Garment care: Why the well-maintained item is always the best

By Carmen, Styling at Princess Goes Hollywood

As a stylist, I've learned that the difference between a good outfit and a truly great one often isn't in the garment itself. It's in its condition. A freshly steamed silk dress that drapes perfectly. A cashmere sweater without pilling, as soft as the day it was bought. A linen shirt whose color is as vibrant after the tenth wash as it was after the first.

This is no accident. This is care.

I see it at every shoot I prepare: the pieces you look at, that you pick up and feel that someone has taken good care of – they do something to you. They elevate the entire outfit to another level. And the best part is, the effort involved is smaller than you think. It requires the right detergent. The right tools. And knowing when to use what for what purpose.

Here's everything I use for it.

The right detergent – and why it makes a difference

The most common mistakes I know are: washing too hot, using the wrong detergent, and machine washing too often. Cashmere felts, silk loses its sheen, linen fades. All of this is avoidable – with the right detergent for the right fabric.

Our care detergents have been specially developed for delicate qualities. Natural raw materials, biodegradable, in bottles made from recycled PET. In 240 ml for home, 50 ml for travel – and starting from €6.90, one of the smartest investments for your wardrobe.

Cashmere & Wool Care Detergent, from €6.90
Two capfuls (20 ml) for machine washing on a wool program. For hand washing: 10 ml per 5 liters of water. For stains, apply undiluted, let sit for 10 minutes, then wash. No optical brighteners, no aggressive surfactants. Cashmere will thank you for years.

Silk & Viscose Care Detergent, from €6.90
One capful (10 ml) per 5 liters of water for hand washing. Do not wring, do not dry in the sun. For machine washing, two capfuls on a delicate cycle. Silk is tougher than its reputation – but only if treated correctly.

Cotton & Linen Care Detergent, from €6.90
One capful per 7–10 liters of water for hand washing, two for machine washing. Linen and cotton benefit from a specialized detergent that protects fibers and preserves colors. The difference is visible.

The travel steamer: my most important tool on set

If I've learned one thing in my years as a stylist, it's this: a travel steamer is indispensable. Not optional, not "nice to have." Indispensable.

No garment that has been in a suitcase or hung in storage goes to set with me without the Steamery Cirrus Lite. Compact, quick to heat up, and the result is indistinguishable from professional cleaning. Especially for silk and linen, steam is the gentlest method of all – no direct contact, no pressure, no heat spots. The fabric simply drapes better afterward. Always.

It's available in three colors – Sand, Sky & Terra, and Charcoal – and fits in hand luggage. I take it on every trip.

Steamery Cirrus Lite Travel Steamer, €90.00 →

Pilling: the most visible sign of wear – and the most avoidable

Everyone knows it. A beloved cashmere sweater that, after a few washes, gets pills and suddenly looks like it's at the end of its life. It's not. A good fabric shaver can make it look new again in five minutes.

The Steamery Pilo Fabric Shaver is my recommendation for getting started: round, handy, in black and pink, suitable for all knitted materials. If you have a lot of cashmere in your wardrobe, opt for the Pilo 2 – larger head, more precise blade, even more consistent results. Invest once, benefit for years.

For everyday use: the little helpers you always need

The Steamery Lint Brush is the item I'd like to have everywhere. On my nightstand, in the office, in my bag. Lint, hair, dust – gone in seconds, without adhesive residue, reusable. In rose and sand, because care tools can also be beautiful.

The Cashmere Comb by Princess Goes Hollywood is the gentle alternative to the fabric shaver. For delicate cashmere pieces that I don't want to touch with an electric blade. The beechwood comb gently removes pills without damaging the fibers – includes a pretty storage bag with a Princess crown.

And then there's the cedar wood moth repellent. Heart-shaped, with an engraved crown, made from natural cedar wood – protects without chemicals and looks prettier than anything else in the closet. Lightly sand it every few months to bring back the scent.

Care is not an extra – it's the difference

I tell everyone who asks me what they can do for their wardrobe: Buy less, care better. A well-maintained piece not only looks better – it feels different to wear. It gives you a different feeling. And it's the first thing others notice, even if they don't know why.

All care products – our own detergents, the Steamery tools, and the small care helpers – can be found in our Care Collection.