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There are cashmere brands, and then there is Elle & Riley — a New Zealand label that has spent the better part of a decade building one of the most considered knitwear collections in the Southern Hemisphere. Now, they’ve brought it to Beverly Hills, and the response has been incredible.
Founded by mother-daughter duo Yolande Ellis and Elle Pugh, the brand launched its first New Zealand flagship in 2016 and has since grown to six stores across the country. Their Beverly Hills outpost — their first in the U.S. — arrived just in time for LA’s perpetual sweater-weather: 70-degree February days that call for something lightweight, elevated, and genuinely special against your skin. This is precisely what Elle & Riley delivers.
We like
- Exceptional softness — Mongolian cashmere from a decade-long factory relationship
- Lightweight enough for LA’s mild winters; not just for cold climates
- Thoughtful colorways: new Lapis Blue alongside enduring neutrals
- Genuine founder story — family-run, NZ-designed, ethically sourced in Mongolia
- Versatile range: joggers, dresses, travel wraps, menswear crew necks & more
- Beverly Hills store offers a superb in-person experience
We don't like
- Premium price point, though the quality fully justifies the investment
- Limited U.S. retail presence for now — Beverly Hills only until East Coast opens mid-2026
- Online size guidance could be more detailed for new customers
The Founder Story
Elle & Riley was founded by mother and daughter Yolande Ellis and Elle Pugh, who opened their first New Zealand store in 2016 with a singular conviction: that cashmere didn’t need to be loud or logo-driven to be exceptional. It just needed to be made right. Their decade-long partnership with a family-run Mongolian factory gives them full visibility into every stage of production — from the raw Himalayan fiber to the finished garment — a rarity in an industry that often trades quality for margin.
“Cashmere doesn’t have to be showy, but it does have to be uncompromising in the sense of everything feeling great when you wear it. For us, it’s all about how the product feels against your skin.” – Elle Pugh, Co-Founder
Beverly Hills Has Arrived — And So Has Elle & Riley
The Beverly Hills store is the brand’s first U.S. retail outpost and a deliberate choice of location. Beverly Hills shoppers are discerning in a particular way: they’ve touched luxury, they know the difference between it and something that merely looks like it. Elle & Riley’s quiet confidence — no logos, no noise, just extraordinary cashmere — is precisely the right register for this market.
The SoCal response from customers, influencers, and celebs alike has been impressive. LA is not traditionally a sweater city, but the brand’s lightweight constructions have proven a natural fit for a climate that oscillates between air-conditioned interiors and sunlit terraces. With pieces already in the wardrobes of Kate Hudson, Derek Blasberg, Lisa Kudrow, Jess Hart, and Alix Earle, momentum is building fast. East Coast expansion is already in the pipeline, with openings planned for mid-2026.
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The Collection — What to Know, What to Buy
The breadth of the Elle & Riley collection is one of its quiet strengths. This isn’t a brand that does one thing — it does many things with the same level of care. For women: V-neck sweaters and crew necks in cloud grey, ivory, and now Lapis Blue; wide-leg cashmere trousers; knit dresses that drape beautifully; cashmere joggers for elevated loungewear; travel wraps that have been among the brand’s bestsellers for years. For men: speckled crew necks and cardigans in weights that work from autumn through spring.
The brand is also developing kidsware and a series of talent and brand collaborations — extensions that feel true to the aesthetic rather than opportunistic. If you’re new to the brand, the travel wrap is a near-perfect entry point: versatile, generously sized, and immediately revealing of why people become devoted Elle & Riley customers.
In Conclusion
Elle & Riley is the rare brand that lives up to its own story. The founder narrative — a mother-daughter team, a decade-long Mongolian factory partnership, six New Zealand stores, and now Beverly Hills — isn’t marketing gloss. It’s the actual reason the cashmere feels the way it does. In a market saturated with knitwear that promises softness and delivers mediocrity, Elle & Riley is a genuine standout. With East Coast expansion on the horizon and new colorways landing regularly on the site, now is a very good time to get acquainted.
SHOP ELLE & RILEY HERE
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