Dana Cooper is a Bermudian designer best known for beachwear.

But this month, as the temperature plummeted into the chilly 50s, she has launched a line of items to keep you warm — luxury cashmere scarves.

“My new line of scarves are 100 per cent Scottish cashmere,” Ms Cooper said. “This is something I have been wanting to do. They come in a bouquet of island colours, as well as black.”

She thought the scarf line would be good for Bermuda because it does get chilly in winter, and it is also nice to have something warm to travel with, if you are going overseas.

“I really wanted to make something to complement my line, which is mostly resort wear and beachwear,” she said. “I wanted to create an accessory for the fall and winter.”

She already has a line of colourful chiffon scarves.

Now, these are made from a cashmere that is lightweight enough for Bermuda winter temperatures, but still warm enough for snowy climes.

“It will work in the city, in the country or on the beach,” she said.

Ms Cooper is based in New York City, where the temperature is 33F right now. Her cashmere scarves are reportedly keeping her neck toasty.

The yarn used for the cashmere scarves comes from a Scottish company with a 182-year-old history. She is not revealing its identity, but said it is really well established.

“They have earned the trust of fashion houses for generations,” she said.

She is using a manufacturer in New York City to knit the scarves.

Wanting to find just the right companies to work with, she spent a great deal of time researching manufacturers during the early days of the pandemic.

“One manufacturer is good for one thing, but not necessarily another,” she said. “I am constantly sourcing new manufacturers. It is all about building relationships. I did a lot of Zoom during Covid. It is a continual process being a designer.”

It was very important to Ms Cooper that her cashmere scarves be produced with carefully sourced, pure wool, without a lot of chemicals used during processing.

“You want to avoid as many hands handling the wool it as possible,” she said. “It is a lot like farm to table.”

Ms Cooper said there have been a lot of moving parts involving in producing the scarves.

“I have been really busy,” she said.

But she is enjoying getting them out into the world.

She is selling her scarves from her website and also hopes to have them in local stores shortly.

“To get them by Christmas it is probably best to order by Friday,” she said.

Ms Cooper started her design career in 2007 with a cotton, batik beach sarong with a Bermuda bay grape motif.

In 2010, she collaborated with a New York City fashion company and started designing spring and summer resort wear with sun protection. Four years later, she started her own sun protective clothing and swimwear line. In 2017, she was a licensee for the America's Cup in Bermuda.

Last year, she created a line of adaptive men’s board shorts.

danacooper.net