The Swelle Life

Sparkle and Charm from Cyn Tung Fong

Cynthia Fong has been a friend of Swelle for a few years now; you may remember her from the Designer Series, a feature in which the then Central Saint Martins student shared her projects from their knitwear program and displayed a flair for avant-garde forms and intricate textures. Most recently, she worked for James Long in London, the young British knitwear designer and current fashion editor favourite, contributing to his AW 2013-14 mens and womenswear collections. Way to go, Cynthia!

We'll be seeing more of Cynthia's graduate and post-grad designs which are nothing short of stunning (as the look from her menswear grad show below illustrates), but today I wanted to introduce you to her jewellery collection which she has created as a side project under the label Cyn Tung Fong. She tells me it's something a bit different to indulge in after long days of knitting, though we can see her love of playing with colour combinations and mixing different textures is reflected in these vibrant accessory pieces. 

The collection includes neckpieces, bracelets, cuffs, and earrings which feature beading and charms in glass, metal, crystal and acrylic, and is currently available at her shops on Etsy and ASOS with prices ranging from £3 to £45, so there's something for everybody. Have a look!  

Chanel Film: Bicolor, The Making of the Cardigan

Click the image to watch the Chanel film Bicolor, The Making of the Cardigan at Chanel News

Leave it to Chanel to turn the making of a cardigan into something magical. From choosing the colour of the finest cashmere threads to the finishing of the piece with those intertwined C buttons - measured for exactness with a wooden ruler - we get a glimpse into the highest level of craftsmanship that goes into making the French fashion house's two-tone cardigans.

Chanel's cashmere is produced in Hawick, Scotland. In fall 2012, Chanel purchased the Barrie Knitwear cashmere mill after its owner company collapsed, saving 176 local jobs and keeping yet another artisan manufacturer from going the way of the Dodo. To date, Chanel has ensured the quality and that unique exquisiteness of their garments by acquiring the struggling couture ateliers Lemarie, the last remaining Paris plumassier, Michel for millinery, Desrues for costume jewellery, Massaro for shoemaking, and Lesage for embroidery. Most of us may never be able to afford a Chanel garment (lottery tickets), but it's nice knowing they're still out there in the world. 

Fashion Week Favourites: Milan

Well, this is a rather brief summary of what I liked from Milan. If you wanted to see colour, you were a bit out of luck! (Yes, there's always Cavalli's two shows, but they appeal to someone who is definitely everything I'm not.) There was a dark mood cast on so many of the collections, which used to be the 'rule' for the autumn/winter offerings, but really isn't any more as colour has mostly become seasonless; it's not uncommon now to find the palest or brightest of colours dominating a cool-weather collection here and there. It would seem that Giorgio Armani is also sick of the winter gloom reflecting in our clothes. According to WWD, the I'll-do-what-I-want designer explained of his Emporio Armani collection, “I wanted to lighten up winter, which is generally made up of too many dark colors and materials that are too hot." Yeah, that's all I'm saying! (Although I don't mind the cosy - being shivvering cold with a runny nose isn't a good look now matter how elegant your clothes are.) 

So Armani presented his lightened-up palette of dusty blues and pinks, soft yellows, greens and greys with a 1920s-meets-Rei Kawakubo fusion of textiles, cuts and styling that could make the brain scramble in trying to neatly categorise the look. All outfits, some with more Japanese elements than others, were topped with variations on the classic cloche and the shoes were a mix of era-friendly Mary-Janes and brogues, flats, both slip-on and lace-up ankle boots, and even a thigh-high suede boot made an appearance. So it's all slightly odd, but a new approach to the 1920s (I can't help but see that as the primary reference because of my seemingly enduring affinity for it) makes for an interesting experiment. And a good hat should always be acknowledged. 

Second, and lastly, is probably my consistent favourite of Milan, Antonio Marras. (I honestly tried to come up with more than than two, and though I'd be thrilled to wake up and find 90% of Milan's runway in my closet, I'm picking based on what would immediately make me happiest colour and texture-wise.) Marras' strength lies in taking Italy's best textiles and combining the complementary textures and patterns, then embellishing them with truly beautiful appliqued and embroidered details, without losing sight of the silhouette. This time it was printed silks, a bit of metallic shine, and traditional tweeds in the British vein, without any of that umbrella-carrying stuffiness - the Marras woman is always feminine and joyful. 

 Photos: Style.com

Fashion Week Favourites: London

Duro Olowu returned to London this season to show his scrumptiously chic A/W collection (he's been showing in New York for the past two years). One of my most favourite designers and a very warm-hearted man to boot, through his clothes he shows us seemingly endless ways to wear texture, colour and print at its most joyful, and those ways are becoming more and more refined and sophisticated without stifling one bit of his infectious exuberance. I can only imagine how special you would feel wearing one of his garments. (When I met Duro last autumn his lovely wife was with him and looked fantastic wearing one of his exquisite jackets.)

Look beyond the no-pants, high top trainer, face-eating-muff styling by Katie Grand and you'll see some very gorgeous knits from this sister line of the knitwear house Sibling, appropriately named Sister by Sibling. (Sometimes I feel the need to explain why catwalk presentation can be odd, for the non-fashion readers. Like my Dad. "Why isn't she wearing pants? Who goes out without pants?" "No one, dad. But you notice the sweater, right? And the hat?" "No, I'm wondering why she's not wearing pants." "Never mind, Dad.") Anyway, massive scarves in a gorgeous slubby texture are appealing in a primal way - don't we all seek that kind of assured comfort in the cold? The short sleeves of the fair isle and rosette sweaters balance their chunkiness and make for a cute shape. And they may even look good with pants. 

I love the sporty look of  Clements Riberio's striped cashmere sweater with the floral mini, and the slightly punky hair that keeps it from looking too preppy. These outfits stood out from the earthier muted tones that dominated the second half of the line up. 

 

Michael van der Ham's usual choppy asymmetry was only to be found in the zig zag of the models' hairstyle this season. The patchwork mashups were (mostly) gone, with the outfits more finished and refined. And if the models look to be even more miserable than usual (actually, with the exception of one, these were the least sour looking of the bunch) it's because van der Ham's inspiration was a 'tough girl - moody and dark.' Ok. But some actually looked like they were in pain. 

Pringle of Scotland has pared down their knitwear range to focus on their signature styles, the loveliest of the bunch being the pure white gilet and skirt in an ottoman rib knit that makes you want to run your fingers over and over just as much as wear.

I always look forward to the Orla Kiely presentation in what has been her fashion week home away from home for the past several seasons, the Portico Rooms at Somerset House which she would transform into her preferred fantasyland at the time, and always on the Friday. Sometimes there would be live models (which of course I loved, they pose for you), sometimes there would be cardboard cutouts, and other times it was superimposed paper girls on the walls. I've skipped the past two seasons because fashion week takes a heck of a lot of energy, and I just haven't had it for the past year. So I was surprised to find out that Orla moved out of Somerset House and instead set up office, literally, for her fashionable, anachronistic secretaries to show off their new knit dresses, embroidered cardigans and smart handbags between typing and taking phone calls. 

Photo source

Click the image to watch the video of the girls at work (at fashion156.com):

Another reason I love the presentation format:

Sophia Webster showed her new range of shoes in pastel birdhouses in a pastel forest

Photos: Bora Aksu

I so look forward to inspecting the intricate details of Bora Aksu's clothes up close in the exhibition hall, post-show. The Turkish designer's signature approach involves techniques with the textiles to create all kinds of interesting textures, and mixing knitted elements with both delicate and rigid materials, like chiffons and lace, and hard leather. You can see some details from a past season here.

Photos: fredbutler.blogspot.co.uk

And undoubtedly the most joyful of presentations come from Fred Butler where you instantly feel validated for your enduring childhood attachment to colour and your desire to celebrate it now in a big way. Which Fred does every day. This season Fred took a more commercial approach and set up a pop-up shop (complete with Fred Butler-esque cupcakes by Pomp de Franc) to allow guests to interact with the goods.

Fred does a film each season and I use them for a little daydreamy escape whenever things are too gloomy in this world of ours:

 

Photos from Style.com unless otherwise credited

Fashion Week Favourites: New York

Red Valentino continues with their youthful silhouette that seems made with a modern day Marie Antoinette's daughter, Marie Thérèse, in mind. This time the dresses took a folksy turn, inspired by the fairytale Hansel and Gretel, presented against an illustrated backdrop of treats Will Cotton would appreciate.

In the sea of black that tends to be half of New York fashion week shows, London is always a breath of fresh air as there is no city uniform for the designers to cater to. (I'd still take any of the clothes of course. Except maybe those shiny dresses geared toward the Real Houswives set.) However, New York is still full of fresh and vibrant offerings, many of which present off the catwalk in spaces that allow for more creative and engaging context. 

