Discovering: What Defines Knitwear?
By Ilana Holland
What do you picture when you hear the word knitwear? For me, it used to be a simple hand-knit sweater – one that’s been passed down from generation to generation. It’s old, well worn, with obvious signs of love. Maybe you’re thinking of the hand-knit gifted socks you received one Christmas. It’s possible a one-of-a-kind scarf or a hand-crafted pair of mittens came to mind. Is knitwear less than or more than a generalized knitted garment?
How much of the time is knitwear placed into a category of trope blindness? I’m curious as to how knitwear can break the traditional patterns of being homey and domestic in our modern day.
Knitwear dates back to the 11th century, the oldest knitted artifact is an Egyptian pair of socks. Knitted gloves, caps, stockings, and sweaters built the foundation of knitted fashion we stand on today. Created out of necessity, knitting only started to become fashionable in the 1900’s. Next, the use of knitting machines boomed and knitwear became much more accessible worldwide. In the apparel industry, most products are machine-made knitwear. That beat up college crewneck in the back of your closet? This Target branded underwear? The second hand, deconstructed, and upcycled jacket I got on sale? It’s all knitwear! With the widespread utilization of knitting machines, knitwear joined the ranks of "high fashion."
A fashion designer who I think is redefining the boundaries of what handmade knitwear can be is Sophie Isabella. Having just debuted her most recent collection at Los Angeles Fashion Week 2025, what makes Isabella different from other designers is that she hand knits all of her pieces herself. After taking a textiles class at Istituto Marangoni school of design in Paris, Isabella fell in love with knitting. The knitwear fashion designer focuses on hand-knitting each of her pieces without a pattern. Collections Matinee, PRAY 4 ME, and Ephemeral Garden all include the common theme of fierce and flowy femininity. Somehow Isabella can create silhouettes that drape softly but are edgy and untamed both at the same time. By purposefully allowing herself to stray away from the predictability placed upon a female knitter, Isabella is openly escaping the corner that knitwear has been backed into.With the boom of new knitters in the past five years, plus the trends of fast fashion, knitwear is and will continue to be constantly evolving. I love that knitting has a rich history we can trace back to. Embracing tradition is just as important as knowing when to break the cycle and innovate new customs. It’s empowering to know my generation has the privilege to challenge gender roles and change the course of how past society has operated. Now, when I think of knitwear, the past and present culminate into a limitless future. I hope that when you choose your next cast on, you’ll also discover a fresh and inspirational definition for knitwear.
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