For anyone who can’t stand to throw out that seasons-old jacket or even the last drop of milk, don’t despair – there is in fact a line to be drawn between hoarding and just not wanting things to go to waste.
In the fashion industry, among an increasing amount of creative trades, this kind of attitude has recently been churned into something much greater than simple day-to-day acts of resourcefulness. More and more we’re seeing environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion brands gather momentum in the public’s favour as the slow fashion movement pushes its way to the forefront of the 21st century – and Katie Jones is one emerging designer who’s showing us just what treasures can be made from the remnants of yesterday’s textiles.
After graduating from an MA in Knitwear only four years ago, Katie has already caught the attention of renowned designers such as John Galliano, Diane Von Furstenberg and Mark Fast to name a few, for her bold and beautiful crochet clothing designs. As someone who is self-confessedly obsessed with crochet, Katie is willing to spend up to 80 hours working on a single garment to attain that signature style by which she’s made a name for herself already: vibrant, playful and sustainable.
‘I’m in my element and at my happiest when I’m doing my crochet work,’ she says. Not one to let anything go to waste, Katie revels in using up the odds and ends of materials found in all corners of her studio. She saves second-hand clothing from the bottom of the bins by re-cutting and re-designing garments, embellishing fabrics with hand-embroidery, hand-dyeing, hole-punching and (of course) knitting, transforming her would-be bygones into tomorrow's monuments of zest.
If you’re interested in learning the art of crochet with Katie Jones, you can now take part in her Christmas Crochet workshop at Selvedge on December 9th. For more information and to book your place, click here.