In my past life I was a fashion magazine editor responsible for sourcing, editing and gathering clothing and “looks” for the covers and fashion shoots in the well of the magazine. Included in our “pulls” of the new and established luxury designers for the fashion shoots were the basics to mix in and add a little character to these fully styled looks — a perfect tee, the great white men’s shirt, the best vintage jean … and often a fisherman sweater. And I am not talking about any old cable knit sweater. It had to be the real deal — an authentic Irish fisherman sweater from the Aran Islands.
Let’s get into some backstory …
Originally from the fishing communities of the Aran Islands off the West coast of Ireland, these wool sweaters are warm and breathable. Shout out to the sheep of Galway! The thick and hardy yarn repels water and can absorb 30% of its weight in water. The knit work is intricate, requiring tens of thousands of stitches and several weeks to complete. However, the really fascinating part are the handknit patterns that refer to generations of local family clans, their community and their culture. Each stitch has its own provenance and symbolism much like a local dialect or crest of arms. In fact, there is reason to believe that the designs of early Celtic art make up these traditional patterns.
The Cable Stitch: refers to the fishermen’s ropes, the promise of good fortune at sea, and represents the notion that family life and work are one and the same.
Diamond Stitching: reflects the pattern of the fisherman’s nets wishing for a bountiful catch.
The Blackberry or Trinity Stitch: is a textured pattern symbolizing the Holy Trinity and the role of religion in their lives.
See more stitches here.
The premise of A Shirt Story is to re-imagine and make use of what already exists — keeping quality pieces in circulation with minor or major mending and repairs. This concept of upcycling applies here as well. Sourcing Irish knits as I do with my Shirts requires some extensive digging around the surplus and discard outlets.That said, I get it. Why would you want to give or sell a beautiful traditional wool sweater that does it all: keeps you cozy, looks chic and has a legacy that can’t be argued with. Hence my obsession. What I have found is that (most) owners of these authentic sweaters take great care of them. Judging by the weathered sewn-in labels, most are family hand-me-downs, lovingly darned and properly stored.
As a button collector, I appreciate the traditional woven leather buttons of the fisherman cardigans. I also believe these magnificent (pre-loved and/or vintage) sweaters deserve a lot more appreciation. New buttons and a bit of DIY upcycling may seem sacrilegious to some but there is no way to disguise the iconic DNA of these sweaters. And the results are unique and one of a kind. I am crazy about the exaggerated chunkiness of the sweaters I see on the runway. The unlikely colors bring extra charm. The crystals I add are the icing on the cake. Enjoy!
xx.Sasha
P.S Check out my great friend Heidi Wynne's site. Her extraordinary knits are "inspired by her Irish heritage" after all, she too is the real deal.