Eve Cavell is a knitwear designer and illustrator based in the UK. Cavell designs collections that explore the shape, structure and texture of knit, allowing for the exploration of new materials and methods. Finding inspiration within her illustrations, stories can be told through the abstract textile process. We had the pleasure of catching up with Eve on the importance of wool for her collections, her latest collection ‘Willkommen’ and what Campaign for Wool means to her.
Since the very beginning, I’ve always utilised wool for its different properties, mainly due to the wonderful texture it holds. In my most recent collection ‘Willkommen’ for example, where I was focusing on structure and technique within a fabric of a larger scale, I’ve left the wool unfinished so that the firm, structured appearance, wasn’t lost.
I switch between different types of wool, but for this collection, British lambs wool seemed the obvious choice, as by nature it has a rougher quality. In past projects I have milled the fabric after production so that the knitwear has a softer, lighter more desirable feel. Woollen cloths are my go-to, rather than synthetic, as it’s just so much more appealing to me. After working within retail and for design companies over the years, it was clear that natural fibres as a whole are so much more desirable, especially wool, due to how versatile it is.
I think I’ll always always use wool within my work, even if I am combining it with another material. However, I have worked with wool and copper wire in the past, as well as wool and monofilament. This allows for a great contrast of textures and allows for an exploration of technique and the building of new structures within knitwear.
My favourite thing about wool? Most definitely the handle. I love it after it has been finished, when it leaves that luxurious soft fabric, with tiny hair like fibres, disguising the structure of the knit. It’s when it’s in its raw state when I love it the most, when you can see the texture as well as feel it. Wool has so many characteristics and it fascinates me how they can be changed so easily.
Campaign for Wool means a great deal to my brand. For starters, the organisation allowed me to participate in the wool school competition which saw my original design be produced and sold within Jigsaw stores across the U.K. It truly was a dream come true.
It’s also incredibly important to the textile world, especially in this era of ‘fast fashion’ and the need for cheap quick results, people can forget where quality really lies. The Campaign for Wool have worked hard to educate people around the great versatility of wool and the main people behind this fibre: the wool growers, whom often get forgotten in the process.
Find out more about my illustrations and knitwear at EveCavell.com.
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