The Crochet Revolution

5 Brands Taking The Trend To The Next Level

When you think of crochet, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? The infamous granny square, or Grandma’s musty sofa doilies? Originally regarded as the cheap alternative to lace, crochet is historically associated with the “make do and mend” mindset of the ’50s. In the age of spending more time indoors, we have come across a new wave of colorful geometric motifs contrived in cotton. This article will cover some of the brands that have taken crochet and given it a completely elevated facelift along with new and innovative techniques. This marks the crochet revolution!

NOORVANA

As a pioneer in the industry, London-based designer Noor Shubar is known for her brand Noorvana, featuring custom-made crochet and knit pieces for everyday wear along with lingerie pieces. With her takes on fashion-forward silhouettes, Noorvana is definitely steering this new wave, and in turn, has transformed crochet’s domestic connotations into something youthful and subversive. The ethical knitwear brand provides custom fits, hand-crafted by Shubar herself. Her garments are available for purchase at the brand’s website: https://www.noorvana.com/

JACQUES AGBOBLY

Parsons School of Design graduate Jacques Agbobly is inspired by the tones and patterns that he grew up around in Togo, West Africa. Now based in Brooklyn, the designer was recently applauded by the industry for his distinct use of the color orange. His recurring use of it aims to detach the narrative around the color orange and incarceration, particularly when worn by Black men. Agbobly’s brother was incarcerated throughout his childhood, making this a personal objective for him.

Additionally, Agbobly is the creative director of knitwear brand Black Boy Knits, a brand that emphasizes black, queer and immigrant narratives. They are a made to order brand, which eliminates the possibility of excess in production, and their garments are available at: https://www.blackboyknits.com/collections/all

BOTTEGA VENETA

As we all know, high-end fashion has lived in its own world with its own rules forever, disowning most trends and fast-fashion fads and sticking to the status quo. That being said, luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta has jumped on the crochet bandwagon, releasing a number of crochet pieces ranging from accessories to full couture garments, for their Spring 2021 line. Heavily inspired by the 1970s, the collection of pieces is funky yet elegant, bringing crochet up the totem pole from crafty to chic. Shop Bottega Veneta at: https://www.bottegaveneta.com/en-us

KATRINA DEMARCUS

Crochet has endured the art world’s impulse to render ‘craft’ somehow lesser than fine art. Katrina Demarcus decided that crochet would not only become fine art, but it would be wearable too. Based in Atlanta and a graduate of the Pratt Institute, Demarcus has works in a few different mediums including 2D illustration and animation. However, she has shown a completely avant-garde take on crochet. Wearable art is truly the best way to describe Demarcus’ knit and crochet work. Displayed on her Instagram page @biggirlbabyartist, are colorful, quirky masks, hats, and other accessories, along with more traditional garments. Find out more about Katrina Demarcus and her multi-medium art pieces at her website: https://katrinademarcus.com/

ISA BOULDER

Bali-based label/designer Isa Boulder was originally known for her satin swimwear. While the brand believes in using high-quality products, through sustainable and ethical means, it does not carry the highest price point, making the garments still attainable for the average person. In the latter part of 2020 however, the brand decided to take a different direction and began to dabble in knitwear. Fishnet-like sweaters featured built-in gloves while knit bike shorts and minidresses put a twist on summer wardrobe staples, marking a unique entry to the soon-to-be-loved knitwear collection. The collection has since grown and has garnered its own category on the brand’s website. All Isa Boulder garments are available for purchase at: https://isaboulder.com/