Visitors and buyers used to the fashion spectacles prepared by Lineapiù Italia in the spaces of its stand at the Pitti Filati yarn fairs, were probably slightly disappointed not to find proper garments and dresses that showcased the possibilities offered by the various yarns.
At the latest Pitti Filati that took place at the beginning of July, Lineapiù opted indeed for a more minimalist space compared to the one presented for the A/W 2014-15 season.
There was a tangible shift towards art, architecture and interior design in the stand created by Artistic Director Naira Khachatryan. The main inspiration behind the Lineapiù yarn collection was austere chic and severe boarding-school and bankers' uniforms.
Rigid structures and lamp-like elements representing three-dimensional geometric figures covered in knitted samples hung around the main entrance and in a dedicated space inside the main stand.
Though they took away the magic of the dummies clad in extravagant knitwear creations, the geometrical structures and panels represented a more financially viable option in times that are still proving rather challenging, and a way to hint at the various possibilities that specific yarns can offer when applied to different disciplines.
Some of these structures were characterised by a spherical shape, others had a jellyfish-like consistency, with frills and layers forming mushroom-like heads and tentacles.
The most elegant ones were based on three-dimensional diamond and rhomboidal forms with embossed or embedded motifs (Filclass's yarns Kikka: 26% Merino Wool, 24% Polyacrylic Fibre, 21% Superfine Alpaca, 10% Viscose 19% Polyamide; Polo: 40% Polyacrylic Fibre, 30% Superfine Alpaca, 30% Poylamide).
In some cases several viscose, alpaca and merino-based yarns (Filclass' Dream, Incas, Mini, Rust, and Joel; the latter is a bulky wool yarn with macro-graphic two colour twists that create innovative 3D tartan patterns) were used to create the shell of icosahedron-like structures.
In others the company hinted at another sub-theme of the collection - cake decorations, macaroons and fluffy marshmallows, with padded woollen yarns with soft elements that brought to mind spumoni, or fading motifs in bubblegum pink reminding of cotton candy (Dalì: 36% Polyacrylic Fibre, 18% Kid Mohair, 18% Superfine Alpaca, 28% Polyamide).
Elegant and chic inspirations were tackled in a separate section via arty knitted panels in black and white tones with some sparkling and shiny elements thrown in (Giga, Sinfonia and Zen yarns; the latter consists in a laminated fine wool gauze made with a shiny, metallic polyester).
The airy wool Luce (25% Superkid Mohair, 25% Extrafine Merino Wool, 34% Polyester and 16% Polyamide) is among the best ones in this line of the collection since it integrates inside it subtle iridescent reflections.
Fur was also another theme with mohair and merino wool-based yarns Visone, Camelot Melange and Yak replicating the effects of animals with long fur, or Bruco (69% Extrafine Merino Wool and 31% Polyamide) and Tiramolla (88% Polyamide and 12% Elastan), combined to create curly or pompom motifs.
The samples inspired by graphic art and combining more yarns together like Sweet (83% Rayon Viscose and 17% Polyester), Image (80% Rayon Viscose and 20% Polyester), Ambra (87% Extrafine Merino Wool and 13% Extrafine Polyester) were particularly interesting.
Some yarns were also employed in samples that echoed the effects of early computer graphics (Sugar: 60% Extrafine Merino Wool and 40% Polyamide).
The new collection also includes yarns ideal to create architectural and sculptural effects or to reproduce the consistency of concrete, one of such yarns is Fjordo (18% Superfine Alpaca, 49% Extrafine Merino Wool, 14% Polyamide and 19% Polyacrylic Fibre).
Knitwear designers who are into crinkly surfaces and bas-relief-like effects inspired by the carvings on historic buildings or into three-dimensional ribbed motifs can opt for combining 100% polyamide-based yarns (Zeta and Tiramolla,for example - the latter inspired by interplanetary journeys and space travels) with blends of alpaca and merino wools mixed with acrylic fibres (Parsival).
There are actually really good news for the next Winter season, but they are not for professional designers, but for individual knitwear enthusiasts: the company has indeed launched a line entitled Knit Art and revolving around three main points - imagination, texture and three-dimensionality.
Inspired by art in general and graffiti, the line is aimed at individual knitters who would like to come up with fancy projects with an arty twist about them.
These yarns are characterised by pretty and unusual colour combinations: Spray (64% Wool and 36% Polyamide) is available in a series of inspiring space dyed blues, while Graffito (49% Merino Wool, 26% Polyamide, 25% Polyacrylic Fibre) comes in a series of multi-coloured shades.
The Knit Art line also includes special voluminous yet light yarns, such as Blow (29% Superfine Alpaca, 33% Polyamide, 38% Polyacrilic Fibre), and feminine and sophisticated ones like Trilly that gives a glamorous metallic touch to wool (49% Wool, 48% Polyamide and 3% Polyester).
Nuvola (66% Extrafine Merino Wool and 34% Polyamide) - a wool and nylon twist that could be described as a sort of Winter tulle - remains the most original yarn from this collection. This yarn is meant to be light and impalpable like a cloud, and the most striking colour it comes in is a pale mint shade.
While the variety of Lineapiù/Filclass yarns will be terrifically inspiring for professionals working also in other fields such as interior design, the best thing about the Winter 2016 season is the fact that also passionate knitwear fans will be able to use from then on the sort of yarns that designers at haute couture level employ for their creations. The real challenge now will be patiently wait until the next season before being able to use these yarns.
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