The most appealing collections visually, for me, are always those that combine structure, colour, print and texture to create something that feels exciting and new. (Writing that just triggered the Love Boat theme in my brain.) 

NEW YORK

Toronto's Calla Haynes, based in Paris and showing in New York, tells us we shouldn't be afraid of colour, and that this collection is about 'being happy'. I knew I loved Calla. 

 

 J. Crew is really stepping it up, earning their place amongst the luxury at NET-A-PORTER.COM with this Marrakech-inspired, jewel-adorned collection

This exquisite McQ belted dress combines structured, chunky ribbed knit with what looks to be felted bell sleeves and skirt, possibly angora and cashmere? (Why are there no reviews published yet?) Whatever it is, the progression of the McQ line in the past two seasons has raised the stakes of sister lines, possibly even further than Prada did with Miu Miu. 

Swimwear and resortwear designer Mara Hoffman applies her signature look of vibrant prints in flowing fabrics to a range of cooler weather outfits - what a way to bring the sunshine year round!

 

Alice + Olivia's simple navy turtleneck lets this wonderfully full tropical print skirt stand out

  

Norma Kamali's iconic Sleeping Bag coat from 1974 provides the reference for this quilted 1950s style party dress and cosy patchwork coat. I love that she's made a padded dress appear light and airy. 

Anna Sui's heavily styled and layered outfits can be a lot for the eye to take in all at once; these two looks present the designer's head-to-toe texture and print approach in a more cohesive way.

Photos: Style.com

Layering the New Knits: Now to Spring/Summer 2013

Winter needn’t be a time to bulk up your frame with chunky knitwear. Use textures and layering to create a streamlined look, and your wardrobe will take you from here to spring and summer without stress. Layering also allows you to wear the latest, lighter styles right now. Cleverly combining your outerwear means you’re always warm enough for Britain’s changing weather, come what may!

Layering Law #1: Flatter your skin with new and different colours

Coffee, heating and the general lack of sun in winter can all dull your complexion. You don’t actually need heavy make-up, though. Wearing new and different knits in flattering shades near your face will instantly create a healthy glow.

Colours go together in families: they are either muted or bold, and warm or cool. Hold a variety of shades near your face to determine which colourgroup makes your features seem to “pop”. If you stay with this palette when choosing your new knits, you may even find that people will comment on how well you look, even when you’re tired! One of my favourites is coral pink - it can bring out a blush of colour on many types of complexions and looks incredible against both dark and pale skin. 

Layering Law #2: Create slim lines with lightweight outerwear

The vertical lines created by an open cardigan will draw the eye upwards, giving an illusion of length. In colder weather, even a partially open outer layer will still do the trick. A cardigan in a block colour also means you can wear horizontal stripes without looking wider:

Layering Law #3: Don’t be afraid of contrast!

Once you learn how to flatter your own complexion, you can mix and match a small handful of pieces and create a range of new styles.

As a general rule, the greater the difference between your hair and skin colour, the bolder the contrast you can carry off in your clothing. A brunette with a fair skin tone will naturally look striking in a high-contrast outfit like this:

A fair blonde generally suits colours that are closer to each other in undertone:

Pale blondes can still pull off something stronger, though, if they add a more intense lipstick and some bronzer to balance the look:

Darker complexions fare very well in winter, as they carry both high and low-contrast combinations easily, and can also wear bold patterns without being overwhelmed by them:

Paler skin looks great in a strong pattern when it’s balanced with a block colour as well:

Don’t forget that subtler patterns will also stand out if you use textures and layering.

Go for a new and different look, and make winter your brightest time of the year. With these three simple laws of layering, you’ll stay warm, look lively and bridge the seasons with effortless style. A range of carefully chosen Boden new knits in colours right for you can update your look and take you forward, confidently and stylishly to spring and beyond!

LFW: Bora Aksu's Exquisitely Structured Textures and Knits

I LOVED this show. Turkish born and London-based Bora Aksu spoiled us with all kinds of delicous details worked into his highly structured pieces.  It was one of those shows where I found myself making audible 'ooh and ah' sounds as I snapped away. And that's how it should be!

In a predominantly black, silver and grey palette with pops of emerald green every few looks, there were intricate and bold knits; lace and panels of sheer chiffon and leather - the latter which at times resembled a breast plate, like a glam Joan of Arc, and was seen plain as well as embossed, outlined with large stitch holes; jackets and shirts with reconstructed tuxedo elements; harness belts; flirty skirts; and a clear plastic-y material that showed up in sleeves, panels and skirts for a more structured transparency than the chiffon could offer.

As you can see, in many of his outfits Aksu used all of these elements to create complex, highly textured garments to stunning effect.  You want to take them in your hands and have a good look and feel at everything that's going on - front, sides and back. The collection is a perfect balance of hard and soft, the silks and knits tempering the rigidness of the leather to make it something wearable.

 
 
  

  

 
  
 

 

Photos by Denise Grayson

LFW: Orla Kiely's Enchanted Forest

   

I so look forward to Orla Kiely's presentation at each London Fashion Week. She transforms the Portico Rooms at Somerset House and it's like stepping into another, very beautiful, world. This season the setting was a forest, complete with birds perched in trees and in wooden birdhouses, and two cabins showing her collection film. Unfortunately I only had a few minutes this time and had to run off without sitting down to watch it, but from what I saw the way it was shot reminded me a bit of Un Chien Andalou!

Oh yes, and the clothes! There is so much to engage the senses that you almost forget about models and clothes until you see what felt like omnipresent beings. Very nicely dressed ones. Everywhere you looked there was the same platinum-haired model in a different outfit of course, superimposed on the walls and peering out from behind the barren tree branches. The colours were all very muted, as if they were meant to blend in with the scenery, bar a nice shock of tangerine.

I included this very blurry photo of Orla because it captured a sweet moment. I was taking a photo of the film from outside the cabin when she walked out, realised she was in my shot and made a very humble 'oops, sorry!' expression. It's ok, Ms. Kiely, you can step into my shot any time! She's awesome.

And have you seen the Orla Kiely cars? The microsite for the Citroen DS3 by Orla Kiely is a pretty neat interactive catalogue of the range. Click the image to see it.

 
   
 
 
 

 

Photos by The Swelle Life

Everlasting Sprout SS 11: Over the Blue

 
 

My most favourite Japanese designer is Keiichi Muramatsu, the man behind Everlasting Sprout. My favourites are those exquisite pastel knitted corsets from a few years back, and although it usually renders the clothes unwearable, his sculpted knits like the lampshade dresses from two years ago are too enchanting and well executed to resist.

So his SS 11 collection, Over the Blue, is a wild departure from the fanciful incarnations of seasons past in that it's probably the most wearable one yet. This is what Muramatsu has to say about it:

What is the color of the sky beyond the square windows?
What is hiding beyond the clouds?
The sun is shining bright, the wind brings fresh scent.
Pleasant sound is in the air. The voice is fun.
Take a step, start walking.
Look up, break a sweat, live out a dream.
Cross the ocean, come through the sky.
Such a vista.

How nice....

 

Promotional image of a knitted airplane for Over the Blue

You can view a video presentation of the collection here

Images from Everlasting Sprout

Cooperative Designs SS 2011: Bollywood Babylon

  

Please bear with me - I'm still catching up on London Fashion Week posts!

Upon entering the Cooperative Designs SS 2011 presentation at the Groucho Club, I felt as if I'd walked into a scene from Henry and June - if Maria de Madeiros and Uma Thurman had been wearing knitwear in Indian desert hues with leather and stud accessories in their 1920s Paris salons. A barefoot model in a striking graphic monochrome dress was playing a lively ragtime tune on the piano in the art deco-ish room which added to the charm of the scene. And it was a scene.

There's always one face that stands out amongst the models and most keep their observations to themselves (it's so banal to notice the models), but there was one major exception here: an utterly enchanting woman in her 60s or maybe even 70s who was the talk of the room and would have stolen the show had it not been so rich and robust in colour, texture and style:

 

Hang on, I'm not done yet...she's too awesome:

 
Two of the girls were talking with their heads together and it reminded me of, again, Henry and June:

 

 

 

 

 

The official transportation of Bollywood Babylon?

