Knitwear: Chanel to Westwood presented over 150 inspirational knitwear pieces from the collection of Mark and Cleo Butterfield, on show to the public for the first time.
Highlights included 1920s Chanel jersey, 1930s woollen swimwear, 1970s Bill Gibb and conceptual garments from 1980s and 90s designers Comme des Garçons, Vivienne Westwood and Julien MacDonald. An exciting combination of famous names and visually exciting pieces, the exhibition charts the influence of art movements Pop, Punk and Deconstruction alongside new knitwear technologies and design innovation.
This exhibition was accompanied by the following displays:
Knitwear in Fashion Photography
Knitwear in Fashion Photography is a selection of fashion photographs by Norman Parkinson from the Norman Parkinson Archive and by Terence Donovan.
This display charts the increasing prominence of knitwear in 20th century fashion with iconic images commissioned by magazines including Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and Queen as well as by knitwear companies.
Visionary Knitwear
The best of visionary knitwear, produced by designers who are influential throughout the contemporary fashion industry.
A showcase of bold visions in contemporary fashion knitwear celebrating new graduate talent. The display features established names Julien Macdonald, Sister by Sibling, Juliana Sissons, Mark Fast, Lucas Nascimento, Iben Høj, Amy Twigger Holroyd, Yang Du and Alice Palmer, as well as recent graduates Rory Longdon, Roisin McAtamney, Camille Hardwick and Matthew Ghabrial, among others.
Selected by Sandy Black, Professor of Fashion and Textile Design and Technology at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, the exhibits represent the best of visionary knitwear, both on and off the catwalk, produced by designers who are influential throughout the contemporary fashion industry. The display highlights the importance of UK fashion education in today’s global knitwear industry.
Sandy Black said: “The designers selected for ‘Visionary Knitwear’ have all studied at degree or masters’ level in the UK, demonstrating the key role played by British design education in fostering a risk-taking approach to innovation throughout the industry.”