One of the most popular and enduring images from the French Revolution is that of the tricoteuses, the knitting women sitting at the foot of the guillotine counting the heads rolling.
Since then, knitting extraordinarily developed, transforming from a domestic activity into one of the richest forms of expression for many designers.
Chanel was among the first ones to bring an important revolution into the world of knitwear with her practical pieces in knitted jersey fabrics; in the 50s Hollywood gave knitwear a glamour edge thanks to the so-called ‘sweater girls’ and, during the following decade, trends changed once again, introducing figure-hugging jumpers and avant-garde polonecks.
Around the same time, Roberta di Camerino experimented with colourful knitwear pieces in luxurious blends of cashmere and silk or viscose, cotton and linen, while Ottavio and Rosita Missoni charmed the buyers who dubbed their creations as “put together” designs, to highlight how Missoni’s garments allowed customers to freely create their own style.
Italian knitwear companies in the meantime started important collaborations with local and international designers, from Yves Saint Laurent and Azzedine Alaïa to Giorgio Armani, Martin Margiela and even the master of deluxe minimalism Zoran Ladicorbic.
Fast-forward to more recent years and you will discover that knitwear has gone through a wonderful Renaissance.
Knitwear has radically diversified and nowadays it can be oversized, micro, macro, clinging, enveloping, chunky, voluminous, hugging and even dramatically theatrical, and innovative yarns and technologies are offering new opportunities to contemporary designers. Among them there is also Marina Nikolaeva Popska the Bulgarian designer and Academy of Art University graduate who caught my attention during New York Fashion Week.
Marina recently enlightened me about the inspirations and themes behind her collection. You can discover them in my interview with Marina on Dazed Digital.
All photographs in this post by Randy Brooke.
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