  Photos by Denise Grayson @ The Swelle Life 

Orla Kiely SS 2011: Stiff Models, Adorable Dresses and Cake Lollies

Orla Kiely presentations at London Fashion Week are always a treat, quite literally. Not only are the clothes pure eye candy, but this time the print mistress had a sweet-faced 'cigarette' girl serving popcorn in pink retro (of course) cups and the most delicious things I've ever tasted - cake lollies. I wasn't the only one who thought so. A young girl I was standing next to in Orla's tiny cinema was eating one and asked me "Have you had one of these? They're sooo good! I'm on my third one!" That decided it, I didn't need to feel shame for wanting to go back for seconds. Besides, I had already endured being laughed at by two guys who were watching me go to town on one of those popcorn cups. I hadn't eaten anything all day (this somehow happened last season, too) and after some champagne I was desperate. So I stood there with a cup and I ate it all the way to the bottom. It's not like my face was buried in it and popcorn was flying everywhere in a ravenous frenzy (well, only for a moment), but still I must have looked like a freak - hardly anyone even touches the food which is nuts! - but you can't take pictures while holding popcorn so I had no choice. It was use it or lose it!

Moving on....Orla Kiely opted for cardboard cutouts of models wearing the collection to the real deal. That's one way to keep the whining about sore feet in high wooden heels to a minimum. But it worked. Her venue at Somerset House is the Portico Rooms, and she transforms the main room into Orla Kiely headquarters. This time she constructed a cinema, complete with theatre seats, to show her collection and the spirit of it through a film by Gia Coppola - yes, she's related. It took us back to 1960s London, leaving the ochres, oranges, browns and moss greens of the 70s behind (a palette I typically loathe yet I love Orla Kiely without exception), in favour of a rose and mint-green tinted world. There were cupcakes and pretty teacups, ponytails and hair ribbons. It all served to strengthen my resolve that I am indeed a girly-girl. No apologies!

 

Orla Kiely

 

Photos by Denise Grayson @ The Swelle Life

Tokyo Fashion Week: It Wasn't All Bad

 

I read that the buyers and press weren't falling all over what they saw on the runways at Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo. What they were hoping for and where it fell short wasn't explained, but hey - if it helps, I liked a heck of a lot of what I saw, if this exceptionally long post is anything to go by! There were plenty of references to the types of styles we've just seen in New York, such as fur-trimmed 'proper lady' wool and cashmere coats, the lingerie-inspired, and 1920s - 40s shapes and cuts, but always with that distinctly Japanese cut and detail that's a bit outside of what we know beyond of Japan. And then there's the stuff that is just out of this world, which whether you like it or you don't, always makes for a nice change from the sometimes identikit collections we see at certain fashion weeks - these designers do their own thing.

 

 

 

 

 

And last but not least, Everlasting Sprout, who never pass up the opportunity to make knitwear something unexpected. Like cat head hats. And their own little house with knitted roof shingles. The collection itself doesn't rank as one of my favourites but this one is one of my all-time loves of anything I've ever seen - see here.

Designer Series, Knitwear: The Florence Swatches

 

Since we last caught up with Cynthia F, our knitwear designer and Central Saint Martins student who is the subject of the Designer Series, Knitwear (and creates the greatest illustrations for her work), she's been busy with lots of projects including making a cardigan as part of a group project (photos to come) and a fabulous field trip to Florence, Italy. The purpose was to attend Pitti Filati, the premier international trade show for the knitting industry where she had the opportunity to see the new yarns for the upcoming season. 

And there was a catch - a student project was to be completed as part of the Florence experience. They were asked to design a collection based on knit swatches developed from research made from inspirations taken from the city. No doubt they were in abundant supply. 

Cynthia was taken with the idea of the clothes hanging off the wall at the fair - the contrast of soft and hard - and drew inspiration from the decorative walls outside the Duomo which figured into the beading of her swatches. While there wasn't time to make a garment for this project, Cynthia created these gorgeous illustrations and 'coloured' them with scans of the swatches to show what the garments would look like if they were made. I would love to see these realised, the mixing of the different textures and colours with the beading embellishment is absolutely intriguing.

I'm thrilled to announce that Cynthia F will be contributing knitwear to Swelle Boutique (launching this month) - they will be one-off pieces that will surely be inspired, truly original and beautifully handcrafted. I cannot wait to see them myself!

Here are photos of the actual swatches and scenes from around Florence - that's Cynthia in the middle of the group photo wearing some amazing jacket:

 

The Sublimely Exaggerated Knitwear of Kevin Kramp

Knitwear is arguably the most exciting thing happening in fashion right now. Innovative designers are taking the simple, traditional method of looping yarn and turning it on its head to create extraordinary sculptural shapes and complex and beautiful textures. Ultimately, they are reinventing knitwear and redefining what it means to us and how it relates to our bodies; much of it could easily be considered wearable art.

Kevin Kramp is one of these exciting and richly talented young designers who found himself intrigued with knitting well before the knitwear phenomenon exploded. The Minneapolis native began in the menswear program at London’s prestigious Central St. Martins, but found himself designing knitwear for each project. However, he couldn’t realize any of his designs as he didn’t know how to knit! After careful consideration he bravely made the jump to the knitwear program, having never knitted a thing in his life. Fast forward a few years to his graduation collection which caused a stir in the global fashion industry. Today he boasts several awards, sponsorships from the best of the Italian yarn manufacturers and has worked with many influential designers around the world including Richard Tyler and Carlos Miele. How’s all that for inspiration?

Over the course of our interview, Kevin relocated back to his native home of Minnesota - a move he had never, ever anticipated after working all over the world - to take on the prestigious role of Men’s Knitwear and Collection Designer for the upscale men’s label St. Croix Collections.

Here are our conversations:

One of the things that jumped out at me when I saw your work is that you’re of the ‘more is more’ ethos. Is this a part of a signature style or is volume something you explored with this particular collection?

Yes, it’s true! I do often max things out to the extreme, more IS more! This applies to my daily life as well! I can’t help but gravitate to more pattern, more colour, more shape, more more more, so the presence of all this consideration definitely is a signature of my work. However, your specific question to volume is a bit different – certainly I explore and push shapes to new areas, but they are not necessarily always voluminous, nor do I associate ‘volume’ with ‘more.’ Obviously we have seen form-fitting tops that are extremely maximal, and billowy tops which are plain and minimal. And to be honest, much of this collection is quite balanced to me, because I had pulled myself back from greater extremes in order to arrive at these ‘less extreme’ versions. This collection does not represent the outer limits of my capabilities of maximalism, but rather the satisfactory compromise I reached between my cuckoo tendencies and beauty.

 

I love that, ‘cuckoo tendencies’! Something every truly exciting designer must have! So, within the context of your own body of work this collection is a balance between the full-on and an honest consideration of what beauty represents. Do you think you were willing to look for that compromise because you’ve been able to experiment with your maximal approach as you say ‘to your outer limits of capabilities’? Or is there more work to be done there, more boundaries to be pushed? What was it that made you pull it back? I’m sensing it’s something about the maximalism that is that root of what drives you.

Well, I think that I have always balanced my full-on approach with what is beautiful, and that is not because I have already exhaustively explored my maximalist ideas and therefore must now limit them, but simply because many of my ideas and initial maximal work is hideously awful and ugly! I (happily) lose myself in experimentation, boundary-pushing, technique investigation, materials…to the neglect of beauty. After a good spell of stirring up my idea pot (many of which are ugly and hard to understand,) only then do I attempt to contextualize my ideas with what already exists in the rest of the world and the history of creation. This contextualization, or ‘compromise,’ is when I understand what of my work is very good, is beautiful, and what of my work should be hidden forever! Beautiful ideas often do not manifest into beautiful physical realities. It is my job, in the process of creation, to carefully consider the physical reality and honestly evaluate it regardless of its ideological inception. That is the hardest part…being honest with yourself.

Of course there is always, always more to be done in ‘pushing limits,’ in maximizing ideas and concepts (even if ‘maximizing’ means taking away.) I cannot imagine a point in my life when I will ever feel that I have satisfied all the exploration that is to be done, that I have ‘maxed out’ my maximalism.

That’s the beauty of creating, isn’t it? There’s no end to what’s possible. But as you indicate it’s also a challenge in knowing where to draw your own limits. It must be extremely frustrating to have a beautiful idea that doesn’t translate in reality. Have you ever taken an ‘ugly’ idea and made something beautiful out of it?

Well of course! So many ideas start with such promise, but then very quickly become ugly or lose their potential. This is just yet another part of  the  process that then requires careful thinking and strong decision making. Besides, life is often ugly, and undoubtedly I would not survive without rooting out the beautiful and focusing all attention on it! This ‘transformation’ process is inherent in living for all of us I think.

In the past decade we’ve seen a metamorphosis in what knitwear can be, it’s taken on a sculptural quality through the work of Sandra Backlund and Craig Lawrence and others, and your work in playing with proportion offers a new take on knitwear’s relationship to the body. I can’t think of a more exciting and innovative facet of fashion at the moment. What do you see for the future of knitwear?

