Lyle and Scott are on a roll this season. Not just one, but two pieces that show that someone has been feeling the hot flushes of inspiration. The first piece is this cardigan. Yes, a cardigan, and it’s rally inspired. C’mon, it’s blue, it’s knitted it’s got buttons, so what is so inspired about that? Yes, it’s also a classic fisherman’s rib stitch, again merely your standard chunky knit fayre. What gives?
It’s made from recycled denim. That’s why. Take a pile of old jeans, shred them back to fluffy cotton base and make new yarn from it (Nudie did something similar a while back, see video here). Then knit a cardigan from it. Imagine the collected history that garment contains! In addition to being recycled, which means you can enjoy the bulky cotton without having to consider the environmental impact such a load of cotton has caused.
And naturally, since this is bona fide denim, and even slubby at that (wink wink) you can use it as part of a full denim outfit. There has been talk of double-denim and triple-denim, Canadian tuxedos and so forth. With a cardy like this you could even go quadruple-denim. How next level is that? 🙂
Of course, the cardigan is a tricky garment to implement. It’s not outerwear as we know it, and most contemporary dwellings hold an ambient temperature that precludes the wearing of massive knitwear. Do chaps still have an unheated shed where they spend untold time clutching a mug of increasingly cold tea whilst contemplating their lot in life? Or is a chunky cardy merely a great layer to keep the ill chill out?
In any case, I notice it’s even on sale at the moment.
You’re probably wondering now what the next piece I have in mind might be? I’ll offer two hints: London and London.
Very stylish !!!