For the KNITWEAR CHANEL to Westwood exhibition Dovecot has invited five knitwear designers to take over the pop-up space in-store. Custom knits, gansey gloves and more will be available to buy through to March 2023.
Introducing Di Gilpin, Jennifer Kent, Custom Loop, Annie Hall and Todd and Duncan...
Di Gilpin
Di Gilpin established her knitwear design studio in a semi-ruined croft on the Isle of Skye in 1983. Now based at Comielaw Farm on the Balcaskie Estate, Di Gilpin has recruited a great team of skilled home-knitters across Scotland to create the one-off pieces and special commissions desired by private clients, fashion designers, and the catwalk.
A single Di Gilpin garment could take as long as two months to create, hand-knitted in the finest Lalland lambswool, inspired by Scotland's rich cultural heritage and provenance.
More recently, Di Gilpin has worked with La Fetiche, a Paris Glasgow Fashion label founded by April Crichton and Orely Forestier. Di Gilpin’s La Fetiche collaborations such as the VIOLET jumper and KAT mini-skirt will feature in Dovecot’s exhibition KNITWEAR CHANEL to Westwood.
More on Di Gilpin here: About Di Gilpin
Jennifer Kent
Founded in Glasgow by designer Jennifer Kent, the studio specialises in creating modern knitwear, accessories and interior products. The collections are thoughtfully curated and reflect Jennifer’s minimal aesthetic and impeccable attention to detail. The brand is not driven by seasonal trends but instead places a strong focus on ensuring its beautifully made products are timeless and can be enjoyed and appreciated year after year.
All production takes place in Scotland and Jennifer works only with well-respected and highly skilled manufacturers who share her desire to create knitwear of the finest quality. Products are knitted and hand-finished to the highest of standards using the most luxurious natural fibres and time-honoured manufacturing techniques. The brand values the skills and experience which can still be found in Scottish mills and enjoys working with those who instinctively understand the nature of luxury knitwear production and the care and attention which this demands.
For our pop-up, we will have several Jennifer Kent jumpers, scarves and gloves in store.
More on Jennifer Kent here: About Jennifer Kent
Jeni Allison: Custom Loop
Jeni Allison is a contemporary knitwear brand based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It utilises and celebrates the historic successful innovation in knitwear which Scotland is famous for by creating contemporary garments and accessories. Jeni has been developing a dual-purpose web app with a canvas component called Custom Loop, offering customers the opportunity to ‘design’ their knits with predefined interchangeable and moveable elements.
Custom Loop App will launch at Dovecot on the 28th October, created by Knit One and supported by Creative Informatics. Custom Loop enables users to design their custom-knitted scarves or blankets. Orders can be placed in-store.
More on Custom Loop here: Creative Informatics on Jeni Allison
Annie Hall
Leeds-based Knitwear designer Annie Hall loves creating weird and wonderful jumpers, blankets and scarves. Drawing inspiration from her illustrations, she challenges the distinction and expectations of art and craft. In her knitted designs there is an underlying association with her childhood and a subsequent kindred wonder that makes Annie's work so enticing and, above all, fundamentally playful.
Read more on Annie here: Creative Boom: Henry Hoovers and Starry-Eyed Bees
Todd and Duncan
Todd and Duncan are a knitwear brand founded in 1867 specialising in cashmere. Based in Kinross, all Todd & Duncan yarn is produced in Scotland, using traditional methods with a modern approach. Today they are the only Scottish spinner offering cashmere yarn to fashion houses and quality manufacturers worldwide. The mills on the banks of Loch Leven in Kinross provide a supply of pure, soft Scottish water that is essential to the feel and the look of their cashmere. Todd and Duncan are a sustainable brand, cleaning all the water they borrow for the manufacturing process before returning it to the loch.
See their collection of Lochmond-inspired cashmere wraps here: Lomond Cashmere Wrap