I agree, knitwear is hot hot hot at the moment, I don't know why this bonanza of knit innovation occurred now, but it has and it’s damn exciting. But I honestly began (and continue) my work totally ignorant of the wider phenomenon of the growing sexiness of knitwear in fashion. I am just bizarrely excited by knitwear and all its potential…whether or not knit is hot on the runway, it’s going to be hot for me for a good long time. I never stop thinking about it! Ideas are a constant flow. There’s never enough, and always more. This knit frenzy will grow to be quite mainstream in the next ten years, of this there is no doubt. Knit is, or can be, simultaneously comfortable, casual, sporty, luxe and ultra high fashion. It’s easy, and immediately understandable. And much more difficult for the average person to make than is cutting and sewing basic fabric. Many people won’t wear oversized structured woven shoulders, but they will wear oversized piles of knit on their shoulders. Knit is intuitive, organic, much closer to the feeling of human experience. Wovens are forced, hard to understand, uncompromising. I can’t face those qualities in life anymore, I too easy crumble emotionally. I need the flexible, the sympathetic, the easy, for survival.

I think we can all survive - and flourish - on that! 

swelle.

All images courtesy Kevin Kramp

Insane for Neurotica's Black Label

Backtracking a bit...As mentioned previously my first order of the day at fashion week in London was to stop at London a la Mode's pop-up showroom in Soho, which is where I got to see those fantastic pieces from Rachel Freire. In fact everything presented at the event was a dream, including Neurotica's softly tailored collection for A/W 2009 of original print custom woven silk jersey pieces that could instantly become the clothes you live in. They were so soft I couldn't keep my hands off them, I wanted to buy some then and there. And if I wasn't in such a panic to get to Somerset House I was going to track down a piece or two.

For spring, Neurotica's Black Label collection 'Week of Wonders' draws upon fairytale imagery to create romantic and playful dresses with a bit of handsewn origami detail to bring the cicada wings to life. The illustrations are handdrawn and all pieces are handprinted in London. These are feel-good clothes through and through.

Neurotica has collaborated with designer Gemma Marissa who has created a series of one-off handknit and crochet accessories which you can see styled with the outfits. Here's a preview for A/W 2010 (more things you want to touch):

And more images from Neurotica's Black Label collection - do you not want to put these dresses on immediately?

 

A Giant Helping of Sweet Fashion Week Leftovers

 

 

I spend so much time going through the collections gathering up images that get my adrenaline pumping but I don't have full days to sit and post all of them (there's so much in so little time!). But New York is so generous when it comes to giving the adorable-cool in countless incarnations that I couldn't just let these sit idle as this is my style. (I even have some London fashion week events to post still, ones that I was actually at. For shame, I know. There was just too much and as you can see under my banner I've got a little project I'm working on...)

And I added a little side helping of stunning at the end...

  

My daughter wears a grey pinafore to school but it can be bought anywhere and there are many different styles available. So that means I can make one for her. Considering she's only four and has many years of wearing grey Teflon-coated dresses ahead of her (really, they coat them in Teflon to make them stain-resistant), I think we need to make things as cute as possible and I'll definitely be referring back to this Cynthia Steffe collection for her custom uniform. (Whether I actually get around to that is another matter.) If only we'd had choices when I had to wear a uniform at my Catholic high school in Canada. Well, we did at first. They tried a colour code but white became cream, navy become light blue and grey became black denim. We blew it. And boy did they punish us. To this day I feel ill whenever I see burgundy and grey together in clothes - and guess what colours my daughter has to wear?

 

(Not exactly what you'd call 'adorable' but most certainly a cool femininity from Frank Tell)

Now, I don't believe I've ever uttered the words 'I can't wait to see the new DKNY collection!' before, but the latest is making me pay attention (and to be fair, the last two were quite good as well). And I'm pretty sure I've never been chuffed about black and brown together but add the baby blue floral prints and you get a striking combination that's totally fresh. I love these outfits.

 
This dress blows my mind.

How fun is Peter Jensen's set?

And now for the stunning I promised (many have already seen but I know others have not and it's too good not to share):

This collection makes me yearn for Christian Lacroix. Mary Katrantzou has outdone herself - yes, I do like the direction she's taking with her prints with the adding of ruffles and lace and mixing prints and textures while keeping things quite civilised.

I do love Basso and Brook (and am still stinging over missing out on an £85 t-shirt dress in a Cocosa sale last month). The outerwear in this collection is so cozy and lush, I can't imagine anything more indulgent on a brisk winter's day.

Photos: WWD.com, Style.com and SunoNY.com

Craig Lawrence A/W 2010 Film Presentation

As the title here suggests, Craig Lawrence presented his A/W 2010 collection in film at Somerset House during London fashion week. I had actually taken a video of it myself in the darkened room which was rather unsteady and had some guy's head that was in the way for about a minute, so I was glad to see an official version of the film on YouTube and spare you the amateur version. Not having seen any of the clothes in person it's tough to comment, but we can see that outrageous knitwear is still a love of Lawrence's as his 'pompom' girl would suggest (that's what that giant shrug made of metallic strips reminds me of) as is beautifully worked, intricately lush textures. All of his pieces are handknit and Cynthia F. of The Swelle Life's Designer Series, Knitwear had a hand in assisting with the collection. I'm hoping she can fill us in the materials used, there looks to be a complementary mix of all kinds of textures and fabrics.

(Email subscribers will need to click the the title of this post to view the videos directly from the blog.)

I was going to tell you more about Craig Lawrence but this interview from last summer with Lady Gaga will give you an idea about where his work comes from, and it's more entertaining:

The Utterly Intense and Time Consuming Cropped Layered Rectangle Jacket

Hand made knit fabric, felted and cut into rectangles of 11 different sizes, all layered on top of each other from small to large, then stitched down to a hessian base that is lined in broderie anglaise. Jacket is cropped. Detachable handmade knit fringe collar can be worn separately as a scarf.

Dry Clean only.
One size.

Ingredients:
Approx 2 kilograms of 100% Lambswool
5 metres of interfacing
black broderie anglaise
hessian
2 boxes of black dye for the hessian
1 knitter
2 weeks of hand machine knitting
3 weeks of hand stitching and jacket assembly
2 weeks of cutting fringe
4 washing machine loads of felting
proverbial blood
sweat
tears

This jacket is a one of a kind piece, when you purchase it you will be the only person in the world to own one! So once it's gone, it's gone! I won't even own one!

**********************************************************************

That was a listing from Etsy for a spectacular knitted and felted couture jacket and scarf by Glasgow's Isobel and Cleo. I included it verbatim as an example of how to demonstrate why your superior garment is in fact a superior garment (read more on that here). I love her listing title, I've used it as the title of this post. There is absolutely no reason to be modest when you have put what I count as seven accumulative weeks of intense handwork, in addition to a heaping pile of materials and sundries, into creating something exquisite that can't be found anywhere else. The price tag of $1,250 seems a bargain now, doesn't it? Regardless of whether we can actually afford it is beside the point; the value has proven to be inherent.

I recently saw a listing, also on Etsy, for an $8,000 dress that told me virtually nothing about it in the description. Let's say it was the most gorgeous dress I had ever seen, and $8,000 was pocket money to me. I wouldn't buy it because, well, it was missing the love. The designer didn't care to tell me why it was special and it made the whole thing seem a bit sterile and one-dimensional. I had no doubt that the price reflected an obscene number of hours, specialised techniques and premium fabrics, because it not only looked that way but the other items in her shop were priced in the $150 and under range - it wasn't as if she was just throwing the $8,000 figure out there to see what happened. Shame, isn't it?

Update: A reader (see comments) thought I was saying that $8,000 IS pocket money to me and was greatly offended. It's a hypothetical I used to illustrate how I would approach this situation should money be no object. Let me just clarify that me having $8,000 burning a hole in my pocket is laughable to me as I can't see that ever happening! Fiction, friends. Fiction.

Help for Boyfriends: Net-a-Porter's Gift Finder

From the Rock Star collection 

Some men are great at finding presents their wives or girlfriends will love, but many others are hopeless. Pour souls. A common problem is having trouble deciphering the subtleties of what she loves and why. But we can't blame you, sometimes it's not necessarily discernible what's great and what's meh, or God forbid - tacky! in our eyes. Case in point: Crystals and rhinestones can be beautiful in the right hands but when they're not you can look like a bedazzled nightmare. A Judith Leiber crystal embellished cupcake clutch is the cutest thing ever. The same idea from Wal-Mart is not.

