The Winter issues and online features of many fashion publications quite often revolve around the magic glamour of the festive season. While this is perfectly understandable, it also means that only certain sides of the attractive factor of knitwear - such as warmness and coziness, bead-encrusted embellishments or classic wintry motifs - are explored.
But there is more to knitwear, as designers Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany – better known as Electronic Sheep – teach us. Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, where Brenda is based, the designers have a studio in Dalston, London, where Helen works.
Brenda graduated in Fashion Design and Helen in Graphic Design at the NCAD (National College of Art & Design, Dublin). Brenda then completed a post-graduate at LSAD (Limerick School of Art & Design) in knitwear and worked as a knitwear technology specialist for many years, winning several design awards.
After her studies at Central Saint Martin's in London and The School of Visual Arts in New York, Helen has worked as an art director in graphic design and for magazines in New York, Rome and London, designing and art directing for The Sunday Times Magazine, Martha Stewart, Swarovski, and The V&A among others.
The two friends founded their knitwear label Electronic Sheep in 1998, showcasing their collections during London Fashion Week and accompanying them also with fashion films (their A/W14 film was selected to be screened at the Aesthetica Film Festival in the UK).The collections produced by Electronic Sheep - primarily dedicated to women, with a smaller range for men and children - are characterised by dichotomic aspects that, hinting at the combination of traditions and modernity injected also in the label's name (that vaguely calls to mind Philip K. Dick's "electric sheep"...), perfectly mirror both Brenda and Helen's skills.
Micro and macro motifs are indeed juxtaposed in their designs; elegant and feminine details contrast with strong and sharp geometric lines while even the most hyper-decorated pieces manage to remain stylish.There is also another important key to their designs - a sort of narrative force and a will to tell a story with yarns while adding a humorous edge and a fun twist to it all. A good example is the duo's A/W14 collection entitled "You Can't Argue With Your Scrapbook", inspired by the designers' personal scrapbooks and memories and featuring intricate patterns forming visually stimulating surfaces, arty scenes and detailed jacquard vignettes or comic strip-like images.
Interesting chromatic contrasts are created by using a reduced yet incisive palette applied to these modern tapestries that recount tales from the designers' travels and experiences.
Brenda and Helen's detailed jacquards, contemporary illustrations and bold patterns have gained them throughout the years stockists in Europe, China, Japan, US and Australia, but also rather unique collaborations such as the latest one with Playmobil. Electronic Sheep recently turned the trademark hairstyle of the iconic figurines into practically fun hats ideal to dispel the winter blues.
What fascinates you about the art of knitwear and how did you develop a passion for it?
Brenda Aherne: We love that it gives us the freedom to create our own fabrics - we have complete control of the design from start to finish. It is also a great canvas for colour application which we experiment with constantly. I studied Fashion Design and started working with knit in college, Helen studied Graphics so her relationship with knit started later!
Was there anybody in your life/career who inspired you to become knitwear designers?
Brenda Aherne: My mother was a great tailor and knitter, she was always making clothes for me and my dolls when I was a child, so I was influenced by that and the fact there was always a sewing and knitting machine on display. Growing up, myself and Helen often adapted and customised our clothes. I began my real experimentation with knit in art college.
Helen Delany: While I was in college I spent a lot of time doing hand-printing and lithography so I always liked the idea of printing my drawings or designs on clothing. It was Brenda who asked me to do that first when we did a series of printed T-shirts. Then we decided to translate these ideas into knit, so I guess it was Brenda who brought me into the world of knitwear!
Your pieces are very graphic and you always manage to inject in them a healthy dose of fun, is there a famous knitwear designer you particularly admire or an artist/artistic movement who inspires you in your work?
Brenda Aherne: I don't think there is a particular knitwear/fashion designer that would influence us strongly, but we are inspired by the art world. I think the experimentation involved and raison d'etre is refreshing. It helps us design without boundaries when we take a creative/uncommercial approach. We take inspiration from all forms of art and architecture but as students (and now) we are big Surrealist, Pop Art and Bauhaus fans (like every other art student no doubt!). On the humorous side of things - I think we do have fun designing. We view clothing as entertainment as well as functionality.
Some pieces in your A/W 14 collection seem to have echoes of Russian Constructivism, can you introduce us to this collection and to the main themes behind it?
Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany: Russian Constructivism wasn't a real influence on this collection, but we did incorporate some Russian typography in a drawing of a shop window. That is mainly relevant to a knitted piece which is about travelling / road trips. The collection is all about our personal memories, trips and collected ephemera which we both gathered over the years. It also features different women in great outfits which is also an important part of our past. The collection is aptly called "You Can't Argue With Your Scrapbook".
What kind of yarns did you employ for this collection?
Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany: We sourced our yarn in Italy this season - it's mostly 100% merino wool. We also used leather which we appliquéd onto the knit to create a 2/D effect.
How did the collaboration with Playmobil happen?
Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany: Playmobil contacted us out of the blue. They loved our knitwear and our previous collaborations - especially one we did with London DJs "The Broken Hearts". We, in turn, are big fans of the Playmobil characters and so the deal was sealed! The idea to do a hat that looked like the Playmobil hair resulted in a fun, knit beanie called PLAYMOhair. We did just a limited edition run to celebrate Playmobil's 40th anniversary this year. It has been a really successful collaboration; the hats have been a hit and sold out super quick!
There is a recurring element in your knits, geometrical figures and shapes, would you ever use your knitwear designs to maybe teach geometry to kids?
Brenda Aherne: I would like our former maths teacher Sister Helen to read that! No, I don't think we will be teaching geometry any time soon. Knitting is actually very technical and mathematical, so we must have some acumen somewhere!
What about the manufacturing processes behind your knits – do you ever involve any special artisans?
Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany: Our design and production process is based and founded on our previous industry experience. We have both worked as designers for 10 years before Electronic Sheep and we learned the tools of the trade from hands-on design and production. We think it is invaluable to have this commercial experience or we couldn't do what we do at this level.
Would you like to work in future on a documentary about the rich Irish knitwear heritage?
Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany: Yes, we would love to!
If you ever had to do an exhibition with your archival pieces to show the progress of your career/label, how would you call it?
Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany: All of our collections are quite narrative and illustrative, often based on personal experiences or stories we have heard, so maybe we would call it "The Chronicles of Electronic Sheep" or something along those lines.
What are your immediate plans for the future?
Brenda Aherne and Helen Delany: Finishing our A/W15 Collection which we will show at London Fashion Week in February. We will also exhibit at showrooms in China and Japan. We love doing collaborations, so we are on the lookout for something new and innovative to do in 2015!
Image credits for this post
All images courtesy Electronic Sheep; Lookbook photographs by David Poole @ Slashstroke
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