Hasta La Ideas

La marque de vêtements londonienne Chinti and Parker s’associe avec le studio de création de motif Patternity pour une collaboration réussie : une série de 28 pulls aux inspirations architecturales, sorties des motifs qui se dégagent des façades d’immeubles. Un partenariat et une collection étonnante.

Knitwear designs graph the success of Etsy’s online marketplace

In an homage to the online retailer Etsy, Natalie Rachel has produced a pair of handmade scarves that use the company’s data as inspiration for the patterns. As the basis for her Data Scarves, Rachel collected figures related new members, items sold and the apportionment of vintage, handmade and supply goods. She later graphed the resulting data and—with a bit of ingenuity and an eye for fashion—put together a selection of wearables that plot the company’s profile.

In the world of online retailers, Etsy is synonymous with handmade goods. Constantly inspired by the creativity of sellers, Rachel used her talents for design and craft to create a final project for her Data Representation class at NYU’s ITP. Each design is one-of-a-kind, though we’re hoping to see more knit visualizations from her before the seasons change.

In addition to selling the two scarves, Rachel has included prints of her elegant graphs. One is a pie graph detailing the types of items listed and corresponding to the infinite scarf, the other a comparative study of the growth of new members and the number of items sold over time. Both the graphs and the scarves are available through Rachel’s Etsy shop.

Handmade, super-cute knit products from a renaissance woman

It’s a rare thing these days to find a fashion label that truly stands out for originality and design. It’s even less common to find one that is not only made locally but also made by hand by the name behind the brand. ALL Knitwear is lovingly made by Annie Larson, a blogger and knit enthusiast, in her Minneapolis shop. We caught up with Larson for a chat about knitwear, color and tangible inspiration.

Who is behind the label?

ALL knitwear is a one-woman operation. I launched the label and online shop in April 2010 and have updated the selection seasonally since then. All of the pieces are made-to-order by me within two weeks of the order being placed. In addition to producing each piece, I manage all of the photography and website administration. I write every email personally to each customer—it’s always me on the other end!

What’s with the name, ALL?

A.L.L. are my initials, standing for Annie Lee Larson. It also doubles as a description for what you can expect from the label, it’s all knitwear!

Where do you source design inspiration?

I visit many corners of the Internet for daily doses in fashion and culture. I am often inspired by people and personalities and places. I have suddenly become interested in magazines again, craving more tactile inspiration.

Where do you produce the knitwear?

In my storefront studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. I have a Brother 910 Electroknit knitting machine, which uses mylar sheets and a special pencil to graph the patterns I use in my designs. Every morning, I wake up at 7:30am, drink coffee, eat oatmeal, write emails, and then knit for the rest of the day. I like to link the pieces together in the evening because it’s a quiet activity and it feels right then.

Where are you stocked and what’s next for you?

Currently I am stocked by Dagmar Rousset in Melbourne, Australia, as well as my online store. In the coming months I will also have stock available at the General Store in San Francisco and Douglas + Bec in New Zealand. I have some travel plans coming up in May, and have been starting the process of a potential move to New York City next fall. In between all of that, I will just keep knitting every day.

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The mythical land Lemuria is a lost continent whose inhabitants were mentally pure hermaphrodites, ethereal spirits, and able to shape their bodies using only their minds. The knitwear project bearing the same name reflects the spirit of the vanished land, with each single piece organically transforming into multiple new shapes and styles. The Tuta Mucca dress from the current Libero Arbitrio collection easily goes from a strapless harem pants singlet to a longsleeve dress depending on how it’s worn, with six combinations in all.

The origin of the family-run business also has a unique story. Founder Susanna Gioia tells CH that over the past several decades Lemuria “has been producing knitwear for all the leading Italian fashion houses, working with 30 local families. Unfortunately many of the big names are moving production abroad or have radically changed their budgets. So we have bravely decided to apply our knowledge into an experimental project.” Fortunately the experiment succeeded and worldwide recognition followed, with acknowledgment from Vogue to The Independent.

Made in Italy, the quality of Lemuria clothes is absolute. Holding and touching them is quite an experience, because of their softness and steadiness, but also because they appear to be designed for aliens with three or more sleeves, geometric shapes, asymmetries and overall strange cuts. Gioia acknowledges that at first it can seem complex “but every piece comes with a DVD full of video tutorials explaining in the simplest way how to use them.”

See more images in the gallery below.