So if you're finding yourself in panic mode - don't fret, there's still time! - you need help unless you want the holidays to be marred with side-eye stares and little, forced-out sighs that say "You really blew it, Dude. You've sent me into early PMS and now you're going to have to deal with it. Don't you know me?" (I wouldn't be so ungrateful of course. It's not like I've ever received a plastic turd or something. I'm referring to a friend's sister who did in fact give a plastic turd from a novelty shop to her mom on Mother's Day when she was a teenager. And that was with money her mom had given her. She bought the turd and spent the rest of the money on herself. Her mom cried. It was not a good Mother's Day.)

This is a dream list item but I had to show the girls. It's the adorable package clutch from Judith Leiber

You can't go wrong with choosing from Net-a-Porter (*nudge nudge wink wink*), they wouldn't dare try to sell us something naf. I could take any page in any of their Gift Finder categories, close my eyes and point at the screen and it would be a winner. Whatever you choose, be sure to get it wrapped! Their gift boxes are beautiful and they're keepers - exactly what you see on that magical splash page, bow and all. There are amazing bags and shoes of course, but I recommend that if that's what you're leaning toward you do a bit of sleuthing to find out what she's mad for - brand, style and colour. There's nothing worse than getting a great gift and feeling guilty about thinking 'But I wanted the other one!' We girls are very particular about what we carry and put on our feet. I don't know how you guys deal with us. 

Here are more of my picks, whittled down from hundreds (I tried not to go too crazy on the prices and included a wide price range):

These are from the Stocking Fillers collection which includes a Peruvian wool snood kit from Wool and the Gang (that's a loopy scarf you can pull over your head like a hood, guys); an Erdem and Globe Trotter collaboration vanity case (a bit big for the stocking!); Burberry heart-print umbrella and Stella McCartney knickers of the week!

And you might want to stay away from this one, guys. It's Solange Azagury-Partridge's Ballcrusher ring!

Designer Series, Knitwear: Black and Blue

Last time in the Designers Series, Knitwear we saw Cynthia F's gorgeous Marie Antoinette-inspired lingerie that she knitted as her final project in her first year at Central Saint Martins. Just to be sure the students didn't forget how to knit over the summer (ha) they were given a project to work on, this one to explore the possibilities of hand knitting. 

Cynthia took her reference from a Cornelia Parker image and opted to play with embellishment. We can see that something is woven into the collar - it looks like little, protruding, coloured discs which construct a delightful texture. To create this, Cynthia crocheted the black yarn into a long chain and throughout worked in buttons so they became part of piece. She used this to knit the knitted part of the jacket which made quite a heavy piece. There's a bit of knitting in the shoes as well and Cynthia may explore other materials with her future footwear; she wasn't completely satisfied with the result. I like that the shoes echo the electric blue trim in the shoulders and cuffs of the jacket - it ties the top and bottom of the outfit together and pops against the charcoal background. It makes a great full-length photo.

Speaking of the photos, aren't they're incredible? It's amazing how the dank space between two old grey, pebble-dashed buildings can provide a setting so conducive to drama. The combination of the contrast of the bright and dark colours with the glow of overcast daylight within the diminishing perspective behind the model makes a stunning scene. As does the texture of the pebble-dashed walls, particularly beautiful in the last photo.

A successful, gorgeous collaboration from Cynthia, Sohui and Aiko.

Model: Sohui
Photographer: Aiko

Orla Kiely's Dreamy Retro Autumn Dressing

Sorry to be AWOL, we moved Wednesday and didn't have a connection until today. Thank you all for checking in, sorry for no fresh posts! I suffered a bit of withdrawal yesterday!

I first heard of Orla Kiely at the Tate Modern gift shop in London about four years ago when I moved to England. Her neatly stacked, colourful stem print notebooks and totes caught my attention. Simple and clean graphics with a distinct retro feel. Everybody likes that, don't they? I considered buying a notebook but I've bought so many pretty ones over the years and I write in them once or twice and then forget about them. I don't know what's wrong with me.

While her popular signature print bags and accessories are happy and fun, it's the fashion collections that this Royal College of Art grad conjures up season after season (since 1999) that have me hooked. Ignoring the trends in favour of taking direction from her graphic design she produces dresses, outerwear, skirts, tops and knitwear  - no pants! I love it! - that display her affinity for the sweet femininity of 60s styling, which stay fresh thanks to the evolution of her striking original prints. And I'm nuts about them. They're like Mia Farrow's wardrobe in Rosemary's Baby, updated. I think that's a really, really, good thing.

And while I usually dread the typical 'oh, it's autumn, so everything must be earthy browns, oranges and mossy greens'  that we inevitably see year after predictable year on the high street, Orla Kiely makes the harvest palette more than okay. She's got her own thing going on, and it's about much more than colour alone.

 
Here are my favourite pieces from the current A/W collection. The capes, the little faux-fur collared jacket and the knit dresses with the clover print skirts need to find a home in my wardrobe. And that clover print cardie...oh dammit just give me all of them!

 

And let's not forget these adorable intarsia arm warmers and the clover print tights:

 

Designer Series, Knitwear: Marie Antoinette Lingerie To Die For

And so our Designer Series for knitwear resumes! If you're new to the series, we're following the career of Cynthia F of the label CFST, a talented knitwear student at Central St. Martins who likes to draw upon art and architecture and is now in her second year. You can catch up on her first year projects here.

She's just started back to school but has been busy with some exciting things, namely helping backstage at Mark Fast at London fashion week as a dresser which she describes as "one of the best experiences ever!" No doubt! She's also been helping Craig Lawrence with his collection, the CSM grad who created that incredible show inspired by Christmas decorations.

Before she left for her much deserved summer break she was assigned a lingerie project, the point of which was to gain an understanding of how to create a pattern for knitwear and how to achieve different shaping without the use of fitting techniques such as darts, which can be used with woven fabric but of course aren't possible with knitwear.

The project only called for one garment and Cynthia chose the babydoll. But she felt that wasn't especially challenging and so decided to make two pairs of pants (one with adorable garters) and two pairs of socks to go with it. Her outfit was inspired by the film Marie Antoinette; the cake scene in the bath provided the colour palette. She created a pretty lace pattern on the babydoll and wanted to play around with embellishment, so she used beading and also did ribbon hand embroidery to make all of the roses. And then she taught herself to knit the socks! For presentation she has a big box to put it all in like a Christmas present and we eagerly await those photos!

Watch next week to see what Cynthia created over the summer - a gorgeous hand-knit and crocheted jacket with embellishments.

Model: Sohui
Photographer: Aiko

London Knits all Skimpy, Frilly and Pringley

I will make it my mission to one day hold a Louise Goldin knit in my hands so I can see how she creates this molded effect that we saw much more of in her previous two collections (though I can't find anyone who sells her main line). It fascinates me. The first look above might be rather unwearable if you want to show the world you do indeed have a neck and you like your boobs to look the same as each other, but I just find it so damn appealing. The soft cloud blue, the Luella SS09-reminiscent mix of textures and the asymmetric panels do wonders for my senses.

And she gave us lots of ruffles, too, in ice cream shades. And I just realised why I want to eat those thin layers of half and quarter-circle panels - they remind of crêpes.

Our good ol' Canadian boy Mark Fast showed his slinky, figure hugging knits on a variety of shapes and sizes, and I admit that when I saw his first look (below, top right) I thought the model was huge. Then I rubbed the catwalk filter off my eyes and realised she's a perfectly normal sized woman. There were others with actual meat on their bones, with different builds, and to round out the representation of body types we also saw...

...the poor of posture (this one bothers me immensely)...

...and the typical skinny models. I have to say, that while Mark Fast's knits are texturally interesting and his techniques impressive (this from someone who is only a basic knitter so I haven't a clue how he does it but they sure look complicated), the super slinky meshy knits make me a bit uneasy, like that above. Even on tiny frames the delicate-looking strands seem they're about to snap from being even slightly stretched. But ignoring the fact that the model looks like she's slumped over and about to fall to the floor, the sinewy nature of those particular knits and their effect when worn on the body is probably the point of it all.

These below are relatively modest. I like that he introduced pops of colour and his fringe dresses are just cool.

All I know is that it would take a hell of a lot of guts to wear a super sexy Mark Fast dress as is, whatever your shape or size.

And Pringle gave us some knits to cover up and snuggle up in and some cute and sexy dresses:

Do these look kind of familiar? Think fast:

Photos: WWD.com

Connections II: English Ecclectic Meets Japanese Aesthetic

Connections II is a studio exhibition presenting exquisite textile design from England and Japan and it features my most favourite textile artist, renowned feltmaker Liz Clay. She will be joined at her studio by English knitwear designer Annie Fewlass and Japanese artists Mayumi Maedi who works in linen, and Kazuko Yamanaka who creates with metal.

