The invention of knitting machine many decades ago is revolutionary; it exercises crafts skills that used to be artisan-exclusive. However, creativity of knit is not aroused as it used to be.
But the power of artisan is coming back. At a time that the world needs to be connected by hands, artists and designers reinvent knit to bring craftsmanship charisma alive again. We learn to see value from things that made by hands rather than by machines.
After faded from fashion runway for several seasons, knit is revived as a key element for fall/winter. It even appears in a more pleasant way. In Copenhagen Fashion Week Fall/winter 2012, I am impressed by Stine Ladefoged’s collection, especially the look starring a bundle of pure white massive knit scarf around the model’s neck. Also using knit differently, VPL is the knit champion in this New York Fashion Week. They played with biomorphic knit in the collection, in which knitwear is fluidly and gracefully sculptured around the model’s body.
Stine Ladefoged FW2012
Stine Ladefoged FW2012
VPL FW2012
VPL FW2012
The knitting practice should not be forgotten. Trend Forecaster Li Edelkoort has been holding her Talking Textiles exhibition in several cities, aiming to bring textile (including knit) into focus again. Echoing the massive knit scarf of Stine Ladefoged, Loop Chair by Sophie de Vocht and Phat knit by Bauke Knotttnerus is another form of massive textile but for the interior. Do the artists and designers intentionally produce massive knit to turn our attention to knit again? For me, no matter what knit is turned into, every knit creation is a strong bound for the world of textile design.
Phat knit by Bauke Knotttnerus
Loop Chair by Sophie de Vocht
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