3 Of The Best: Knits To Cherish Forever
How to be the coolest (warm) kid on the block? I got you. Consider these The Knits To Celebrate The Cardigan Comeback.
As part of my Substack set-up I really wanted to find a landing place for all the lovely labels and new bits – whatever those might be! - that I am constantly ferreting out. I’ll aim to run these curated selections along a theme and hopefully it will mean introducing you all to some new finds - and faces - along the way. Obviously, it is also an excellent excuse to shine a light on local labels – I have spent an entire media career trying to share this love! My earliest fashion stories were tapping into micro trends (which took on new obsessive levels by the time I was editor of the fashion bible that was Grazia South Africa – y’all know how much we loved a micro trend!)
Today, if I can spotlight a new find, I want to share it with errr’body, but also dish a bit of background intel. Such cool, inspiring, often female-founded stories out there. With any luck, this will also serve as an excuse for my relentless scrolling and screen time since I am now back in the biz of finding hot things for all of us.
1. Romaria Knitwear
I first fell in love with Romaria over an extra-long scarf. Yes, I’ve long had a penchant for the kind of scarf that Ford Prefect from The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy could have travelled with across the universe. Volume, darlings, volume! I hate a skinny scarf – giant scarves are excellent for cold weather and for masses of stylish heft. They haven’t always been kind to my earrings - and I have often returned home like an 80s version of Madonna with only one dangle, the other is lost to the wooly folds. Anyhoo, I fell in love with Romaria over a scarf – black, white and burnt orange - and then over a balloon-sleeved cream cardigan – that is still available, btw.
Romaria is a collaborative label and business. As co-founder Carla Pinto says: “Community is in our DNA. The meaning of the Portuguese word Romaria is pilgrimage, meaning moving forward together.” It’s their motto. “All our designs, patterns and artworks,” she explains, “are made with either artists or designers. Collaborations are always fun because we can learn from and challenge each other. We all think completely differently but somehow together we make it work and the result often transforms in unexpected ways.”
It’s the new TheUrbanative collab that has gotten me hot under the proverbial wool collar again. “Mpho Vackier from TheUrbanative is just brilliant! She is not only super talented, Mpho truly understands the endless process of creating something completely original from scratch, the resilience and flexibility that is required and always with a smile on her face.”
What I love about my cream cardigan and what I’ve always loved about Romaria is the longer length of its cardies – they’re coats more than cardigans. And TheUrbanative collab takes this signature piece to another level. The coat is an almost-floor length sweep. Cue all the heart-eyes emojis. “[Co-founder] Zydia [Botes] and I never launch an item without asking ourselves a very important question: Would we wear this garment every single day? If Zydia and I aren’t completely passioned about it, how can that item becomes desirable for others? And then of course our check list continues LOL: Is it a statement piece, unique, sophisticated, timeless, versatile, comfortable and will it last? If we tick all the boxes, then the journey begins!”
Consider the boxes ticked. Never miss a thing by following them on Instagram or shop here PS Romaria is also the clothing partner to the ever-gorgeous textile studio Something Good - check them out here
2. Asha Eleven
I’m completely obsessed with Asha Eleven’s sustainable fash journey. Founder Olivia Kennaway talks of her passion for a closed loop or circular design cycle. Their fash production is now zero waste, which is no small feat.
Olivia works out of Cape Town with a small group of artisans and here in the Mother City, she is beloved for her instantly recognisable bespoke prints. Watch out, Jozi, Asha Eleven opens its first GP store in Parkhurst next week. Yes, gird your loins, fash lovers, by the weekend of June 21th doors will have been flung open.
Her new winter collection, simply entitled Suzani, is… well, the only word is sumptuous. Which does make it sounds a little King Hentry VIII but when you see it, you’ll see why I say so! Prints aside, what I found fascinating was how Olivia managed to take the uniqueness of Asha Eleven’s one-off prints and translate that into knitwear. “Collaborating with artisans and celebrating their craftsmanship is something which not only fuels our inspiration, but is something that we love to marry into the brand chemistry,” she says. “In a similar way that each inch of our print design is carefully considered and placed, we love how crochet offers that same sense of consideration with every stitch; it truly is an inspiring craft.”
Yes, crochet. The Kilakitu cardigan is a hand-crocheted cardie that comes in two different colourways. “Designing knits is a very different process to garment design and there's definitely a challenge with translating what you have in mind onto paper and then into form,” Olivia continues. The mind boggles, no? “The process always starts with choosing the yarn colours and the eco cotton yarn from Nurturing Fibres which is 100% naturally dyed and offers such a delicious range of earthy tones. Pencil colours are really the saving grace and sketching out the design and colour placement very specifically helps the process.”
If you follow Asha Eleven on Insta – do so here – you might have seen their BTS vid with Shamielah, their crochet artist. Just a year ago, Shamielah confesses she was simply making ‘granny squares’, now one year on, she is crocheting insanely gorgeous eyes and circles that are stitched into the cardigan design. Each piece takes Shamielah three to four days to make and she is an absolute master mistress of her craft. “I feel so grateful that the incredible artisans who we work with are then able to translate this into the magnificent art form that these pieces are.” Could not agree more. Isn’t it a beauty? Follow their journey on Instagram or shop here
3. Artho Eksteen
This collection of knits is a little eccentric and that’s exactly what I love about them. If you follow fash, you might remember Artho Eksteen as the winner of SA Fashion Week 2021’s New Talent Competition. In 2021, I believe I was still wrapped up in my grey sweats under a WFH knee blanket, but alas! Artho was out there. Even if I wasn’t. He has since launched a delightful collection of printed knitwear.
“The collection,” he tells me, “is inspired by finding charm and beauty in broken and accidental things. I was particularly inspired by small accidents, like spilling a cup of water. These little mishaps create interesting patterns and show unexpected beauty. This collection celebrates the unique and often overlooked beauty in imperfections and unplanned moments.” I loved this description because the knitwear – as you’ll see over on his website – are titled Ink Stain Jersey and Broken Vase Jersey.
“I gravitate towards knitwear because of how versatile it is. It’s the ultimate blend of comfort and style. The fabric is not constricting but rather forms with your body. Knitwear also has a very rich history. The craft, whether it be machine or hand knitting, has been handed down for generations and feels very nostalgic to me.”
Artho’s fave piece in the new collection? The Botanical Argyle Cardigan. “I was inspired by the idea of a garment that was forgotten in nature, and over time, overgrown by climbing plants.” For me, it's the Pearl Jersey – an oversized knitted vest sporting a giant-sized broken pearl necklace. Not to be attempted except in knitwear form, but what a joy. Dopamine dressing indeed. Follow him on Instagram or shop here
Taking requests… Drop your Most Wanted in the comments for upcoming editions of 3 Of The Best.