Each have contributed stunning creations that explore modern aesthetics in English and Japanese textiles and concepts of craft and art forms celebrating fabric, form and function. 

The exhibition is part of Somerset Art Weeks which began Friday and features a huge variety of events at nearly 100 venues. If you are in the south west of England you'd be mad not to go! I can't and I'm trying not to drag my lower lip on the floor about it.

And there's a chance you could learn feltmaking techniques from Liz Clay herself! I say 'a chance' because her workshops are extremely popular and always sell out. Workshop sessions are two hours and are available Monday, 21 and 28th of September and cost only £40, including materials and equipment. This is a steal. Contact Liz at the number or email above if you're interested. And know that I envy you. 

I'll be featuring more of Liz Clay's work soon, including her latest collection of her beyond exquisite couture felt boas. You will melt when you see them.

Designer Series, Knitwear: Totes and T-shirts

Our prolific knitwear student from Central Saint Martins, Cynthia  F. has been neck deep in yarn since we last saw her. She was paired with a Final Year CSM knitwear student, Frida Hulten - who will working at Mulberry when she graduates and - to assist up to and throughout the graduate show. Cynthia knitted a dress and half a jacket for her and hopefully we'll get to see photos of those pieces. Cynthia says the collection features lots of bubble shapes so I am all into that.

Then came two competitions. The first was to design a fashion illustration for the tote bags for London Fashion Weekend and Cynthia came up with what you see to the left. If you've been to London you'll surely recognise the 'Gherkin' building that makes up the hat (if you've been following along you know how she loves to take inspiration from architecture). Very cool.

The project for the other contest was to create a T-shirt using an existing one, and the garments were sold at a one-day exhibition to raise money for Oliver, a boy who was about to enroll into first year for Fashion Print but was stabbed in East London. He was left paralyzed from the neck down and will need treatment and medication for the rest of his life.

Cynthia wanted to stick to her knitwear background for this garment so she created a lush collar made of interwoven links of super-thick yarns of varying textures and shades:

Cynthia wasn't at the exhibition but was told her T-shirt was gone very early on and said it was "either sold already or they lost it, or it’s just somewhere lying around..." It think it was sold, Cynthia! (How modest.)

Next time we'll see the project she worked on with The Siblings designer Syd Bryan where she tried out some new techniques. And this one I cannot wait to see: a lingerie project for which she has to knit the lingerie. She's going against her usual style and going 'girly and sweet' to make a lingerie set that is Marie Antoinette inspired (she recently watched the film. If you have not seen it and love fashion it is a must-see for the costume alone). The set will consist of a babydoll, high waisted pants, suspenders (or garters) and stockings and will be photographed in a shoot.

Watch this space!

Want to catch up on the series? Click here.

Designer Series, Knitwear: Jersey Toiles

Our knitwear series designer Cynthia F was asked to create six toiles (our industrious girl made seven), using any reference points but focussing on creating a silhouette. One of the keywords was 'body-conscious' so she decided to play with that. Cynthia always draws upon great works of art for her designs and this time she used Santiago Calatrava’s architecture (he did the BCE Place Galleria in Toronto for friends back home) and created her looks using cotton jersey. And this time she even modelled some herself!

What's a toile? It's a mock-up garment using inexpensive fabric. It's the first step after creating a pattern for a garment which you can then fit onto a mannequin or model for sizing and alterations. You can also draw on it. As a knitwear designer, Cynthia could, for example, draw a cable pattern in the centre of her toile to see how it would look.

New to the Designer Series, Knitwear? Catch up here!

Our Cynthia F!

James Coviello Does it All

I've already returned once to NY fashion week's Fall 09 collections for favourites I wasn't able to post about then and I'm back again to introduce James Coviello to anyone who isn't familiar with his romantic prints and knits through which he pays homage to past eras, with a bit of boho/folk for liveliness. It's easy to see why his collaborations with Anna Sui work so well.

His background sounds ideal: He began designing jewelry for Erickson Beamon in 1987, then turned his talent for hat making into a collection which was a hit with the buyers as well as designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Geoffrey Beene, Calvin Klein, and Todd Oldham who requested his services for their runway shows. This brought him to Anna Sui who asked him to create knitwear and hats for her first runway show. Coviello followed suit and showed his first collection in 2000 at Bryant Park. In 2004 came the James Coviello for Spiegel Collection which in addition to womenswear includes home furnishings. Rather than just another box to tick in the design portfolio it's actually a collection of which Coviello is quite proud as it incorporates his life-long interest in antique collecting and his passion for interior and historical design.

And his latest offering is his fall collection of 1920s and 30s-inspired dresses and jackets, with lots of vintage prints, and topped off, of course, with amazing hats. And how about those huge silk roses? Love.

You must visit his website, it's so ornate and charming and such a close reflection of the feel of his collections which stay true to his romantic and feminine aesthetic year after year. His shop only sells small totes at the moment but it's well worth a look for these alone, they are only $34 and made using fabric from past collections, with a print lining, making them eco as well as a limited edition piece. And they're reversible. I hope he will be adding more to his shop as there is currently only one stockist in Europe and we need him over here. I know I do!

Sonia Rykiel Exhibit a Reminder of How Cool She is

I caught the Paris retrospective of Sonia Rykiel's 40-year career of changing how women dress (I think she's my new Coco), which I finally saw after my first attempt at seeing it was disrupted by my three year-old daughter who decided she would sing and play butt games where she bends over, sticks her butt out at you, wiggles it and says loudly "It's bum bum time!" and laughs hysterically. It occurred to me this may not be proper museum behaviour, not just because the song was in English but it may be considered distracting to the other patrons so I took her downstairs, handed her off to Dad with a 'good luck to you' and headed back in. (You might think I'm nuts but she's usually very well behaved and she wanted to come along to see the dresses. I had no way of knowing our visit would coincide with Bum Bum Time.)

Anyway, the exhibit features 220 of Rykiel's designs from 1968 to present, all intermingled  according to motif rather than year/era as her themes have appeared again and again throughout her career - like the poorboy sweater, black, stripes, words printed on sweaters and seams on the outside. One of her sketchbooks was on display and laminated so the pages could be browsed which was appreciated as there were others behind glass - it's fascinating to see how ideas are borne, as it is to see the style of one's illustrations. Rykiel's are quite compact and restrained and she seems to press firmly and evenly with her pencil and use concise lines, rather than a flowy kind of loose style - an interesting contrast to the 'freeing' quality that presents itself in her clothes.

A film presentation accompanied the exhibit - a Warhol interview for Warhol's TV in 1981. All in French and sadly, I had to pretend I knew what she was saying as my ear for French just isn't very good. The show footage is from the era of the first wave of supermodels - Jerry Hall and Janice Dickinson were leading the pack and doing these weird dancey moves, you know the kind of old-school runway boogie where the feet do little steps going back and forth with a lot of hip wiggle and the hands are waved about slowly and deliberately at shoulder level as if to conjure up a tray of cocktails which they would surely and quickly consume themselves.

A second part to the exhibit focusses on Rykiel's collaboration with Dominique Isserman who photographed all her publicity shots from 1979 to 1990, an impressive collection which could warrant a solo exhibit.

While watching the Sonia Rykiel interview and pretending to know what she was saying, I couldn't help but notice how thoroughly she embodies the essence of French chic. It's not about having hair just so (hers looks like Rosanne Rosannadanna's) or perfect features. It's about carrying oneself with that cool elegance and an attitude that suggests all is right in their world, regardless of what's going on - this is a woman in control. Now that's a role model. (And being rail thin and having the best clothes doesn't hurt, either.)

 

How great are the knit water wings and ring?

 

 

 

 

 

Designer Series, Knitwear: Pixelated Bananas at LFW

With the candy-coloured clothing, make-up to match and surreal accessories these images could be a study for a David LaChapelle photograph. Aren't they wonderful? The always fun and flamboyant British designer Emma Bell asked our Series star Cynthia F. to create two knitwear pieces for her A/W 2009 collection, as shown at London Fashion week in February. Based on Bell's overall vision Cynthia came up with the final design - a sky blue top and hot pink dress with a diagonal banana pattern. I especially love the big pixelated-looking ones on the dress.

Well done, Cyn!

If you live in the UK you'll recognise the models as twins Sam and Amanda from Big Brother 8.

Need to catch up on the Series? Click here

Let's hear from Cynthia's fans, I know you're out there - these Series posts are the most popular on this blog and we'd love to know what you think!

