Demand For Classic Styles In Knitwear

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31090, 20 June 1966, Page 2

Demand For Classic Styles In Knitwear

Scottish knitwear is famous today for its quality and styling in many countries of the world. Yet it all began, as did many of the finest crafts, as a cottage industry nearly 200 years ago. j

In 1771 a magistrate, Baillie John Hardie, of Hawick, one of the six Scottish border towns, introduced four knitting frames on which coarse wool stockings were produced, much in demand by the local people against the cold Northern weather.

Today Hawick, a thriving town of 17,000 inhabitants, has 18 mills, employing some 5000 operatives and produces some of the finest knitwear in the world.

Whether the yarn is fine lambswool, pure Botany wool or the luxurious cashmere and vicuna, the quality of the knitting and finishing is just as high. One has come to expect from Hawick the smooth fit of a fully-fashioned garment where the shoulders and other shaping are all part of the knitting process. This and many other production details have been achieved only by generations of expertise.

Complete Outfits The latest styles from the Hawick mills show that knitwear has come a long way from the days when women bought the odd sweater or cardigan to team with one of several skirts or slacks. Today the story is in co-ordination, complete fashion outfits to wear for many occasions ranging from sports events to sophisticated evenings. Though fashion promotion is often geared to the fad of the moment, the stylists at Hawick report that the demand is stronger than ever for their classic styles. These are worn by the young as well as by their older sisters and their mothers, and they reflect the tendencies and moods of international fashion. The trend is for a slightly closer fit, the sweater top or jacket is of medium length, neither long nor short, and where it has a welt this has widened to about two inches. These are the little details which preserve the balance of a sweater with the current short skirt length. A high neckline, either round and close fitting to the throat, or slashed across, or as a turtle collar, suits the mood of the moment A square neck which catches the cool look in summer fashion is also introduced. It is seen for instance in Peter Scott's at-

tractive model in bamboo coloured lambswool where the square edge is softened by a scalloped effect. Other pretty details in the wide variety of necklines include a frilled knitted edge, a soft oval with a flat turnback collar and a plaited wool edge to a V-neckline. Unusual Designs Sweater dresses, knitted on the same fully fashioned frames are simply and classically styled. Though in smooth knit, they get a summer pattern treatment by the unusual designs laid tn by hand in the knitting. One to catch the eye, by Pringle, who specialises in this technique, has a design of two long-stemmed roses worked in cream and grey down the front of an apricot lambswool dress. In a less romantic mood Braemar shows a gay dress in four Harlequin panels on a counterpoint theme of two shades of red. Fashion and colour coordination is highlighted in the many two and three-piece outfits. The knitted fabric is tan, and the skirt is always lined so that it will keep its perfect shape in wear. A suit for country wear shown by George Hogg has a loose jacket in chestnut wool trimmed down the fronts and on the cuffs with a “braiding” of beige wool, worn with a chestnut knitted skirt.

A delicate three-piece in lime green and white by Pringle has a pattern of tiny lime flowers on the white sweater. The plain lime green loose jacket is lined with the same white wool and the outfit is completed with a plain lime skirt. Delicate Shades This colouring is typical of the delicate shades specially dyed for this season. Many of the fine yams are, in fact, a mixture of a colour with white or cream to create a subtle effect A honey tone is new and more flattering to most complexions in summer than the popular camel of the previous season. Looking forward to autumn, there is the feeling for more texture in the knitting introduced by intricate patterning. In heavier wools, and fully lined, such outfits will be grand for colder days. The co-ordinating theme is likely to be especially popular, particulariy in sports outfits as in John Laing’s play suit in navy and red horizontal stripes which will appeal to the trend-setting teen-ager. It consists of belted top worn over ankle gripping matching pants. A long student scarf

in a wider stripe completes it. For a more relaxed mood, Ann Howard’s ankle length, fireside gown will set a new fashion in leisure wear. It is a simple sleeveless shift belted at the natural waist and completed by a long wide stole. This designer is also making a long evening coat knitted in double texture as black over white or red, wonderfully luxurious but also very practical.