Mark Fast for Browns.

Browns have teamed up with knitwear designer Mark Fast again for AW09 to offer a limited collection online. With body con being back, "Fast is bringing a touch of rebellion to his fall collection that is seriously sexy with a hint of punk." 
My favourite item is this double layered black knitted dress with a fringed bolero. The detailing is gorgeous with a racer back and ladder stitches across the bust. (And all for a mere £2,080.00!)

Wool and the Gang

The Parisian-based design collective 'Wool and the Gang' launched 2 years ago, with an aim to revisit traditional knitting values and deliver them in a modern way. Knit your own slouchy, stylish, hand-knitted oversized scarf or have some fun with your very own DIY knit-kit!

Sounds great doesn't it? A step-by-step guide to knitting your own scarf/gloves/hat. But it doesn't come cheap: at Net-a-porter this kit will set you back a whopping £120.

Textile Trends for Fall '09

(More trends from Stylesight.)

It is no surprise that knitwear was strongly featured in the Fall '09 collections. Knitwear has really come unto its own over the past couple of years with new techniques and forms being adopted. The knit evolution sees the upcoming season mainly featuring extremely shaggy knits in heavy layers and earth tones. 

I'm happy lace reared its head again. Traditional techniques have been used but with playful detailing like the blue shoulder pads showing through in this Givenchy dress and the black piping at Louis Vuitton.

Taking inspiration from underwear and lingerie, sheer layering can be seen in cotton, silk and polyester chiffon. 

Tapestry and upholstery brought a touch of luxury to the catwalk. A rich, textural quality is added using traditional techniques like embossing and flocking. 

Leather! Leather, leather, leather. Moving on from the heavy presence of tight, leather trousers/leggings and biker jackets, leather comes onto its own next season taking the form of seperates and dresses. In each case, the leather was clearly soft and supple to the point where it could be used as an alternative to wool in garments.   

The fur debate. I have never agreed with the use of furs in fashion, but that's a whole other blog post. Fur could be seen in the majority of Fall '09 runway collections whether it was used as a slight detailing like at Dior; with other furs at Lanvin & Fendi, or colour treated which was massive at Michael Kors and Gucci. 

Artificial furs were also present and are likely to be huge on the high street come September so if, like me, you don't want to wear the real deal, don't worry there will be plenty of faux alternatives.  

Mark Fast Knitwear.

“I believe that there is a growing attention to craftsmanship in fashion these days, as opposed to quick-fix disposable pieces. I am focusing on timeless classics.” 

I have become slightly obsessed with the new wave of knitwear designers. It is interesting to see the scope knitwear design can cover in comparing Mark Fast's work to Sandra Backlund's. 

Mark Fast's innovative designs are beautiful, sexy pieces which flatter the female form. He finds inspiration from the past and translates historical costume and style into contemporary pieces. 

Having worked on knitwear for Bora Aksu for a year after graduating from Central Saint Martin's, Mark had his very own Fashion Week in February at London and received rave reviews. His clothes look so flattering for woman, I want them all.

Sandra Backlund knitwear.

I discovered the almost sculptural work of Swedish knitwear designer Sandra Backlund  a while back and immediately forwarded it on to my lovely cousin Kate in London who is a very talented knitwear designer herself. Backlund's exaggerated and complex work fascinates me.

 

"I improvise and allow myself to lose control and see what happens if I do not think so much about practical things. The human body is always the starting point. I am really fascinated by all the ways you can highlight, distort and transform the natural silhouette of the body."

She builds the garments by hand from basic "bricks" which she multiplies and attaches to each other in different ways. Her Fall '09/10 collection lookbook "Control-C" is stunning.

 

Textiles Design in Dundee.

Congratulations to all the art, design and architecture students (including my lovely Aury whose architectural designs were stunning) at Duncan of Jordanson Art College in Dundee who had their recent degree show. Mine was last year and I remember the nervous anticipation as if it were yesterday.

The textile and jewellery design students put on a fashion show to officially open the degree show. And none other than the elegant supermodel Erin O'Connor turned up to show support (I wish this had happened last year). 

Not only that but immediately after the show, Erin ran back stage to place an order for a jacket designed by textile student Hayley Scanlan, describing it as "brilliant and bonkers". Congratulations to Hayley who said she was "blown away" by the prestigious sale of her white leather, studded biker jacket. 

I went up to visit the Degree show and was very impressed with this year's textile graduates. In particular this display of men's knitwear by graduate Angela McBride. I loved how she displayed her designs on simple black and white screen prints of models. Very affective, very topman.