Photos: Megamegamega

The Magical Knits of Everlasting Sprout

Is it any wonder I'm so taken with knitwear when the possibilities to sculpt, texturise and embellish are endless and ultimately so enchanting? My latest crush is Japan's Keiichi Muramatsu, the designer behind Everlasting Sprout. The Bunka Fashion College grad showed his fall 2009 collection at Japan Fashion week and is getting lots of attention for his lampshade skirts. But go back a few years and you'll find more exciting treats, such as these exquisitely crafted pastel bustiers (tail optional):

The lampshade skirt (that's what I'm calling it) first showed up in Muramatsu's Spring 2009 collection, attached by single strands of yarn to pretty bibs, essentially creating a dress.

Muramatsu had other plans for that skirt and reworked the idea for his fall 2009 collection, making more skirts and creating a large cape-like bib that bunches around the neck like a sculptural paper bag. Love the thick, embellished socks and what appears to be an avant-garde bunny slipper!

Fall 2009 photos: Yuko Isobe

Designer Series, Knitwear: Metamorphosis Knits in Action

A little while ago we saw Cynthia F's illustrations and final garments for her Metamorphosis knits project at Central Saint Martins, and the post generated some good discussion to which Cynthia responded with further insight into what drove her creative process. We were curious to see what the dresses looked like on a model and the photos are now here. Very cool, Cynthia! I bet that elasticated knit around the torso feels great. And they look fantastic styled with those leggings (Aiko's legs must be nine feet long!).

First time reading the Designer Series? You can catch up here

 

The Debut of OMELA

 

Last Thursday during Paris fashion week I attended the debut presentation for OMELA, a new London-based luxury fashion brand with Russian designer Olga Vilshenko at the helm and a design team made up of Balmain, Giles and Galliano alumni. On display was a striking collection of evening dresses in silk charmeuse and printed georgette, most with grosgrain ribbon harnesses - some of which were embellished or embroidered. Leather, super-soft knits and silver fox fur-collared coats and jackets made for chic daywear pieces.

A long wool, cashmere, silk and mohair mix cardigan with silk chiffon panels was so soft and luxurious you wouldn't want to wear anything underneath. It comes in a gorgeous polo neck style as well which you can see on their website and I find myself still thinking about both and plotting how I can get one of them into my wardrobe! My dreams have been very fashion-focussed lately so maybe some grand plan will reveal itself tonight.

A few of the evening dresses had loose side pleats which contrasted the restrictive feel of the harnesses and made the dress interesting as well as beautiful:

A harness 'top' worn over a sleeveless blouse




A nappa plongé dress with hinged panels



What an incredible jacket, I love it over the knit dress and skinny trousers,
but the thought of it with a T-shirt and jeans makes my head almost explode

Chanel, Show Us Your Knits

The soft knits with girlie details are what I love most about recent Chanel collections, especially the ruffled creations in pale pink as revealed in Tuesday's Paris show (no, I wasn't at that one. One day...). Lara Stone may look annoyed but inside she is giggling with glee to be outfitted in the sartorial equivalent of cotton candy (they call cotton candy Barbapapa in Paris! Hee hee!).

Okay, I'd feel a bit silly walking out the door in a pink knitted ensemble consisting of a jumper, cape, fingerless gloves, tights and leg warmers (love the detail on those) but I still feel all giddy when I look at it. And I'd still play dress-up at home.

At least Karl Lagerfeld knew not to add a matching boater hat, which we see below and works nicely (in the Chanel context, anyway). There are arm warmers over tweed and dressed-up elbows - I love the knitted cuffs and collar with bow detail on the right, easy to DIY, too:

 

This scarf tied in a bow and that sweater/jacket - you are killing me, Karl. Who made that sweater?? And over-knee leg warmers - a softer alternative to the season's most lusted after style of boot? Will we see this on the street? I saw a young girl wearing fluffy (maybe mohair) baby blue leg warmers on Rue St-Michel today and she looked adorable. But will they translate on the big girls?

And look how this sweater dress is finished with the jagged knit trimmed with a gauzy band, I wondered if it was chiffon but it seems to have the texture of knit - can the knitwear experts tell us how this was done? Jen? Cynthia?

Photos: Marcio Madeira

 

McQueen's Hard Knit Life

According to WWD, the day before his Paris show Alexander McQueen said in response to the current economic crisis, "I have to be who I am. This is hard. It’s old McQueen, aggressive McQueen."

And so it was.

Dark and dramatic and disturbing as ever, the treatment was applied to a few knit pieces which included accessories in the form of thick, tightly knitted coils worn as Medusa-like head and neckpieces. The looks in black are really quite beautiful in their shape and texture, while the shocking orange and black stripes-in-all-directions hooded dress and tights, I think, is meant to make your eyeballs reverse in their sockets. (Sorry, that was really gross. But likely not far off the mark.)

Photos: Marcio Madeira

Designer Series, Knitwear: The White Project

Last time, we saw Central Saint Martins knitwear student Cynthia AKA CFST's intriguing Metamorphosis Knits, and now she's sharing the results of her White Project. For the theme she chose Traditional Borderline and began by exploring the traditional aspects of male and female clothing and how she might create menswear with female body shapes. This proved problematic so she looked elsewhere for inspiration and found it in the work of British sculptor Anthony Gormley (anyone from the north east of England and beyond will know his famous sculpture Angel of the North). Taking a cue from his rigid shapes and his process of wrapping as she saw outlined in a book, she decided to study restriction.

The materials were limited to cotton and felt and unsurprisingly, it took a substantial amount to complete her design - the shoulder panel required three metres of felt alone! (And yes, it's quite heavy.) It was all worth it, Cynthia scored the highest mark (and big points to her friend Aiko who modelled)!

Cynthia finger knitted the felt into the neckpiece:

Rodarte Lands on Earth

The Mulleavy sisters, how do they do it? Their dresses, skirts, tops and cardies are like explosions of texture - this time in earthy shades and prints - yet still so cohesive and all about the body. Gareth Pugh displayed a liking for the Edward Scissorhands look with his latest men's collection and we see a bit of that here with the tight black strapping and zigzag strips. They weren't shy about taking the Frankenstein approach to building up their layers in their crude but exquisite way. And the chiffons and whatever else applied on top of one another like collage remind me of nuno or laminate felting. I would kill to see what they could do with those techniques, it would make for a perfectly natural progression in their experimentation with layers of various fibres and fabrics.

How about those insane boots? Nicholas Kirkwood. Those will be the ones to beat for the remainder of the fall collections. Good luck.

Original photos by George Chinsee

Designer Series, Knitwear: Metamorphosis Knits

  

The second post in the Designer Series, Knitwear with Cynthia F. aka CFST, a knitwear student with the goods from Central Saint Martins, focusses on her Metamorphosis Knit project, which she worked on with Jess Quinton. Taking her cue from the Tracy Emin sketch My Abortion she produced a series of sketches and illustrations (don't you just love her illustrations?) that incorporate elements representing a pregnant woman's spine, which Cynthia views as the strongest and weakest part of her body - in the form of panels, as well as lump-like shapes. Her colour scheme comes from the black and white of an ultrasound, and the yellow from the umbilical cord as 'the sign of life'.

Cynthia has taken a controversial work (or at least a very uncomfortable one) in Emin's crudely drawn sketch, extracted themes and translated them into two conceptually driven garments that are wearable, feminine and fun:

Cynthia's first outfit is made with yellow jersey and black acrylic wool. The black strips that create the ruching are inspired by the human spine.

The second look is completely machine-knit. It's made with yellow acrylic wool and the pattern is black wool and white elastic for a tight fit around the torso.

Cynthia has a photo shoot soon so we'll get to see how these will look on a model. I'm very curious to see how the first one moves.

Here are the remaining illustrations for the project, they're too good not to show:

 

Watch for more posts in this series that bend and stretch your perceptions about knitwear, coming soon and ongoing. And let us know your thoughts on any of these designs or the series, we want to hear from you!

Update: See the comments section for discussion about the subject matter and a more indepth explanation from Cynthia (CFST)

Designer Series, Knitwear: Meet Cynthia F.

I am so excited to introduce a new addition to the Designer Series! Meet Cynthia F., a 20 year-old knitwear design student at Central Saint Martins in London (yes, that which gave us Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Gareth Pugh, Stella McCartney and Christopher Kane. Oh, and M.I.A.). As I was describing in recent posts about knitwear, this growing fashion design discipline is redefining how we generally perceive knit garments, and the pushing toward new ideas will only gain momentum as new talent emerges.

All signs point to Cynthia being on this track - she's a brilliant illustrator, a conceptual thinker and is able to translate her ideas to her final creations. Oh, and she can knit, too!

