Massimo Alba Larry Crewneck Sweater

Two construction details are doing all the work here. The first is the dropped shoulder: the seam sits below the natural shoulder point rather than on it, which softens the whole outline, lets the sweater move with the arm rather than pivoting at a fixed hinge, and makes it read relaxed even in a fine gauge. The second is the tubular edge. Most sweaters finish the neck, cuffs, and hem with a ribbed band, which grips. A tubular edge is knitted as a hollow double layer instead, so the finish rolls softly, sits flat against the skin, and has no elastic pull in it at all. It is slower to knit and it is the reason this sweater does not tighten at the throat.

Extrafine virgin wool means a fine, smooth yarn rather than a lofty one, so this is a layering sweater rather than a heavy one. In dark green, which is a genuinely useful colour and one most wardrobes are missing between the navy and the grey.

We wanted a fine-gauge crewneck that could go under a jacket without bulking the shoulder, and the tubular edges are why we took this one over the others. A neckband that does not grip is worth more than it sounds.

One hundred percent extrafine virgin wool, made in Italy. Dropped shoulder, tubular edges at neck, cuffs, and hem. Colour: Dark Green.

The dropped shoulder makes this read relaxed and slightly wide across the top, and it will sit softer on the body than a set-in shoulder of the same size. Fine gauge, so it layers under a jacket cleanly and over a shirt without bulk. Tubular edges have no elastic pull, which means the neck and cuffs sit rather than grip and will not spring back if stretched hard. Handle them gently.

Under the Baglietto in Caffe, green on brown. Over the Genova in Bianco with the collar out. With the Winch2 or the Oceano jean. Dark green is at its best against Fango, Alluminio, and indigo.

Fold it, never hang it, and air it between wearings rather than washing it. Hand wash cool with a wool detergent when it genuinely needs it, then dry flat and reshape while damp. Our general care guidance covers the rest.

The Liam Sweater and the Sport Crew Neck Sweater are the cashmere knits, the Persico Cardigan is wool, alpaca, mohair, and silk, and the Winch2 Trousers are the corduroy underneath. There is more on the house on the Massimo Alba designer page. Everything we carry from Massimo Alba is listed together.