Description:

Formed in Knit explores the relationship between 3D form, the human body, and knitted structures to expand the potential of textile design within fashion. In an industry where textiles are often treated as secondary to silhouette, this project repositions textile design as a driving force. With knitwear typically seen as soft and body-conforming, I set out to challenge these ideas by investigating how structure and form could emerge from a medium considered inherently fluid. The project addresses a gap in how knitwear is understood and used, proposing that innovation in textiles can generate innovation in fashion. It demonstrates the value of fibre and fabric knowledge in shaping garments and highlights the role of the textile designer as fundamental to the design process, not separate from it.

My concept was to explore knit as a sculptural medium and rethink how it can behave on
the body. I began by closely studying knitted structures and how they stretch, tighten, and
interact with form. Using a material-led methodology, I worked between drawing and
sampling, then developing ideas through visualising shapes, translating them into knit,
then reflecting back into drawing. This process allowed each outcome to inform the next. As the project developed, my material palette narrowed to wool, cotton, and wire. These materials offered both softness and structure. The wire became central to creating volume and form while maintaining the tactile qualities of knit. The strategy focused on allowing material behaviour to dictate garment development, rather than imposing form onto fabric.

The final collection consists of six sculptural garments accompanied by four fabric samples that reflect the development process. Each garment engages the body in a
unique way. Sleeves inflate and deflate, a neckpiece elevates and restricts, gloves breathe with wire embedded in the knit. These interventions disrupt the expected silhouette, exploring how knitted forms can shift, exaggerate, or limit movement. A limited palette of silver, wool, and cotton ensures the focus remains on form, texture, and structure. Each sample directly informed its corresponding garment, preserving the integrity of the textile research throughout. The work blurs the boundary between garment and sculpture. It is expressive yet wearable, and centres the textile itself as the defining feature of the design, rather than an afterthought.

What elevates Formed in Knit is its seamless integration of material research, garment
design, and conceptual thinking. It challenges assumptions about knitwear’s softness by
demonstrating its capacity to be both delicate and structured. The use of wire introduces
formability and interaction. The garments can be shaped and reshaped by the wearer,
extending their function beyond the static. Visually, the contrast between metallic wire and fibrous yarn creates a rich textural language. Conceptually, the work positions textiles as central to the fashion process being both the starting point and the structure. It sits between the wearable and the sculptural, the conventional and the experimental. Through this, Formed in Knit highlights how innovation in textiles can expand the possibilities of fashion in both form and experience.