Apart from offering great inspirations when it comes to yarns, knits and fashion in general, Pitti Filati also gives the chance to discover and rediscover new designers, graduates and students who are injecting a dose of innovation into knitwear.
During the latest edition of the yarn fair there were a few gems from the latest crop of Royal College of Art graduates (people who were at the June graduate shows are obviously familiar with them). Designs included both hyper-coloured and more tamed pieces, mainly showcased in two different stands.
Lucy Hammond's design was displayed at Loro Piana's since the graduate was the recipient of the Loro Piana Knitwear Award (the Italian yarn company was also one of the sponsors and supporters of her graduate collection).
Loro Piana started trading fabrics in the early 1800s, becoming in the following century one of the world's leading cashmere manufacturers.
The company currently produces fabrics, yarns, interior design pieces and luxury wear and accessories, while constantly looking for new and exclusive fibres to include in its collection.
Among its latest discoveries there is a fibre that comes from the lotus flower: the process to make it is actually painstakingly complicate and entirely carried out by hand, but the results are amazing as this precious material has the consistency of a linen and raw silk blend (in the past it was used for the robes of esteemed buddhist monks).
Hammond's design showcased among the Loro Piana A/W 13-14 colour shades and cashmere scarves, is an exercise in experimental deconstruction and reconstruction.
Rachael Hall and Alexander James' designs were featured instead at Lanecardate's stand.
Founded in 1600 the Biella-based Lanecardate company produces luxurious natural fibres (in a wide colour choice – 500 shades) using the traditional oil carding method, while employing technologically advanced machinery.
Renaissance, the theme of this edition of Pitti Filati, was reinterpreted at Lanecardate's stand as a rebirth and rediscovery of what's real, genuine and accurate, and the company framed little knitted garments as if they were paintings to connect knitting to art. A further reference to art is actually the inspiration for Lanecardate's A/W 2013-14 jacquards that comes from Mariano Fortuny.
Oversized volumes, strong silhouettes and colourful geometries plus clashes with different materials are the keys to Hall's pieces. The designer perfectly embodies the playfully subversive elements you often find in London-based designers.
Alexander James' menswear pieces are radically different from Hall's and they would perfect work also for women: the designer uses subtle floral motifs (the images do not make justice to this piece...) that seem to erode the surface of his knits in a subtly decadent way.
Each of these designers redefines knitwear through their own trademark style, from eye-popping colours to subtle elements, intricate patterns or morphing shapes, yet they do have something in common: their pieces are characterised by quality and that's a point of strength for them but also for the yarn company that supported so far their work and their graduate collections.
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