Chances are one of our earliest outfits in life was a knit. Whether it was hand-crafted finery from a favorite loved one, a brand new “blankie” from the local store, or a cherished hand-me-down or family heirloom, the objective was the same – to keep us warm and comfortable. In other words, cozy. (BTW, in some areas of the world, that word would be spelled cosy.)
It’s no different today. We know that a good, heavy knit will help protect us from the cold of winter. We reach for a knit – or more than one! – if we require wrinkle-free travel. We trust that our knits for swimming will look good even when wet and hold up to sand, sun and surf. Or we simply choose a knit to add a pop of color to our wardrobe or as a nod to the latest trends.
It would take pages to name all of the world-wide vintage designers who have featured knits in their creations, but a few stand out from the crowd. Coco Chanel is often credited as the pioneer of knits, popularizing jersey, cardigans and Breton striped sweaters in the 1910s and 20s. (All three had previously been relegated to menswear, with the jersey mainly used for undergarments.) In the 60s, Marie Gray, founder of the St. John label, developed “Santana” knit, a twisted blend of wool and rayon that is much loved for its shape retention and wrinkle resistance. In the 80s, French designer Sonia Rykiel was dubbed “Queen of Knits” for her creative use of stretchy fabrics and Philippine designer Lulu Tan-Gan earned the moniker “Queen of Knitwear” for the same reason. And to this day, designers for Missoni, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Courrèges, and others, all include knitwear in their collections.
We love knits because they make us look good, but more than that because they make us feel so good. If you would like to see all of the cozy knits VFG seller members shared this week, click HERE to head to that forum thread. For a curated selection, with music and bouncing balls of yarn, enjoy this video from the VFG YouTube channel.