Where did her pursuit of fashion begin? She came from Hong Kong to London a few years ago to find that others were impressed by her artistic abilities, so she decided to pursue them with this new-found encouragement. Making fairy dresses at age eight inspired her to learn to use a sewing machine and by 15 she was doing gothic lolita dresses - it was then she knew that fashion at CSM was her dream.

And the knitting? As a young teen Cynthia learned to knit and was thrilled to find out that knitwear was an actual path one could study, she loves that she can create the fabric as she goes along, as well as decorate it. And that she's learning something very technical which she can apply in the design process rounds it out perfectly.

Style and Influences? She's very fond of shapes - sculptural shapes that hang on the body in a complementary way is one of her criteria when designing. Favourite knitwear designers are Sandra Backlund, Louise Goldin and Liria Pristine.

And now?  In first year at CSM with her own knitwear label called CFST - the initials for her English and Chinese names. She's also been working with Ada Zanditon for the past two seasons - this season focusing on knitwear using organic and ethical materials, and also with Emma Bell, helping with three of her Intarsia pieces.

Let's get to the knits. For her Century Knit project (illustration above), Cynthia chose the 1940s. She was inspired by war time and wanted to created a helmet with knit. There's and also a neckpiece that was influenced by the fur collar pilots would wear:

There's lots more innovative knits coming from Cynthia F. so watch this space!

Cities Under Seige: Attack of the Yarnbombers!

Cozy bus by Magda Sayeg of Knitta Please, Mexico City

They're like Banksy or Poster Boy, and in some ways more akin to a small-scale Christo and Jeanne-Claude. But instead of spray paint and stencils, razors and miles of synthetic fabrics, the so-called 'Yarnbombers' use, well, yarn to add beauty to their environment while making a statement. "Yarnbombing is all about using the street for making art", says Sarah Hardacre, an artist from Manchester, in a story in the Telegraph.

There are yarnbombing groups all over the world, using their knitting and crochet skills to tag their targets. One is Denver's Ladies Fancywork Society, who prefer the term 'fancywork' to yarnbombing, and use 'putting skirts on the world' to describe their crochet guerilla activities. The Ladies use code names like Vivian, Jeanne Lois, and Lady Magdalena Pompelthwaite, and meet regularly for crochet and cupcakes. Here's one of Vivian's bicycle rack fancyworks:

 

And there's the Yarnbombing blog that features projects from all over the world, and even gives standard measurements for street furniture such as telephone poles, park benches, dumpsters and pay phones found in Vancouver, where the blog is based, so bombers can get stitching without having to first venture out with a measuring tape. The two knitters behind the blog, Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain, have a book coming out in the fall called Yarn Bombing: The Art of Knit Graffiti. I sense this is just the beginning.

Now, this may be 'radical knitting' as it is played out, but the patterns and loud colours suggest a very 'granny' type of knitting and crochet, from what I've seen - kind of reminiscent of the 'cosy'. (I once saw a toilet bowl cleaner cosy in someone's bathroom. That's right, a bottle of bowl cleaner with a custom-made cosy over it, and my friend Tammy can back that up.) So if this is what the traditionalists are doing, I wonder what fashion's knitwear designers could conjure, those whose knits are radical by design?

But wait - is it not the granny style that makes it so compelling? It's funny, unexpected, vibrant, and what is typically perceived as benign and old-fashioned becomes a force to be reckoned with. Try ignoring a full knit-clad bus in clashing, bright colours.

I think this is just fantastic. I have yet to see a tag but I certainly hope to. Have you?

If you're a yarnbomber and want to share your work, give us an email. And if you're a knitter and want to find a network in your area, a quick google search should turn one up. Or start your own!

Fellow feltmakers, are the wheels turning? Oh, the possibilities...

kpdalston's add-on to a Banksy, from Yarnbombing

 
Knitted street sign in Vancouver by Lauren Marsden


A tree wrapped in red yarn in Bejing's art district, Factory 798
By Aaron Robertson via Yarnbombing


Bejing tree detail, as above


The Sweater Tree, Brooklyn. Unknown, via Yarnbombing

Blast from the Not-so-distant Past: Rykiel's Pretty Knits

A while ago I came across a great knitwear fashion blog called knit kicks (more about Jen Jarvis, the super-talented girl behind it in a follow-up post). If you're not familiar with what's going on in the knitwear world, you've got to get in the loop, it'll shock you. In a good way. Forget everything you previously thought about knitwear and set your mind on 'open.' You can see a bit in my previous post about Hong Kong but there's so much more - knitwear is in many ways becoming an art form with all of the experimentation happening, with truly sensational results. It doesn't feel farfetched to say that our young knitwear designers will become fashion's next trailblazers (if they aren't already).

On a more sedate note, and back to knit kicks, today on the blog I saw a post about a Sonia Rykiel advert (she, 'The Queen of Knits') where the model is wearing the most sweetly gorgeous white knit dress with a big bow around the waist. Jen wasn't sure what season it was from having stumbled upon the image on Flickr, and my line of thinking was 'where there's one killer dress, more will follow'. So I took a look and found it in her spring 2007 RTW collection. And yes, it had sisters. (Somehow, I remember the satin shifts in pastels from the collection but not the knits, maybe I never saw them. Who cares, we're here now.)

The dress in the ad


Nice coat, but look at the back of the dress from the header photo

Um...Drool, for all of the above?

And she didn't leave it at whites - look at these
gorgeous pale lilacs, and that diamond trim on the dress:

Photos: Marcio Madeira

 

Hong Kong's Knitwear Symphony Sings

Hong Kong fashion week hosted 'Knitwear Symphony 2009', the event's first-ever knitwear fashion show showcasing the collections of renowned local knitwear designers, which ranged from monochrome to vivid clashes to one colour head-to-toe, in a variety of woven techniques. As well as displaying the talents of eight knitwear designers, the event aimed to reinforce the city's position as the world's leading knitwear sourcing centre.

Judyanna Ng (that's Dr. Ng actually), a well-known Hong Kong fashion designer and Senior Lecturer of the Institute of Textiles and Clothing of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, was one of the designers in the show. Her collection featured Chinese motifs and is "a fusion of advanced technology in knitting and embroidery with traditional craftsmanship." I love the clashing oranges and pinks with just about every other colour worked in there, the combination of loose and fitted pieces, and the way she plays with texture - especially the nubby, foamy-looking sleeves, pants and hats:

Another collection that caught my eye is one from Coney Ko, who I can't find anything on, again! Her crocheted neckpiece reminds me of a DNA double-helix; her lacey dress is like a full-body doily; her wide-ruffle detail skirt takes knit to a sculptural level; and the last neckpiece seems to start with a crocheted collar with strips of some kind of PVC or something attached or woven in:

 

Lastly, Walter Ma worked in a palette of reds that ranged from tomato to rich crimson and used variations of a loopy detail to adorn most of his pieces - love it pared down and used as a neckpiece/scarf in the 3rd photo:

 

Photos: Getty Images

I Want to be Swaddled in Chunky Knits

 

Sandra Backlund A/W 2008. Photo: Annika Aschberg, Cameralink

I mentioned late last week we were having a gorgeous autumn day where I live in England, on the coast of the North Sea. Well, that was last week. Today it's just nasty. Ripping winds, sudden downpour, clear skies and sun (to mercilessly tease us), then five minutes later storm clouds again filled up the sky and let loose with random, huge drops of rain that landed hard on my skin like little wet kicks in the face. It's really quite objectionable. 

Having been inside for a good hour now and still feeling the bone chill but not wanting to take a second shower, I thought that maybe looking at fab chunky knits might make me feel better. And it does. (As does the Green & Blacks hot chocolate I'm really glad I picked up.) It's timely as well - the Simone Shailes knit collection (right) goes on sale at Topshop tomorrow (says Vogue.com, unlike the Topshop website that won't commit to a date!) and the Central Saint Martins grad's loop stitch sweaters and fringed capelets serve to remind us that warmth doesn't have to be dowdy and unsexy, as Sandra Backlund's figure flattering shapes further prove:

Photo: Annika Aschberg, Cameralink

I was looking through the the NET-A-PORTER.COM Sale that started today for the US site (international will follow) and found a generous helping of knits that are agreeable with my mission to be cozy and fabulous:

                                 3.1 Philip Lim                                       Nina Ricci

 

                                  Celine                                     DAY Birger et Mikkelsen

 

                               Vanessa Bruno Athé                     Diane von Furstenberg

 

                                  Rick Owens                                     Missoni

 

Okay, I work right next to the glass doors to the garden and I'm actually worried they're going to blow in. It is madness out there!!! SOS!!! I'm not sure the chunky sweaters can save me from this!!!!