Helen Rödel first studied literature, languages and marketing, subjects that may not be directly related to fashion design.
Yet Rödel soon discovered her true vocation and, prompted by the “Do It Yourself” ethic, inspired by her German origins and by the stories of the first immigrants bravely moving to Brazil to begin a new life there, she started creating innovative crocheted pieces and launched her own fashion label.
Her designs, including bodysuits and masks made to accompany other designers’ collections, combine the ebullience of Porto Alegre, the town where Rödel’s atelier is based, with the colours of the vegetation surrounding this transitional area between the subtropical forest and the Southern Brazilian grasslands.
Rödel recently shot an elegant documentary that, following the designer as she chooses the yarns and colours for her collection or showing her at work with her team and with local artists, unravels her creative process and takes the viewer in her 100% hand-knitted and crocheted world.
How did your passion for crocheting start?
Helen Rödel: My mother used to knit and when I was a child I would develop with her garments for the entire family. I discovered then that the possibilities offered by knitting were endless and I felt I wanted to do things my own way. So I took the DIY option: I did some sweaters, took some photos and uploaded them onto Flickr. At that time I was the designer, the model and the photographer too. It was only after taking part in a knitwear fashion contest that I realised my potential and I turned knitted and crocheted pieces into my signature styles.
What fascinates you about crocheting?
Helen Rödel: The freedom they offer. You only need a great idea, good needles and some yarns to start working, so there’s no need for an industrial structure to get it done. I guess crocheting or knitting represent sustainability and I also think that these traditional techniques from the past can offer us a vision of the future.
Why did you call your latest collection “Estudos MMXI” (Studies 2011)?
Helen Rödel: Because the designs included in it are experimental researches into the possibilities offered by specific techniques and present innovative and modern elements. For example, in my latest collection I used technological yarns characterised by different structures and aspects: they are extremely elastic, soft and opaque, yet they are also very firm and characterised by bright and silky elements. In some of the designs I used the so-called “popcorn stitch”, a concentration of six high stitches that creates visually striking 3-D motifs that call to mind the structure of cells or a field covered in fertile vegetation.
Why did you decide to shoot a film about your work?
Helen Rödel: The temporal gaps between thinking a collection and actually knitting or crocheting it always fascinated me. There is indeed a different speed when it comes to thinking, designing and then crocheting a piece. Through the film I wanted to share my feelings about these time differences and also tell people that patience and dedication are key elements in the creative process.
What are you working on at present?
Helen Rödel: I’m currently working on another film in which I’ll create my own mythology about crocheting. I’m also working on my new collection as I’m planning to expand my production for a commercial line. At the moment, I’m selling through the Internet and in my atelier in Porto Alegre, but I’m also looking for new possibilities of showcasing my collections outside Brazil.
Images of Helen Rödel’s “Estudos MMXI” collection by Eduardo Carneiro
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