Sequin Sweaters: How to Choose and Wear Them, Day to Evening

A sequin sweater is a knitted jumper that carries sequins, either knitted in as part of the yarn so they glint quietly across the surface, sewn on one by one for a solid, reflective finish, and in micro sizes worked into stripes. The best ones keep the hand of a good knit, so they can be worn by day with trousers and by night with satin. Browse our sequin and embellished tops next to the Fabiana Filippi brand page, and see our related guide to sequin cardigans.

Key facts

• In a sequin yarn the sequins are knitted in as part of the yarn, so the shine is softer than sewn sequins stitched to the surface.
• The Fabiana Filippi AW26 sequin yarn is 48% virgin wool, 20% silk, 17% cashmere, 11% mohair and 4% polyester.
• Sequins should never be ironed directly; steam from above with the knit turned inside out.
• Fabiana Filippi Platinum crystal knits carry crystal embroidery at the neckline, collar and placket, and are made in Italy.

Below we explain the two ways sequins get into a knit, how to choose the right level of shine for day and evening, how to layer and how to care for a sequin knit, then pick the pieces to buy first, led by Fabiana Filippi, whose sequin yarn this season blends virgin wool, silk, cashmere and mohair.

Sequin yarn against sewn sequins: what is the difference?

There are two quite different garments sold under the same name.

Sequin yarn

In a sequin yarn, tiny sequins are threaded onto a fine carrier and knitted together with the main fibre, so they sit inside the stitches. The result is a knit that looks like a soft jumper from across a room and glints only as you move. The hand stays close to that of a normal sweater, and the knit still breathes. The Fabiana Filippi sequin yarn this season is 48% virgin wool, 20% silk, 17% cashmere, 11% mohair and 4% polyester, the polyester being the sequins themselves. Mohair, from the Angora goat, adds a fine halo that softens the shine further.

Sewn sequins

Sewn sequins are stitched to the surface of a finished knit, by hand and by machine. They cover more area, reflect more light and feel heavier and cooler against the skin. They are the evening choice, and they ask for more care in wear, since a snag can loosen a row.

Micro-sequins and stripes

Between the two sit micro-sequins, very small sequins worked into a stripe and a band of the knit. They give a graphic line of light with the rest of the sweater left matte. Fabiana Filippi pairs them this season with stripes of Platinum mohair on a V-neck polo sweater and a mandarin-collar cardigan.

Crystals are the other route to sparkle. Embroidered at the neckline and placket, they light the face and leave the body of the knit plain, which makes them the easiest form of shine to wear to an office.

How to choose a sequin sweater

• Decide on day against evening first. Sequin yarn and micro-sequin stripes wear by day; sewn sequins are mostly for night.
• Read the composition. Wool, silk and cashmere bases feel warm and soft; a synthetic base feels cooler and can be scratchy at the neck.
• Choose a dark ground for a first piece. Charcoal and black let the sequins glint without looking loud.
• Check the inside. A good sequin knit has no rough ends at the seams and no sharp sequin edges against the skin.
• Think about the neckline. A turtleneck gives the most coverage and warmth; a crew sits under a jacket; a V-neck layers over a shirt.
• Pick a fit that suits layering. A slim sweater goes under a coat and tailoring; a cape and a wide cardigan go over everything.

How to wear a sequin sweater by day and by night

By day

Treat a sequin-yarn sweater as you would a fine cashmere jumper. Wear it with tailored wool trousers, a pencil skirt, jeans and flat boots, and let the knit do the work. Keep other surfaces matte: flannel, suede, brushed wool. One light-catching piece is enough for a working day.

By night

For evening, put shine against shine in different textures: a sequin turtleneck with a satin skirt, a sequin cardigan worn buttoned as a top with sequin trousers. Matching sequin pieces in one colour read as a column, more like a knitted evening suit than a party outfit. For a full list of ideas, see our guide to holiday party outfits.

Layering

• Under a coat: a slim sequin turtleneck under a long wool coat shows only at the collar until the coat comes off.
• Over a shirt: a V-neck sequin knit over a crisp white shirt for daytime.
• As the outer layer: a sequin cape over a plain knit and trousers, for the evening walk between dinner and a party.
• With accessories: a sequin beanie and a sequin stole carry the same yarn to the head and neck, so the outfit can be lit with one piece and kept plain elsewhere.

How do you care for a sequin sweater?

Follow the care label first, since sequin bases vary. As a rule, never iron sequins directly: heat can cloud, curl and melt them. If the knit needs pressing, turn it inside out and use steam held above the fabric, never the plate. Dry flat on a towel, reshaping the body and sleeves, because a heavy sequin knit stretches if it hangs while wet.

Store sequin knits folded, never on a hanger, with tissue between the folds to stop sequins catching on each other. Take off bracelets and rings with prongs before pulling a sequin sweater over the head, and keep it away from bags with metal hardware that can snag the yarn. For a sewn-sequin piece, a delicate dry clean is the safer route.

The sequin sweaters and knits to buy this season

Fabiana Filippi makes all of these in Italy. The picks begin with the sequin-yarn knits in Charcoal, move to crystals and micro-sequin stripes in Platinum, and finish with the matching trousers and accessories.

1. Sequin Turtleneck Sweater in Charcoal

The Sequin Turtleneck Sweater in Charcoal is the lead pick: a slim, close-fitting turtleneck in the house sequin yarn of virgin wool, silk, cashmere and mohair. It sits easily under a coat, and the small points of light shift only as you move.

