Anyone who still thinks knitting is a grandma’s thing, is a bit old- fashioned themselves. Although we don’t need to worry about buying warm clothes with the coming of summer, I couldn’t help but sharing  the incredible knitted world of dutch designer Nanna van Blaaderen with you.

Nanna van Blaaderen has been fascinated by textiles and design from an early age on. During her studies in fashion design she explored different disciplines but it was in knitting that she found a way to fully express her affinity for materials, fabrics and design.

‘Fashion is so much more than a piece of fabric and a sil-houette. Hard, soft, furry, smooth, rough, fine, open, closed, warm or cold, even the finest layer of textile can change the human figure from being naked and vulnerable, into being protected, strong or seductive.’

In her continuous research and experiment in materials and craft  Nanna van Blaaderen developed several concepts and collections in  knitdesign, varying from expressive abstract knitted collections, to machineknitted interior products and fabrics for fashion design.

The sculptural handknitted collection ‘More or Less’ is inspired by organic forms, animal life and nature. Using thick woolen yarns in off-white colors, Nanna van Blaaderen experimented in combining knitting techniques with braidingtechniques. This resulted in various expressive garments of voluminous structures and forms.

Nanna van Blaaderen has worked with customers in the Netherlands and abroad. In Paris she collaborated with Maison Martin Margiela. For private clients she designed garments for wedding dresses and other special requests. Have a wedding planned in the winter? Don’t hesitate to wear a customized knitted wedding dress while you’re walking to the altar! How Cool!

Source: Nanna Van Blaaderen

Photography by Pablo Delfos.