So here we are!

Have you had this kind of premonition before?

Yes, this is a theme in my life. I am very sensitive to my intuition and messages coming through, and when I lean into them, great things happen for me.

How did you come up with the brand name?

My name, Sat Hari, literally translates to ‘God’s Truth’. It’s how I aspire to live each day. It’s my personal mission statement: living in truth, love and forgiveness, the best that I can.  

What process did you go through to create that first cashmere shirt?

The first one was created as a gift for my friend, so I could satisfy my dream. Another friend of mine went to dinner with a man who turned out to be a cashmere manufacturer. We FaceTimed at his factory the next day and from there made the first shirt. Not having a fashion background, I started to learn, and many friends came forward to help, guide and teach me.

Tell us about finding the perfect cashmere. What decisions go into this process?

We are very focussed on creating a company that you can feel wholly good about. For us, the intention behind that statement is that the animals are cared for, the environment is given back to, the manufacturers are supported, and the wearer feels loved. It’s a big and challenging list, but we’ve set that intention. That’s the goal.

Just to mention a few of our current initiatives: our cashmere is ethically sourced, and we are working with manufacturers that are responsible wool certified. We are always looking for a way to improve our sourcing. Some day we want to own the [cashmere] farm, so we can control the full cycle. We are working towards having a zero-waste manufacturing process; our remnants are recycled or reused. We take such care to source, and we want to honour that by not being wasteful. We’ve already removed plastic from our packing and shipping process. This is just the beginning.

Tell us about the new pieces you’ve created for this launch – how did you decide what to create?

Brad and I create the pieces together. We sit down and talk about what’s inspiring to us and go from there. We pick colours based on what makes us happy and brings us joy. The process itself is fun and playful – it’s really not serious at all.

We would like to think that we make heirloom, sustainable pieces that you can pass on to your loved ones if properly taken care of. We also make new colourways a couple of times a year, and we have heard that people like to collect them.

What are your favourite pieces from the new collection and why?

I love the Cinnamon ‘twist’ Tartan. It is beautiful to me, and the colours are great for the season. What’s not to love?

You also run Amrit Jewelry. How has your experience as a jewellery designer influenced how you’ve built God’s True Cashmere?

My experience has been that inspiration is shown to me and, when this arrives and I am able to listen, beautiful things are made. In jewellery design, I would get these inspirations and symbols, then follow them to find the right stones and settings and, from there, [create] a beautiful piece carrying the intention of healing, protection and expansion. It’s similar with cashmere. The key, for me, has been learning to listen: to the inspiration, to myself and to my intuition. Follow my dreams.

You’re a holistic healer, too. What role does spirituality play in your life? How have you channelled that side of yourself into God’s True Cashmere?

What is it to be spiritual? It’s such a buzzword and means something different to each person. To me, it’s simply living love. Truth. Using the universal light that everyone is part of. The energy that is bigger than all of us and, yet, in all of us. 

In my practice, holistic healing involves inspiring or guiding each person to release the blocks inside so they can be free and heal themselves.

Tell us about the symbolism of the gemstones you incorporate into your designs.

Different gemstones have different healing qualities, and I liked the idea of each person having their energetic field filled with these properties. Plus, the gemstones are just beautiful. I love the healing properties of crystals and gemstones; they are a huge part of my history with Amrit Jewelry.

What would you hope people feel when they wear a God’s True Cashmere design?

I hope they feel loved. It’s that simple for me.