2. Sequin Cardigan in Charcoal

The Sequin Cardigan in Charcoal is a V-neck in the same yarn with a smooth surface and balanced proportions. Worn buttoned it becomes a top; open, it layers over a plain knit.

3. Sequin Knit Cape in Charcoal

The Sequin Knit Cape in Charcoal is wide, fluid and short-sleeved, falling around the body in a soft drape. It is the outer layer for an evening when a coat feels too formal. Sized XXS to XXL.

4. Platinum Sweater with Crystals in Black

The Platinum Sweater with Crystals in Black is a short-sleeved, slim sweater in Platinum, 75% virgin wool, 15% silk and 10% cashmere, with crystals in assorted geometric shapes at the neckline. The shine sits by the face and the body stays plain.

5. Platinum Cardigan with Crystals in Black

The Platinum Cardigan with Crystals in Black is a crewneck cardigan with crystal embroidery following the collar and front placket, in a regular fit. It wears over a silk shirt to an office and alone to dinner.

6. Platinum Mohair and Micro-Sequin Striped Sweater in Raffia

The Platinum Mohair and Micro-Sequin Striped Sweater in Raffia is a V-neck polo in Platinum with stripes of mohair and micro-sequins. The stripes give a graphic line of light on a pale ground.

7. Platinum Mohair and Micro-Sequin Striped Cardigan in Raffia

The Platinum Mohair and Micro-Sequin Striped Cardigan in Raffia has a mandarin collar and the same stripes, in a regular, soft fit. Pair it with the striped sweater for a twinset.

8. Sequin Yarn Straight-Leg Trousers in Charcoal

The Sequin Yarn Straight-Leg Trousers in Charcoal match the turtleneck and cardigan yarn. The cut is wide and fluid, and the sequins show only as faint reflections, so the trousers wear as a knitted evening suit with either top.

9. Sequin Beanie in Charcoal

The Sequin Beanie in Charcoal carries the same yarn to the head: the easiest way to add sequins to a winter outfit by day.

10. Sequin Stole in Charcoal

The Sequin Stole in Charcoal wraps over a coat and over a bare-shouldered dress in the same soft, enveloping sequin yarn.

11. Sequin Sweater in Falcon

Already at Coveti, the Sequin Sweater in Falcon is the lighter grey option for those who prefer a paler ground.

Sequin knits compared

Source: the Fabiana Filippi product pages and care labels, read by Coveti Editorial on 8 November 2026.

Care for the Platinum pieces is a cool hand wash and drying flat. Care for the sequin yarn pieces is not published by the house on the pages we read, so follow the sewn-in label.

Wearing a sequin sweater around the world

In the United States, the sequin sweater is the December knit, from office parties in New York to Thanksgiving dinners in Chicago, and in Los Angeles a sequin cardigan replaces a coat on most winter evenings. In the UK, a sequin turtleneck under a wool coat suits the long run of Christmas drinks, when the coat stays on until the door. In Europe, Paris and Milan wear a sequin knit with tailored trousers by day, and Vienna and Munich dress up for New Year’s Eve with a full sequin column.

In the Gulf, the cooler months bring outdoor dinners and weddings in Dubai, Riyadh and Doha. A long-sleeved sequin turtleneck and wide sequin trousers give a covered, festive outfit, with the stole for air-conditioned rooms. In East Asia, Tokyo and Seoul favour the quieter shine of sequin yarn and crystal necklines, worn to restaurants and year-end gatherings, while Hong Kong’s mild winter suits the short-sleeved crystal sweater.

Sizing and fit

Fabiana Filippi cuts clothing in Italian sizes 36 to 50, shown at Coveti as UK 4 to 18: subtract 32, so an Italian 40 is a UK 8. Each product page gives the house fit description (slim, regular, wide, pencil) and garment measurements taken on an Italian 40, and the house gives no advice to size up and down, so start from your usual size. Full conversions are in our Fabiana Filippi size guide. The Sequin Knit Cape uses letter sizes, XXS to XXL, and the beanie and stole are one size.

For more from the house, read our guide to Fabiana Filippi knitwear and our gold sweaters edit for another route to a festive knit. To keep browsing, see Brunello Cucinelli, Khaite and Isabel Marant, and our list of brands like Brunello Cucinelli.

Frequently asked questions

Can you wear a sequin sweater during the day?

Yes. A sweater in sequin yarn glints only as you move, so it wears by day with tailored trousers, jeans and flat boots. Keep the rest of the outfit matte.

Can you iron a sequin sweater?

Never iron sequins directly, since heat can cloud and melt them. Turn the knit inside out and steam from above without touching the fabric.

How do you wash a sequin sweater?

Follow the label; many sequin knits ask for a delicate hand wash and dry clean. Dry flat and store folded, never on a hanger.

What is the difference between sequin yarn and sewn sequins?

In sequin yarn the sequins are threaded onto the yarn and knitted in, so the shine is soft. Sewn sequins are stitched to the surface and reflect more light.

What do you wear with a sequin sweater?

By day, wool trousers, a pencil skirt and suede boots. By night, a satin skirt and matching sequin trousers.

Are sequin sweaters itchy?

It depends on the base. A sequin yarn blended with wool, silk and cashmere feels soft; a synthetic base with sewn sequins feels cooler and rougher.

What is the Fabiana Filippi sequin yarn made of?

This season’s sequin yarn is 48% virgin wool, 20% silk, 17% cashmere, 11% mohair and 4% polyester, made in Italy.

Read next: Sequin cardigans, Holiday party outfits, Fabiana Filippi knitwear.

By Coveti Editorial. Updated 8 November 2026.