Only 4 weeks to go to In the Loop 4 at the University of Glasgow, 26-28 August.
And last but certainly not least, our fourth keynote speaker is Jonathan Faiers, Reader in Fashion Theory at Winchester School of Art whose research examines the interface between popular culture, textile and dress.
image: Kenzo Takada – knitting haute couture
At In the Loop 4 Jonathan will be speaking on the subject of ‘Exaggerated domesticity and extravagant utility: Knitting and the Runway’ which addresses the complex relationship between Knitting and Couture Fashion. . To give you a taster of his talk here is an abbreviated abstract.
Knitting’s relationship to high fashion is a complex and often surprising one. Traditionally using the most luxurious wools and cashmeres and knitted in the finest gauges or the most complex of patterns, knitted couture, historically, has centred on refinement. Emulating lace and replicating cobwebs in its gossamer lightness or used as a conservative foil to traditional tailoring; the cashmere sweater and the polite twin set. Occasionally high fashion knitwear has flirted with irony, making the occasional foray into the domain of trompe l’oeil chic, (one only has to think of Schiaparelli’s iconic ‘bow’ sweaters). Elegance, complexity, and mimicry have long been the hallmarks of knit’s appearances on high fashion’s runways.
In the Loop 4 is only 1 month away. Featuring a wide range of talks, keynote lectures, exhibits, a Scottish knitwear fashion show and a marketplace featuring Scottish wool and knitwear producers, Glasgow will be at the centre of all things knit in August.
There is still time to register. Check out the programme and book for 1, 2 or 3 days here to join us
http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/research/historyresearch/researchprojects/knittingintheround/