PARIS - Officially no longer just for grannies, knitwear has finally been made cool.
The youthful facelift is courtesy of Le Moine Tricote, which produced a funky spring-summer 2013 show presented informally in central Paris.
Armed with two 12mm (half inch) needles, a ball of wool, and no rules— designer Alice Lemoine set about this collection with no idea what clothes she would make.
"It's like automatic writing. I just let the needles lead and I make all sorts of different shapes and panels," Lemoine said backstage, wearing a wooly cardigan. "I then just fuse it together; not exactly patchwork, but the same process."
The result? An architectural — and highly huggable — display of some 14 soft, open knit looks — set off with creative spirals, polygons and geometric shapes.
Lemoine, an alumnus of Rick Owens, has a gentle touch: She gives freedom to the natural weight of wool — producing some sumptuous effects, like one plunging grey and camel column dress.
Lest we forget it's summer, it's all served up with a refreshing palette of sky blue, navy, pearl beige purple and white.
Splashes of delicate, tightly knitted silk alongside breezy organza undergarments and the occasional peplum was a new addition this season, adding a variation to her usual formula.
Lemoine is proof that you can keep it simple and still pull it off.
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Thomas Adamson can be followed at http:/ /Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP
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